Marriage and Family Therapist job description.
A marriage and family therapist provides counseling to individuals, couples, and families to address relationship conflicts, communication problems, and mental health concerns within a family systems framework. They assess client needs, develop treatment plans, and use evidence-based therapeutic techniques to help clients improve relationships and emotional well-being. Marriage and family therapists maintain detailed clinical documentation and collaborate with other providers when coordinated care is needed.
The Marriage and Family Therapist job description · $29
The full editable .docx — role summary, 9 worked responsibilities, qualifications, and skills, formatted for your letterhead. Delivered to your inbox within 24 hours — usually instantly.
Role: Marriage and Family Therapist Reports to: Clinical Director
A marriage and family therapist provides counseling to individuals, couples, and families to address relationship conflicts, communication problems, and mental health concerns within a family systems framework. They assess client needs, develop treatment plans, and use evidence-based therapeutic techniques to help clients improve relationships and emotional well-being. Marriage and family therapists maintain detailed clinical documentation and collaborate with other providers when coordinated care is needed.
- Conduct intake assessments to evaluate individual, couple, and family relationship dynamics
- Develop and implement individualized treatment plans based on client goals
- Facilitate individual, couple, and family therapy sessions using evidence-based techniques
What's inside the document.
One-paragraph plain-English explanation of the role's outcome and scope.
9 responsibilities phrased the way the work is actually done.
5 qualifications a candidate must have to perform on day 30.
3 qualifications that would make a candidate excellent in year two.
6 skill chips you can copy directly into your ATS.
Clinical Director
A complete document set.
- Word document (.docx) — fully editable
- PDF — signature-ready
- Google Docs — one-click copy to your Drive
- 12 months of updates to this document
- Commercial-use licence for internal and client work
The work, not the title.
- Conduct intake assessments to evaluate individual, couple, and family relationship dynamics
- Develop and implement individualized treatment plans based on client goals
- Facilitate individual, couple, and family therapy sessions using evidence-based techniques
- Document session notes, assessments, and treatment progress in compliance with regulations
- Identify and respond appropriately to crisis situations, including safety risk assessments
- Coordinate care with psychiatrists, physicians, or other providers as needed
- Educate clients on communication strategies, coping skills, and conflict resolution
- Maintain client confidentiality in accordance with legal and ethical standards
- Participate in supervision, case consultation, and continuing education
Required — and what would make a candidate excellent.
- Master's degree in marriage and family therapy, counseling, or clinical psychology
- Current licensure/board certification as required by state and employer
- Supervised clinical hours completed per state licensing requirements
- Strong assessment, diagnostic, and treatment planning skills
- Knowledge of family systems theory and evidence-based therapeutic modalities
- Experience with specific populations (children, couples, trauma survivors)
- Bilingual counseling skills
- Certification in a specialized modality (EFT, Gottman Method, etc.)
Eight steps from download to publish.
- 01Open the Marriage and Family Therapist job description in Word or your one-click Google Docs copy.
- 02Replace placeholders for company name, reporting line, and location with your specifics.
- 03Tighten the summary to one paragraph that names the team's outcome, not just the role.
- 04Edit the responsibilities to match the actual scope of the seat — aim for 6 to 8 items, not 12.
- 05Separate required qualifications from preferred. Required is what a candidate must have to do the work on day 30; preferred is what would make them excellent in year two.
- 06Add salary range guidance using BLS, Payscale, or your own band data — do not copy generic figures.
- 07Have the hiring manager and one peer read it. Cut anything that wouldn't survive a candidate question.
- 08Publish to your ATS, intranet, and external careers page.
The right document at the right moment.
Use this Marriage and Family Therapist job description any time you are opening or reopening a seat at this level. The mid band sets the calibration — copy the document, tighten it to your specific scope, and circulate to the hiring panel before the first interview.
The reporting line (Clinical Director) and skills list are starting points. Override either if your org structure or stack differs from the norm — the template is a draft, not a contract.
Honest answers before you download.
- What license does a marriage and family therapist need?
- Licensure requirements vary by state; candidates typically need a master's degree, supervised clinical hours, and a passing score on a state licensing exam. Confirm specific requirements with state licensing boards.
- How is a marriage and family therapist different from a psychologist?
- Marriage and family therapists focus specifically on relationship and family systems within a therapeutic framework, while psychologists have broader training in assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of individual mental health conditions.
Other documents in this neighbourhood.
Mental Health Counselor
A Mental Health Counselor provides individual, group, or family counseling to help clients manage emotional, behavioral, and mental health concerns.
Substance Abuse Counselor
A substance abuse counselor provides assessment, individual and group counseling, and case management to clients recovering from addiction.
Psychologist
A psychologist assesses, diagnoses, and treats mental, emotional, and behavioral conditions using evidence-based therapeutic approaches.
This Marriage and Family Therapist job description is a professionally drafted starting point for your hiring process and is not legal advice. Hiring practice varies by jurisdiction (e.g. pay-transparency laws differ across US states and AU jurisdictions). Adapt this document for your specific location and have employment counsel review any clauses you add before publishing. Salary varies by region, employer type, and experience. Reference BLS or current industry surveys for ranges. Full disclaimer.