Advantages and Disadvantages of a MFT

    Marriage and Family Therapists have a lot to deal with throughout their day. There are many advantages and disadvantages of being a MFT. Although, it was rather difficult to search for them on the internet. Luckily, I chose to websites that helped me the most. Also, I tried to search for videos that list the pros and cons, but I had no luck.

     To begin with, I will list the advantages.

Advantages:

• Often includes excellent job benefits (Becoming).
• Flexible work schedules (Becoming).
• Opportunity to help people (Becoming).
• High earning potential (Advantages).
• Ability to work for yourself (Advantages).
• Opportunity to work with new people everyday (Advantages).

These are some important key points to know about the advantages. I'm going to go over a few of them.  Flexible works schedules is an advantage because the clients are the ones who make the appointments. Not all clients can be available at a certain time, so MFTs know how to make it flexible. High earning potential is an advantage because most jobs like this one earn a good amount of money. Especially, if I earn my doctorate degree. Also, if I plan to have my own office/business, I'll earn more money. The other important advantage is the opportunity to help people. One simply just decide to become an MFT. They need to show that they want. An MFT is a person who loves to deal with people. Imagine a person, who has a rough time talking with people, was put into school to become an MFT. That wouldn't be any good, right? So, helping people is a major benefit. This is because MFTs are good with people and have the potential to solve there problems.

     Now the disadvantages will be listed.
Disadvantages:

• Dealing with clients can be stressful and draining (Becoming).
• Some schedules may not be as flexible (Becoming).
• Pressured to meet strict deadlines (Advantages).
• License is required to be an MFT (Advantages).
• Sometimes working with clients will become emotional (Disadvantages).
• Owning your own business may also be stressful (Disadvantages).

Not only are there advantages, but with advantages come disadvantages. Of course, I'll explain a few of them. Dealing with clients can be stressful, and that is true. It is a disadvantage because no one wants to be stressed. Yet, clients will come in with rough problems and it will tend to drain ones energy. Another disadvantage is that schedules may not be as flexible as they seem. This is actually considered as both a pro and a con. This is a con because clients may interfere with your personal schedule. A final disadvantage is that you need a license to become a MFT. Sure, some people are good with helping people with problems and they will consider it as a profession. Yet, no one can say that they should be a MFT and automatically get a job. They have to work for it and go to college.
     In the end, every job will have benefits and non-benefits. Even an MFT will come across these. I know that, in the future, I'll be faced with these problems. There are many pros and cons, and it's that I know them so I'll be prepared. Soon, with more research, my potential will grow with more knowledge about becoming an MFT.

                             

Sources:

“Becoming a Marriage &Amp; Family Therapist: Job Description &Amp; Salary Info.” Becoming a Marriage &amp; Family Therapist: Job Description &amp; Salary Info. Web. 4 Dec. 2015. <http://learningpath.org/articles/becoming_a_marriage_family_therapist_job_description_salary_info.html>

“Advantages And Disadvantages of Being a Psychologist.” Advantages and Disadvantages of Being a Psychologist. Web. 4 Dec. 2015. <http://www.careerprofiles.info/advantages-disadvantages-psychology-career.html>

“The Disadvantages Of Being a Counselor.” Work. Web. 10 Dec. 2015. <http://work.chron.com/disadvantages-being-counselor-4551.html>

My Multimedia

Daily routine of a MFT

     Every person starts their day in their own way. The people who have a job also have their own daily routine. For example teachers have their routine. They teach a subject at a certain time, have lunch and /or recess, continue teaching, and then let the students go home. Students get adjusted to this and it quickly becomes their weekly routine. Yet, what is the daily routine of a MFT?

     When a MFT starts their day, they head to their office first. Most routines for a therapist depend on where they work. An MFT can either work in their own office or work for the government (school, hospital, etc) (Day). An MFT usually has a few clients a day. They have their clients with them in their office isolated. They make sure that the clients therapy session is very private because they do not want others in their business (Day). When they are with a client, MFTs usually have a notepad to write any important things that they notice with the clients behavior or situation. Therapists listen carefully and ask many questions. Through out the day, MFTs do 4 important things (Day). They are: interview patients, administer diagnostic tests, provide therapy, and organize treatment and intervention programs (if needed). 

     During therapy, MFTs ask questions (Introductory). This is important to their routine. Without the questions, these therapists will not get a clearer understanding as to why their patient is having problems(Introductory). There are 10 important questions that MFTs ask. They are listed below.

