Mental health is becoming a more commonly discussed topic across the United States. Increasingly, conversations about mental health, stress, relationships, and how to build resilience are taking place within homes, schools, workplaces, and communities. As a result, there is an increasing need for trained mental health professionals to support individuals, couples, and families throughout the many challenges of life.
Of the many professionals working in the mental health field today, Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) specialize in the most important and complex systems of all: the systems that make up a person’s life and relationships. Because the perspective of an MFT is so broad, it is well-suited to addressing many of the mental health concerns of today’s communities, which are facing an array of social stressors as well as shifting definitions of and expectations for families and other relationship systems.
For students looking toward a future in the mental health field, Marriage and Family Therapy can be a fulfilling and meaningful career in which to work with individuals, couples, families and in the community at large.
What Is a Marriage and Family Therapist?
Marriage and Family Therapists are mental health professionals. Mental health professionals study and attempt to treat people’s mental health. A focus of Marriage and Family Therapists in their studies of human behavior is a systems perspective or a study of human behavior through a focus on the relationships and interactions between people in a given system of people, i.e. an individual within the context of his/her or their family(ies).
The study of a given individual within the context of his/her or their family(ies) and the focus of a Marriage and Family Therapist on how a given individual’s relationships and interactions with others affects his/her or their emotional or mental health is a key aspect of their training and the work they do as Marriage and Family Therapists.
Taking a Systems-based Approach to Mental Health
Rather than focusing solely on treating symptoms and diseases of the mind, MFTs look at the systems in a person’s life to understand and address problems. When a person experiences anxiety, depression, grief, or another issue, the problem does not exist in a vacuum. Rather, it is often within the systems of the person’s life such as a family, group of friends, or workplace. MFTs help people improve their relationships and overall mental health and well-being by working through a systems-based perspective of human interaction.
Who Do MFTs Work With?
The title of Marriage and Family Therapists may lead one to believe that most of the work is with married couples, but that is not the case. While it is true that many Marriage and Family Therapists work with married couples, they also work with:
- Individuals
- Couples
- Families
- Children and adolescents
- Blended families
- Older adults
- Groups
They help individuals, such as parents who are trying to manage their child’s behavior, or in conjunction with another mental health care provider, help couples through relationship difficulties, or families through change or difficult situations. Also, they help individuals understand the connection of their relational experiences and their current functioning.
Why Is Demand for Mental Health Professionals Increasing?
The demand for mental health professionals has increased over the past decade in part due to an increased awareness and understanding of mental health, decreased negative stigma surrounding mental health, and increased access to professionals and services.
Several factors contribute to this growing demand.
Increased Awareness of Mental Health
Mental health is increasingly discussed in contexts such as schools, workplaces, and healthcare. Media, including the internet and social media, discuss mental health. As a result of this increased exposure to mental health, more people become aware of mental health and its significance. Because of this awareness, individuals with concerns about their mental health seek counseling services before or as their mental health problems intensify.
As a result of this increased awareness of mental health, more and more people are visiting counseling services all over the country with issues such as:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Trauma
- Relationship difficulties
- Stress management
- Life transitions
- Parenting challenges
Complex Family Dynamics
Today’s complex family systems have many unique challenges to which specialized support is needed. As more single parents raise children on their own, and more children experience divorce of their parents, blended families bring with them their own brand of challenges and opportunities.
In addition, the challenges of co-parenting and caring for aging parents and other family members can present complex issues for the Marriage and Family Therapist to support. Financial stress, physical separation, and cultural differences within the family system can all pose difficulties for its members.
Marriage and Family Therapists can provide support for the complex family dynamics that exist in today’s families. They are specifically trained to look at the dynamic that exists between family members and to work with family members to develop better ways of communication to strengthen relationships.
Lasting Effects of the Pandemic
The lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals and families has further highlighted the significance of providing mental health care to individuals and families affected by stress, isolation, grief and uncertainty from COVID-19 and enable them to develop sufficient resilience to future traumatic events.
Clinicians are consistently needed to support individuals and families who are struggling to process the many effects of the pandemic and to support them in building increased resilience.
Expanded Access Through Telehealth
Technology has created many changes in the delivery of mental health services. With the option of Telehealth, many individuals have found that they have better access to services that in the past were affected by issues of geography, transportation, scheduling, or physical mobility.
As more individuals have access to mental health services due to the new opportunities presented through telehealth, the demand for qualified licensed therapists will rise in turn throughout the country.
What Makes Marriage and Family Therapists Unique?
Many mental health professionals provide effective care. What distinguishes Marriage and Family Therapists is their emphasis on relationships and systems.
MFTs recognize that lasting change occurs when individuals gain insight to the patterns, interactions, and relationships within their life. In addition to examining the individual’s experiences, MFTs explore how the individual’s family systems, communication styles, cultural background, and social environment affect their life and contribute to their struggles and strengths.
