National

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 professional services to individuals, couples, and families for the purpose of treating such diagnosed nervous and mental disorders.

Sample of reported job titles: Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Therapist, Psychotherapist, Clinical Services Director, Clinician, Family Therapist, Psychiatric Social Worker, Clinical Therapist, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

Tasks

• Ask questions that will help clients identify their feelings and behaviors.
• Counsel clients on concerns, such as unsatisfactory relationships, divorce and separation, child rearing, home management, and financial difficulties.
• Encourage individuals and family members to develop and use skills and strategies for confronting their problems in a constructive manner.
• Maintain case files that include activities, progress notes, evaluations, and recommendations.
• Collect information about clients, using techniques such as testing, interviewing, discussion, and observation.
• Develop and implement individualized treatment plans addressing family relationship problems.
• Determine whether clients should be counseled or referred to other specialists in such fields as medicine, psychiatry, and legal aid.
• Confer with clients to develop plans for posttreatment activities.
• Confer with other counselors in order to analyze individual cases and to coordinate counseling services.
• Follow up on results of counseling programs and clients' adjustments to determine effectiveness of programs.

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