      10 important questions:

- What brings you here?

- Have you ever seen a counselor before?

- What is the problem from your viewpoint?

- How does this problem typically make you feel?

- What makes the problem better?

- If you could wave a magic wand, what positive changes would you happen in your life?

- Overall, how would you describe your mood?

- What do you expect from the counseling process?

- What would it take to make you feel more content, happier, and more satisfied?

- Do you consider yourself to have a low, average, or high interpersonal IQ?

     In conclusion, everyone has their own routine. MFTs have their own routine as well. their routine is very important to them. They ask questions, isolate their patient for privacy, and listen to them carefully. Throughout their day, therapists make sure that their patient gets as much help they can revceive.  

  

     

Sources:

“A Day in the Life of a Counselor or Psychologist.” A day in the life of a counselor or psychologist. Web. 23 Nov. 2015. <http://www.careerexplorer.net/day-in-the-life-of/day-in-the-life-of-counselor-or-psychologist>

“10 Introductory Questions Therapists Commonly Ask.” World of Psychology. Web. 23 Nov. 2015. <http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2014/10/24/10-introductory-questions-therapists-commonly-ask/>

     

The cost of the College life!

      My first blog was all about colleges and where I wanted to go.  Now, I would like to focus on the cost of the colleges, and the living style. I will have to calculate the cost of the : dorm(if I choose to live in one), and food. Also, I will discuss if I plan to stay at one college or move to another. There are so many things to plan for! 

     To begin with, I need to know how long I need to study. On the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy website, it says that if a person is going to study for their masters degree, they study for 2-3 years (About). If a person is willing to study in the doctoral program, they study for 3-5 years (About). I am going to get my doctoral degree, so I will need to study for 3-5 years. Also, I plan on going to Vol State for the two years that are free. Then, I will go to another college, maybe Cumberland University, and finish there. I'll have to be there for about 3 years. At Cumberland University, when attending the college, each year will cost $20,160 (Tuition). I'm going to be there for 3 years, so it will cost $60,480. 

     Now that I know how much my tuition will be, I need to find out the price for my living situation. On the Cumberland University website, the room and board that I will be in cost $4,000 a semester (Room). I will have to pay $24,000 in total for my 3 years. Also on the website, I get to choose what meal plan I want. I'm going to go with the $575 meal (cost for each semester) that offers 75 meals each semester(Room). For the 3 years in total, I will have to pay $3,450. I tried to search for the cost of books for my classes, but apparently that isn't possible. Or, I didn't look hard enough. Yet, I'll keep on searching for that answer. 

     Alright, now I have more knowledge about the price of being in college. Everything has a price, and it's horrible. Although you can't always get what you want (I wish). I added up all the money and it was a total of $87,930. Wow. I don't plan on using student loans, because my personal finance class said that it's better to pay in cash for college. That's why between now and my two free years in college, I'll be saving money. I have about 3 and a half years to save up that much. Also, most of my family is going to help me save. I'm actually the 6th person in my family that hasn't dropped out of school. So college for me is a big deal and everyone wants me to be able to have the opportunity to go. 

Sources:

“About Marriage And Family Therapists.” About Marriage and Family Therapists. Web. 20 Nov. 2015. <https://www.aamft.org/imis15/aamft/content/about_aamft/qualifications.aspx>

“Tuition &Amp; Fees | Cumberland University.” Tuition &amp; Fees. Web. 20 Nov. 2015. <http://www.cumberland.edu/admissions/tuition>

“Room And Board Prices.” Cumberland University. Web. 20 Nov. 2015. <http://www.cumberland.edu/student-life/dos/residence-life/prices>

Personal blog: Why do I want to be a MFT?

     This week, I wasn't sure what to focus on. I decided to make this blog a little personal. So, why do I want to be a MFT? Well, you will find out today. I'll begin with my early years and make my way to present day. While reading this, I'll explain personal experiences and share things that gave me inspiration. Let's hope I try not to squeeze a lot of information on here. 

      To begin with, I always new that I was a chatter box, and I've been told. I really love to talk, but I love talking to people and just getting to know them. To hear what they have to say is amazing. I think that we as humans are really complex. I remember when I was about 8 years old, I went to a library that my aunt owned. I wanted to help her organize some of her books. So, she had me organize all these science and psychology related books. As I was putting them away, I saw a book that really caught my attention. It was called "Pyschology for Kids," and it was filled with quizzes that helped you learn about yourself. For example, you could find out if you were an extrovert or an introvert. I don't know why, but I enjoyed these types of quizzes. Then I remembered that my aunt let me keep it and would take it everywhere with me. Soon, I started spending most of my time at my aunts library reading those books.