MFTs have skills and training that can be particularly powerful in the following situations:
- Relationship conflict
- Parenting concerns
- Family transitions
- Behavioral challenges in children
- Intergenerational patterns
- Trauma and attachment issues
- Communication difficulties
By addressing both individual experiences and relational dynamics, MFTs help clients develop solutions that support long-term growth and well-being.
Skills Students Develop in Marriage and Family Therapy Programs
In addition to learning the ways to counsel, students of Marriage and Family Therapy programs acquire a wide array of clinical, ethical, and interpersonal skills which will aid them in their future endeavors as Marriage and Family Therapists.
Clinical Assessment
These areas of skill are integral for a therapist to diagnose concerns of clients and their families, to work up a treatment plan and to treat his/her clients to the best of his/her ability.
Therapeutic Communication
There are many methods for effective communication and students learn how to apply these in a therapeutic setting. Students practice developing a therapeutic relationship with their client(s) and creating a safe space where they feel heard and understood.
Systems Thinking
The hallmark and distinctive view of the MFT is to view problems within the context of the larger system or environment. This assists the future clinician to better understand the underlying causes of a person’s and/or family’s problems and develop interventions to assist change.
Cultural Humility
Many people come to therapy with a variety of different cultural backgrounds, values, and experiences. Therefore, in MFT programs students are taught to practice in a manner that is culturally responsive to their clients. The student is given the opportunity to learn and discover in depth the needs of people from various cultures, and to remain aware of their own potential cultural biases in working with clients. This skill is vital to effective therapy.
Ethical Decision-Making
Mental health professionals encounter many situations that need to be addressed from an ethical perspective. In an MFT program, students learn how to deal with these issues and develop their skills in deciding what is best for their clients within the boundaries of the profession’s ethical standards.
Career Opportunities for Marriage and Family Therapists
A Marriage and Family Therapy degree can be very beneficial for a wide array of careers. As mental health services are becoming more widespread, there are many settings in which a Marriage and Family Therapist can work.
Common career environments include:
Community Mental Health Agencies
- Community organizations can provide much-needed support to different populations of clients and in diverse communities, while helping families and individuals overcome a variety of concerns and challenges.
Healthcare Systems
- Many Mental Health Professionals work in integrated healthcare settings with a team of medical staff, including physicians and nurses. These settings recognize the connection between physical health and mental health and are seeking the skills of the Marriage and Family Therapist to work with their patients.
Schools and Educational Settings
- Schools can be a wonderful place for Marriage and Family Therapists to work. The therapist can support a student who is having difficulty in school because of behavioral or emotional problems. The therapist can also work with a family and school to address problems that affect a child’s ability to succeed in school. These problems can be caused by a variety of sources, including a student’s family situation.
Nonprofit and Community Organizations
- Many MFTs contribute to programs focused on family support, crisis intervention, advocacy, and community wellness initiatives.
Private Practice
- A number of Marriage and Family Therapists have found a successful career in establishing a private practice where they work with individuals, couples, and families, while addressing many different concerns.
Making a Meaningful Difference
Many positive effects can be seen by the people and families being treated by a Marriage and Family Therapist. First, a Marriage and Family Therapist can witness a great change in their clients. The relationship between a therapist and a client can be a very challenging one at times, but also very rewarding.
Many people see a Marriage and Family Therapist when they are going through some of the toughest times in their lives. But with the support and guidance of a therapist, clients can find strength within themselves to make healthy changes and go on to lead a happy and healthy life.
The work of a Marriage and Family Therapist can affect an entire family system. Parents learn to better communicate with each other, and as a result their children experience stability in their lives. Couples learn to better communicate with each other, and as a result strengthen their relationship. Children learn to better cope with stress and adversity, and as a result are better able to handle the challenges of life. Families and relationships from all walks of life are strengthened and become healthier due to the work of a Marriage and Family Therapist.
Preparing for a Career That Matters
A degree in Marriage and Family Therapy can be a very fulfilling academic experience for those students who enjoy helping others. For those who have chosen a degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, the program will help to prepare you with the academic scientific knowledge of human development and the clinical skills necessary to practice as a therapist.
The mental health needs of our society are growing and there is a great need for qualified mental health care professionals who can understand the dynamics of relationships and support individuals, couples, families, and communities in creating a healthy environment, and achieving their goals for themselves and future generations.
The future of mental health care depends on the work of a mentally healthy workforce of professionals who can practice within the context of a relationship-focused framework of practice, or a model of practice that recognizes the importance of relationships in a person’s life. For many in the human services, becoming a Marriage and Family Therapist is the ideal career for those who are dedicated to the support of individuals, couples, and families in their greatest time of need.
