Marriage and Family Counseling

What is Marriage and Family Counseling?

Sometimes referred to as Marriage and Family Counseling or Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT), this area of counseling focuses on issues or problem areas that families and couples may face during their lifetime. Marriage and Family Counseling is a very specific area of counseling. It requires a deep understanding of many areas including the following:

marriage and family units
sexuality and gender
infant and adolescent behavior
diversity
career development
life planning, counseling theory and practice
group therapy

Marriage and Family counselors may try to help with relationship issues, communication issues, intimacy issues, or issues where abuse may be present in a relationship. They work with clients to help fix issues in their relationships such as trust, loneliness, different value systems, child rearing, financial issues or when there’s verbal and emotional abuse present in their relationship. Sometimes communication breaks down and couples or families need the help of an objective third party to discover how to better communicate with each other. Sometimes couples have intimacy issues and may require professional help understanding what is causing them to either not be close to their partner or not be sexually intimate with them.

Marriage and Family Counselors deal with a wide range of relationship issues and people may seek out these professionals to help them put the pieces of their relationship back together in order to have a healthy relationship.

Who do Marriage Counselors Work With?

Marriage and Family Counselors work with married couples, families or those who may have been dating for a long time. They may work with people individually or as a family unit.

Where do they Work?

Marriage and Family Counselors work in many settings. They may be self-employed and have their own private practice. Some counselors may work in a private practice that is not their own. Others may work in family services organization, for a government agency or for the court systems.

How do you become a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist?

To become a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), degree requirements include a need a minimum of a Masters degree in Counseling so that you may qualify to become licensed in the state they wish to practice. Please be sure to check the program the program to ensure it meets your state’s counselor license requirements. Your state may require that you have a certain amount of clinical hours experience before you can get your license. You may also be required to work under the supervision of a licensed counselor for a certain amount of time.

What is the employment outlook for Marriage and Family Counselors?

The Bureau Labor of Statistics (BLS) reports that employment for Marriage and Family Counselors is expected to grow by 23% through 2026*.

How much do Marriage and Family Counselors make?

Earning potential for Marriage and Family Counselors will depend on where they work and how many years experience they have. According to the BLS, the salary ranges between $31,000 – $82,000. Counselors who go into private practice are able to set their own hourly rate so it is possible for their salaries to be higher.

Online Masters in Marriage and Family Counseling Programs

Ready to start a rewarding career helping families and couples navigate through life’s challenges? Check out our school listing below for schools offering Marriage Counseling programs:

*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Marriage and Family Therapists, on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/marriage-and-family-therapists.htm