What Do Child and Family Therapists Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for child and family therapists?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what child and family therapists do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Child and Family Therapists Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about child and family therapists by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Child and Family Therapists 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 services to individuals, couples, and families for the purpose of treating such diagnosed nervous and mental disorders.
Popular Job Titles For Child and Family Therapists
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Behavior Specialists
- Behavioral Health Clinicians
- Therapists
- Family Services Counselors
- Behavior Therapists
- Respiratory Therapists
- Military and Family Life Counselors
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists
- Clinical Therapists
- Behavioral Therapists
- Behavior Support Specialists
- Marriage and Family Therapists
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for child and family therapists can be found.
Best Industries for Child and Family Therapists
Child and Family Therapists Jobs By Industry
- Individual and Family Services: 32.8%
- Offices of Other Health Practitioners: 30.8%
- Outpatient Care Centers: 14.7%
- State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 6.7%
- Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities: 3.2%
- Other Residential Care Facilities: 1.5%
- Other: 10.3%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of child and family therapists can be found working in the Individual and Family Services sector. In 2022, about 32.8% of all jobs for child and family therapists were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Offices of Other Health Practitioners (30.8%), Outpatient Care Centers (14.7%), State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (6.7%), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities (3.2%) and Other Residential Care Facilities (1.5%).
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What Do Child and Family Therapists Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what child and family therapists do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work child and family therapists do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that child and family therapists tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for child and family therapists, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Child and Family Therapists
Based on 40,094 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Child and Family Therapists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 14,571 | 36% |
| Social Work | 13,762 | 34% |
| Mental Health | 13,610 | 34% |
| Treatment Planning | 12,241 | 31% |
| Behavioral Health | 12,124 | 30% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Child and Family Therapists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 10,970 | 27% |
| Teaching | 4,896 | 12% |
| Coordinating | 4,887 | 12% |
| Planning | 4,749 | 12% |
| Presentations | 4,428 | 11% |
Based on 40,094 job postings related to child and family therapists, psychology was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 36% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for social work, mental health, treatment planning, behavioral health and family therapy were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for child and family therapists, followed by teaching, coordinating, planning, presentations and multilingualism.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 14,571 | 36% |
| Social Work | 13,762 | 34% |
| Mental Health | 13,610 | 34% |
| Treatment Planning | 12,241 | 31% |
| Behavioral Health | 12,124 | 30% |
| Family Therapy | 9,721 | 24% |
| Crisis Intervention | 5,717 | 14% |
| Case Management | 5,398 | 13% |
| Autism Spectrum Disorders | 4,855 | 12% |
| Psychiatry | 4,805 | 12% |
| Behaviour Therapy | 4,692 | 12% |
| Working With Children | 4,397 | 11% |
| Human Services | 3,903 | 10% |
| Group Therapy | 3,798 | 9% |
| Psychotherapy | 3,702 | 9% |
| Applied Behavior Analysis | 3,616 | 9% |
| Clinical Experience | 3,180 | 8% |
| Bilingual (Spanish/English) | 3,176 | 8% |
| Patient Treatment | 3,159 | 8% |
| Special Education | 3,108 | 8% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 10,970 | 27% |
| Teaching | 4,896 | 12% |
| Coordinating | 4,887 | 12% |
| Planning | 4,749 | 12% |
| Presentations | 4,428 | 11% |
| Multilingualism | 4,146 | 10% |
| Management | 4,043 | 10% |
| Customer Service | 3,492 | 9% |
| Good Driving Record | 3,472 | 9% |
| Professionalism | 3,436 | 9% |
| Relationship Building | 3,291 | 8% |
| Writing | 3,259 | 8% |
| Leadership | 3,221 | 8% |
| English Language | 3,208 | 8% |
| Detail Oriented | 3,172 | 8% |
| Problem Solving | 3,043 | 8% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 2,859 | 7% |
| Advocacy | 2,632 | 7% |
| Empathy | 2,533 | 6% |
| Teamwork | 2,498 | 6% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Child and Family Therapists
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Behavior Specialists | 10,439 | 9.8% |
| Behavioral Health Clinicians | 9,702 | 9.1% |
| Therapists | 12,121 | 11.4% |
| Family Services Counselors | 3,957 | 3.7% |
| Behavior Therapists | 7,692 | 7.2% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2021 and August 2022, the top job sought by employers was behavior specialists, with 3,791 unique job postings. Behavioral health clinicians were second, with 2,748 postings, followed by therapists, family services counselors and behavior therapists.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to child and family therapists.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Behavior Specialists | 10,439 | 9.8% |
| Behavioral Health Clinicians | 9,702 | 9.1% |
| Therapists | 12,121 | 11.4% |
| Family Services Counselors | 3,957 | 3.7% |
| Behavior Therapists | 7,692 | 7.2% |
| Respiratory Therapists | 8,115 | 7.6% |
| Military and Family Life Counselors | 6,568 | 6.2% |
| Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists | 8,708 | 8.2% |
| Clinical Therapists | 8,324 | 7.8% |
| Behavioral Therapists | 3,796 | 3.6% |
| Behavior Support Specialists | 2,028 | 1.9% |
| Marriage and Family Therapists | 3,423 | 3.2% |
| Licensed Therapists | 4,658 | 4.4% |
| Autism Behavioral Therapists | 2,173 | 2% |
| Family Therapists | 2,157 | 2% |
| Behavior Technicians/ABA Therapists | 5,370 | 5% |
| Behavior Intervention Specialists | 1,565 | 1.5% |
| Licensed Clinical Therapists | 2,434 | 2.3% |
| Licensed Behavioral Health Clinicians | 1,281 | 1.2% |
| Child and Family Therapists | 2,094 | 2% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for child and family therapists? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for child and family therapists.
How much do child and family therapists make?
Child and Family Therapists: How do you become one?
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