Working as a Family Counselor

What do family counselors do?

Family counselors work with individuals, families, and couples.  Family counselors treat a variety of problems such as marital problems, individual problems, child-parent problems, and problems such as depression and anxiety.  Family counselors look at the impact that a family can have on an individual, and may look to the family as part of a treatment plan.

Where do family counselors work?

Family counselors are trained to work in a variety of settings including:

• Family service agencies

• Community mental health agencies

• Hospitals and schools

• Private business and industry

• Behavioral health agencies including substance abuse programs and training and evaluation centers

• Private practice

For further occupation information, please visit the U.S. Department of Labor's on-line version of the Occupational Outlook Handbook: http://www.bls.gov/oco/