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If you are licensed and looking for options:
• Certain specific job areas are usually
only open to licensed MFTs, as opposed to those still preparing for licensure. These may be in an area of great interest to you, and will almost certainly offer a higher salary than your previous entry-level jobs. Areas to explore include:
u Federal jobs with the Veterans Administration, the Department of Defense, and with various civilian contractors who work with the military. Check www.usajobs.gov, and also search on employment-related websites using terms such as “military family life counselor,” and “military family support.” This is an area of great need and many job openings, especially if you are a veteran or have family members who have served
in the military. Also remember your free AAMFT resource, jobconnection. aamft.org.
u Managed care and insurance companies. Search for “LMFT utilization review.” These jobs may involve less client contact, but you are in a position to ensure quality services to many more clients than you could see personally—and you will likely talk directly with therapists, provide training and workshops, and have supervisory input. The websites of specific, large multi-state insurance companies are another place to look for these openings.
u The Indian Health Service and the National Health Services Corps.
The Indian Health Service has job openings for LMFTs working with the Native American population. Despite what you may have seen
on television, they are not all in Alaska—current openings include Maine, Maryland, Michigan, and Kansas, as well as Alaska, New Mexico, Wyoming, and Montana. The National Health Services Corps places LMFTs in underserved rural areas.
The most recent cycle of placements had openings in 24 states including New York and California. These jobs offer invaluable learning experiences, a chance to truly make a difference, and full or partial repayment of your federal student loans.
If after all this your heart is still set on private practice:
• This is a primary goal for many
graduates, as well. Great private practitioners are always needed and valuable; we just want you to know there are other options! Should you decide on private practice:
u Carefully research your state options. In some states, if you are in a private practice setting, you must have a licensed mental health professional
on site while you are seeing clients, as well as be under supervision, until you are fully licensed. Other states are less stringent. Rules for private practice are generally entirely different than the rules for nonprofit agencies, public agencies, schools, and faith-based settings. Check—don’t assume.
u Private practice requires business skills. Consider hiring a coach or consultant to improve your social media skills, and to help you market in this new digital age. There are LMFTs who specialize in helping other LMFTs succeed in private practice. And this is another growth area!
In conclusion, however you want to work with individuals, couples, families, groups and larger systems, we are reasonably confident you can find a way to do it, with the versatile marriage and family therapy degree. It is possible to both do good for others, and do well for yourself and your family. Being creative and exploring a wide range of options is helpful in your professional life, just as it is a helpful skill with clients.
Anne Rambo, PhD,
is the director of the MS in MFT program at Nova Southeastern University, and works with MS in MFT graduates to help them get started
in the field. In addition to over 25 years teaching in a COAMFTE-accredited program, she has worked as a family therapist in agency, research institute, and public school settings. She is a coauthor of several books related to family therapy training and supervision, and the author of a book for parents on navigating school settings. Rambo is an AAMFT Clinical Fellow.
Tommie Boyd, PhD,
is professor and chair, Department of Family Therapy, Nova Southeastern University. She is an AAMFT Clinical Fellow.
Martha Gonzalez Marquez, PhD, is associate professor and director of accreditation, Department of Family Therapy, Nova Southeastern
University. She is an AAMFT Clinical Fellow.
The authors co-wrote The MFT Career Guide and have combined experiences of working as family therapists in agency, public school, training institute, medical, and private practice settings, as well as in academia.
Reference
Rambo, A., Boyd, T., & Gonzalez Marquez, M. (2016). The marriage and family therapy career guide. New York: Routledge.
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ON THE WEB >>For further information, see www.mft-license.com and the licensing board of each specific state.