US News and World Report has named marriage and family therapy as one of the “50 best careers” for 2010. They sum up the profession nicely:
While some counselors focus on the behavior of an individual, marriage and family therapists go a step further, addressing mental-health issues within the context of the family. By counseling couples, families, or individuals, marriage and family therapists can tackle a host of problems: adult schizophrenia, substance abuse, anorexia, and marital conflict. Today, marriage and family therapy is considered a “core” mental-health profession, alongside social work, psychiatric nursing, psychology, and psychiatry. More than 1.8 million people are currently receiving treatment from a marriage and family therapist.
Demand for MFTs is expected to grow substantially over the next decade, the report says. If MFTs ultimately earn inclusion in Medicare, demand could increase far beyond what US News predicts.