Marriage & Family Therapists
Diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders, whether cognitive, affective, or behavioral, within the context of marriage and family systems. Apply psychotherapeutic and family systems theories and techniques in the delivery of services to individuals, couples, and families for the purpose of treating such diagnosed nervous and mental disorders.
Key Tasks
- Ask questions that will help clients identify their feelings and behaviors.
- Encourage individuals and family members to develop and use skills and strategies for confronting their problems in a constructive manner.
- Develop and implement individualized treatment plans addressing family relationship problems, destructive patterns of behavior, and other personal issues.
- Maintain case files that include activities, progress notes, evaluations, and recommendations.
- Collect information about clients, using techniques such as testing, interviewing, discussion, or observation.
- Counsel clients on concerns, such as unsatisfactory relationships, divorce and separation, child rearing, home management, or financial difficulties.
- Confer with clients to develop plans for posttreatment activities.
- Confer with other counselors, doctors, and professionals to analyze individual cases and to coordinate counseling services.
- Determine whether clients should be counseled or referred to other specialists in such fields as medicine, psychiatry, or legal aid.
- Follow up on results of counseling programs and clients' adjustments to determine effectiveness of programs.
- Supervise other counselors, social service staff, and assistants.
- Provide public education and consultation to other professionals or groups regarding counseling services, issues, and methods.
- Provide instructions to clients on how to obtain help with legal, financial, and other personal issues.
- Gather information from doctors, schools, social workers, juvenile counselors, law enforcement personnel, and others to make recommendations to courts for resolution of child custody or visitation disputes.
- Write evaluations of parents and children for use by courts deciding divorce and custody cases, testifying in court if necessary.
- Diagnose mental and emotional disorders in clients.
Skills
Knowledge
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Abilities
Work Activities
Work Context
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?
99%
How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?
96%
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
92%
Frequency of Decision Making
How often is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
90%
Time Pressure
How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
90%
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?
89%
Telephone Conversations
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
87%
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
85%
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?
84%
Spend Time Sitting
How much does this job require sitting?
83%
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
75%
Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People
How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
69%
Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
How important is it to deal with external customers (as in retail sales) or the public in general (as in police work) in this job?
67%
Conflict Situations
How frequently are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
66%
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
65%
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?
64%
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
56%
Written Letters and Memos
How frequently does your job require written letters and memos?
53%
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities
How important is it to coordinate or lead others (not as a supervisor or team leader) in accomplishing work activities in this job?
51%
Physical Proximity
To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks physically close to other people?
47%
Dealing with Violent or Physically Aggressive People
How frequently does this job require the worker to deal with physical aggression of violent individuals?
43%
Exposed to Disease or Infections
How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
43%
In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment
How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or operate enclosed equipment (like a car)?
43%
Spend Time Standing
How much does this job require standing?
42%
Duration of Typical Work Week
Number of hours typically worked in one week.
39%
Consequence of Error
How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not easily correctable?
36%
Level of Competition
To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
36%
Health and Safety of Other Workers
How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
35%
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working in an environment that is not environmentally controlled (like a warehouse without air conditioning)?
26%
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
How important are continuous, repetitive, physical activities (like key entry) or mental activities (like checking entries in a ledger) to performing this job?
24%
Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers
How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
22%
Spend Time Walking or Running
How much does this job require walking or running?
20%
Public Speaking
How frequently does your job require public speaking (one speaker with an audience)?
18%
Work Schedules
How regular are the work schedules for this job?
14%
Exposed to Contaminants
How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
11%
Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions
How often does this job require working in extremely bright or inadequate lighting conditions?
11%
Degree of Automation
How automated is the job?
10%
Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions
How often does this job require working in cramped work spaces that requires getting into awkward positions?
10%
Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling
How much does this job require kneeling, crouching, stooping or crawling?
10%
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
10%
Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings
How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings?
9%
Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?
9%
Outdoors, Under Cover
How often does this job require working outdoors, under cover (like in an open shed)?
7%
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
6%
Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
5%
Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body
How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?
5%
Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?
1%
Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance
How much does this job require keeping or regaining your balance?
1%
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?
1%
Exposed to Hazardous Conditions
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous conditions?
0%
Exposed to High Places
How often does this job require exposure to high places?
0%
Exposed to Radiation
How often does this job require exposure to radiation?
0%
Exposed to Whole Body Vibration
How often does this job require exposure to whole body vibration (like operating a jackhammer or earth moving equipment)?
0%
In an Open Vehicle or Operating Equipment
How often does this job require working in an open vehicle or operating equipment (like a tractor)?
0%
Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.)
0%
Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles
How much does this job require climbing ladders, scaffolds, poles, etc.?
0%
Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection
How often does this job require wearing specialized protective or safety equipment such as breathing apparatus, safety harness, full protection suits, or radiation protection?
0%
Education
Master's degree
Professional degree
Doctoral degree
Interests
Social
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Investigative
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Artistic
Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts,
Conventional
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or hum
Enterprising
Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertis
Realistic
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, t
Work Styles
Work Values
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