Culbert, Kayla - Family Therapist

From What can you do with a degree in psychology?

Jump to: navigation, search

Kayla Culbert


Contents

[edit] Job Title (Kayla Culbert)

Family Therapist

[edit] General Overview

Family therapy (also referred to as family systems therapy) is a branch of psychotherapy that works with families and couples in intimate relationships to nurture change and development (Sholevar, 2003)[1]. These therapists are involved in the diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders of the family and marital relationships (National Center for O*NET Development, 2012). Generally they work in hospitals, treatment programs, government agencies, health organizations and private practices. Family therapists view change in systems of interaction between family members and emphasize on family relationships as an important factor in psychological health. Family therapists have the ability to influence conversations in a way that provides strength, wisdom and support of the wider system (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014)[2]. A family therapist is generally interested in what goes on between individuals and in the maintenance and/or solving of problems rather than trying to identify a single cause (Sholevar, 2003)[3]


[edit] Job Duties and Responsibilities

A family therapist has the responsibility to facilitate clients through the process of identifying their feelings and behaviors. They diagnose mental and emotional disorders and help clients adjust to life changes. Family therapists meet with families to identify issues and modify family members behaviour to create a more cohesive and agreeable family unit. In addition, it is essential for therapist to develop post-treatment plans for clients to maintain the skills acquired during their session to prevent events from reoccurring (National Center for O*NET Development, 2012).


[edit] Typical Workday

Family therapists work days creating assessments, planning the session with clients and then debriefing after the client has left. Work days revolve around appointments with clients therefore hours vary depending on the company’s regulations (Shmoop Editorial Team, 2008)[4]. Clients include partners in marital relationships and others who make up the dynamics of a family. The meeting takes place in a comfortable and relaxed area such as an office where clients are welcome to share thoughts, feelings and beliefs about the family unit. After meeting with the client, family therapists take time to debrief about the meeting which includes recording what was discussed, assessing client’s progress and preparing for the next session. During this process, family therapists also take time to evaluate their emotional state to ensure that they do not experience compassion fatigue (Shmoop Editorial Team, 2008)[5].


[edit] Education Requirements and Other Qualifications

To be a family therapist a master’s degree in family counseling is required (Service Canada, 2013)[6]. To be permitted to practice, family therapists require a post-masters certificate and a professional degree in counseling. In addition, the individual must have two years of supervised clinical experience (National Center for O*NET Development, 2012)[7].


[edit] Related Skills, Interests and Abilities

Family therapists require many distinctive skills to be effective in their job. These skills include active listening, social perceptiveness, judgment and decision-making, effective communication skills and the ability to critically think (National Center for O*NET Development, 2012)[8]. According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics (2014)[9] it is also critical for a family therapist to have advanced organizational and interpersonal skills. It is important for a therapist to understand all perspectives on a situation in order to create the most accurate assessment and diagnosis. In order to be effective, social perceptiveness is important (awareness of reactions and responses from clients and notice any body language that could potentially explain underlying issues) (National Center for O*NET Development, 2012)[10]. In addition, a therapist should have a service orientation to seek a variety of services to meet the client’s needs, for example abuse counselors for traumatic cases (National Center for O*NET Development, 2012)[11].


[edit] Relevance of Psychology Undergraduate Degree

The study of psychology is based around cognition, behavior and understanding fundamental problems of human behavior and performance. Being a family therapist involves many skills learned while attainting a psychology degree. Brock University has several courses that are relevant to family therapy such as Abnormal Psychology, which offers insight and knowledge about diagnoses in the DSM-5, the etiology of mental disorders and ways to assist individuals. Another course that is beneficial to family therapy is Psychology of Personality because it educates therapist on how to identify personality types of clients, allowing them to accommodate sessions, therapies and assessments specific to the client’s needs.


[edit] Salary Potential

Family therapists in Canada on average make an annual income of $54,000. According to Living In Canada (2014)[12], the highest hourly averages are in Vancouver ($32.31 per hour) and the lowest is found in Nova Scotia ($18.27 per hour) due to the population demand in those affected areas. The starting rate for family therapist in Ontario is approximately $20.00 (Living in Canada, 2014)[13].


[edit] Job Outlook

Family therapy is expected to grow rapidly within the next few years, thus enlarging the employment opportunities for individuals today (National Center for O*NET Development, 2012). To Know More To access more information on the skills and occupation of family therapy, resources such as Service Canada can be found at: http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/qc/job_futures/statistics/4153.shtml


--Kc11xg 03:36, 25 March 2015 (UTC)

[edit] Notes and References

  1. Sholevar, G.P. (2003). Family Theory and Therapy. Sholevar, G.P. & Schwoeri, L.D. Textbook of Family and Couples Therapy: Clinical Applications. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing Inc.
  2. Bureau of Labour Statistics. (2014). Mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists. United States Department of Labour. Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/mental-health-counselors-and- marriage-and-family-therapists.htm
  3. Sholevar, G.P. (2003). Family Theory and Therapy. Sholevar, G.P. & Schwoeri, L.D. Textbook of Family and Couples Therapy: Clinical Applications. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing Inc.
  4. Shmoop Editorial Team. (2008). Marriage and Family Therapist. Retrieved from http://www.shmoop.com/marriage-and-family-therapist
  5. Shmoop Editorial Team. (2008). Marriage and Family Therapist. Retrieved from http://www.shmoop.com/marriage-and-family-therapist
  6. Service Canada. (2013). Family, marriage and other related counselors. Government of Canada. Retrieved from http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/qc/job_futures/statistics/4153.shtml
  7. National Center for O*NET Development. (2012). Marriage and family therapist. O*NET OnLine. Retrieved from http://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/21-1013.00
  8. National Center for O*NET Development. (2012). Marriage and family therapist. O*NET OnLine. Retrieved from http://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/21-1013.00
  9. Bureau of Labour Statistics. (2014). Mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists. United States Department of Labour. Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/mental-health-counselors-and- marriage-and-family-therapists.htm
  10. National Center for O*NET Development. (2012). Marriage and family therapist. O*NET OnLine. Retrieved from http://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/21-1013.00
  11. National Center for O*NET Development. (2012). Marriage and family therapist. O*NET OnLine. Retrieved from http://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/21-1013.00
  12. Living in Canada. (2014). Family, marriage and other related counselors salary Canada. Retrieved from http://www.livingin-canada.com/salaries-for-family-marriage-and-other-related-counsellors.html
  13. Living in Canada. (2014). Family, marriage and other related counselors salary Canada. Retrieved from http://www.livingin-canada.com/salaries-for-family-marriage-and-other-related-counsellors.html
Personal tools
Bookmark and Share