Marriage and Family Therapist Job Description
A marriage and family therapist (MFT) is a medical professional who helps families that are struggling with behavioral health issues. The goal of an MFT is to help families find solutions to their problems that will last. This type of treatment can be distinguished from other types of therapy through its focus. A marriage and family therapist must consider the problems they’re addressing within the context of the family, rather than focusing solely on how they impact an individual.
Qualifying for the role of marriage and family therapist requires a lot of training. Most employers ask their MFTs to have at least a bachelor’s and a master’s degree. A license to practice therapy will also likely be required of any individual who wishes to fulfill this role.
Marriage and Family Therapist Job Description Template
Our office is searching for a skilled marriage and family therapist to join our team. In this role, you will be tasked with resolving the issues that families and couples are dealing with. This means you will need to be capable of approaching behavioral health and other concerns from the perspective of the family rather than the perspective of the individual.
It will be your job to assess the most pressing issues facing a family and then create a road map for solving them. You may need to adjust the approach that you use based on the cultural background of each family that you work with. Those who apply for this position should have a strong background in family therapy and general psychiatry. If you believe that you have the qualifications needed to excel in this role, we’d love to hear from you.
Marriage and Family Therapist Responsibilities:
- Meet with families and observe/note potential problems that arise
- Educate your clients about how certain behaviors are impacting their lives
- Propose solutions to the problems that these families are facing
- Work with the families to help them make progress towards their desired outcomes in a methodical way
- Help clients process grief, stabilize their homes, and improve schooling situations for their children, among other tasks
Marriage and Family Therapist Requirements:
- Master’s degree in family therapy or a closely related field
- All state-mandated licenses
- Previous experience as a marriage or family therapist
- Familiarity with the best practices of family therapy
- Compassionate attitude and strong communication skills
Marriage and Family Therapist FAQ
What tasks does a marriage and family therapist do?
A marriage and family therapist helps families and couples solve the problems they’ve been facing. This typically starts by helping the family define and understand exactly what their problems are. Then, the MFT will help the family explore their problems in more in-depth ways and help them identify the right solution to them. After that, the therapist will continue meeting with the family to ensure they make smooth progress towards their desired outcomes.
Can I use your marriage and family therapist job description template?
Yes, you should feel free to use our job description template as a launching point for your own. However, don’t make the mistake of copying it word-for-word. Instead, it’s important that you highlight the components of your available position that distinguish it from others. Doing so is one of the most effective ways to attract more qualified applicants.
What should I include in my marriage and family therapist help-wanted ads?
We recommend that you follow the guideline you see above. Start with a few paragraphs that talk about the job in general terms. You can get more specific after that by creating two bulleted lists that focus on the responsibilities and requirements of the position.
