Marriage and Family Therapy Career Guide

Anne Rambo, PhD, has taught in Nova Southeastern University’s family therapy program for over 20 years and supervised hundreds of students who are now licensed marriage and family therapists (MFTs). She has developed an innovative program in the public schools helping to employ family therapists.Tommie V. Boyd, PhD, is the chair of the family therapy department at Nova Southeastern University and is on faculty. She has over 30 years of clinical and supervision experience and is the recipient of an American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) Leadership Award. She has developed programs helping to employ marriage and family therapists in medical settings, and was a key player in developing guidelines for marriage and family therapist employments in military settings.Martha Gonzalez Marquez, PhD, has been an educator, clinician, and supervisor for over 20 years. She has a thriving couples therapy practice and has mentored others into launching their own practices in diverse settings. She is passionate about issues of ethics, inclusion, social justice, and supervision and has written and presented on these topics both nationally and internationally.

“Yes, I would purchase this for my own career path as well as for students who ask what they can do with their degree. MFT is different from psychology and social work and this book seems to highlight the differences and explains how to market these differences for a job.”—Kristin Koberstein, MA, LMFT, is a licensed marriage & family therapist for University of Rochester Strong Behavioral Health and adjunct faculty member for Keuka College.“This book should be a required reading for every marriage and family therapy student as it provides not only information on the employability of a new MFT, but describes which skills, interests, and personality features are helpful in order to enjoy and prosper in each setting. Readers will find stories of successfully employed MFT’s who are using their systemic skills in schools, agencies, military contexts, faith-based environments, medical settings, legal domains, and more! What a resource for every MFT student! Additionally, for those wondering whether they should pursue a MFT degree or LPC degree, this book could be the deciding factor, as it explores the usability of systemic thinking and shares how the thinking can be invaluable in any setting where the system prevails. And lastly, seasoned MFT’s who have been in practice and are seeking a change will find directions for their future, using their experience and their work productively.”—Linda Metcalf, PhD, LMFT-S, is the Director of Graduate Counseling Programs at Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth, Texas “The helping professions have needed a book like this, and here it is! I remember early in my career sitting with friends wondering what jobs we could get with a degree in the helping professions. Many people told us we were doomed and would never make any money. This book will finally provide guidance to students and new graduates, providing them with key information that will enlighten them to fulfill their dreams and accomplish their professional goals.”—Elliott Connie, is the author of The Art of Solution Focused Therapy, Solution Building in Couples Therapy, and The Solution Focused Marriage.“This book truly captures the complexity of a successful career in an emotionally-driven field. Each story uniquely illustrates a professional journey in an informative and motivating way. In my ten years of experience in the field, I’ve never found such an inspirational set of real-life success stories.”—Aurélia Bickler, PhD, LMFT, AAMFT, is an approved supervisor, a CEO at Changing Forward, LLC, and core faculty at Northcentral University.

• 1. Introduction: About This Book and About Marriage and Family Therapy 2. Inclusivity in MFT: Working Across and Within Borders Christine Ajayi Beliard, Josiane Bonte Apollon, and Daniel MendelSuccess Stories 3. About Private Nonprofit Agencies Anne Rambo 4. About Residential Treatment Settings Tommie V. Boyd 5. About Private Practice Settings Martha Gonzalez Marquez 6. About School Based Settings Anne Rambo 7. About Collaborative Settings with Other Professions (Medicine and Law) Tommie V. Boyd 8. About Coaching Martha Gonzalez Marquez 9. About Military Settings Anne Rambo 10. About Managed Care Settings Tommie V. Boyd 11. About University and Postgraduate Settings Martha Gonzalez Marquez 12. About Faith Based Settings Anne Rambo 13. About Indian Health Services and Related Settings Tommie V. Boyd 14. About Corporate Settings Martha Gonzalez Marquez 15. About Equine Assisted Family Therapy Anne Rambo 16. About International Settings Tommie V. Boyd 17. And In Conclusion Anne Rambo, Tommie V. Boyd, and Martha Gonzalez Marquez