       Growing up, I had lots of inspiration. There's a movie called "50 First Dates", and it's about a girl who had rare type of short-term memory. It doesn't really have to deal with therapy, but it really helped me learn about people. I watched a lot of movies about therapy and mental health too. Some are called: Anger Management, Cyberbully, The Notebook, October Baby, Dear John, The Fault in our Stars, and Ordinary People. These movies have always been my personal favorites. I also had family friends that were therapists. One that is special to me is my mom's friends, Mari. She's also a MFT and I'm always talking to her. Mari is probably one of my biggest inspirations. 

     Finally, I would like to talk about some experiences. The first experience was when I was 10 years old. I had a friend,who was also my neighbor, that was going through family problems, and I noticed that she wasn't acting the same. I decided to go over house twice a week to talk to her because I wanted her to get better. She started opening up to me and she would talk so much. I loved it because I got to listen about her problems. Then I would give feedback. In a matter of weeks, she was back to normal. I've talked to many people. I've helped people who have had depression, anxiety, LBTQ issues, and we're grieving. It makes me feel good when I am with people in need. I want to continue that. To conclude, helping people is my specialty. I've had many experiences and inspirations that support my future work. It's good that I continue this because maybe one day I'll be successful in this field. 

How does a therapist control their emotions while at work?

     Recently, I have been asked the question, "How will you control your own emotions?" This question is referring to when I will work with a client. I have been told that some therapists have to go to their own therapist because they get caught up in the problems of their clients. Necessarily, I do not think that is true. Yet, I have decided to look into it.

     To begin with, I have decided to look into Google for research. Then I came across a link that was titled, "Do therapist hide their emotions during therapy?" Of course, I thought it was similar to my topic. This article explained that therapists do not hide all emotions, but they tend to show the emotions that they believe to be more helpful for the progressing in therapy. This means that if I had a client that made progress with the things we talked about in therapy, then I would show that I was genuinely happy. Although, if the client did not work on making progress, I would not show my frustration that I might feel.

     Therapists are trained to limit "self-disclosure" about their personal thoughts and to manage their "counter-transference" (their emotional reactions to their clients). I have learned at the same time they are trained to be authentic, genuine, warm, and trustworthy. As a proffesional, the therapist does not want to hide or reveal any emotions that can negatively impact the client. If they need to, they will. The job is to not upset the rapport and confidence that sustains the therapist/patient relationship. It's beneficial to show emotions because it can be viewed as if the therapist is not being upfront and honest. For example, if the client is talking about being abused, the therapist may feel anger towards the abuser. If the client knows that the therapist is on his side, he'll feel the trust between the both of them. 

     As for my question, the display of genuine emotions from a therapist is part of the interaction. Yet, it all depends on the therapist. Some may choose to show emotion, and others won't.  In that case, I haven't properly answers my question. So, will I be able to control my emotions? Well, hopefully I'll be trained to limit most of them because I tend to be a very emotional person. At the same time, therapists are people too, and sometimes you'll have an emotional reaction that you simply can't control.

Sources:

“Why We Hide Emotional Pain.” Psychology Today. Web. 22 Oct. 2015. <https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolution-the-self/201109/why-we-hide-emotional-pain>

“Do Psychotherapists Hide Their Emotions during Therapy?Frequently Asked In.” Do psychotherapists hide their emotions during therapy? Web. 22 Oct. 2015. <https://www.quora.com/do-psychotherapists-hide-their-emotions-during-therapy>

What is a Marriage and Family Therapist?

     In my first blog, I talked about the college I wanted to go to. Yet, I didn't explain what my future career was going to be. So, that's what I intend to focus on today. When I get older, I really want to be a Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT). The fact that I get to help people in need fills me up with so much joy. Being able to do that as a career is just fantastic.
    So, what is a MFT exactly? Well, I went to the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy webisite. It says,  " Marriage and Family Therapists are mental health professionals trained in psychotherapy and familiy systems, and licensed to diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders within the context of marriage, couples and family systems." They treat a wide range of serious clinical problems including: depression, marital problems, anxiety, individual psychological problems, and child-parent problems. Alright, MFTs have a lot of work on their hands, but I'm willing to put my all into it.
   An important point to consider is the difference between MFTs and other clinical social workers. MFTs and clinical social workers are both considered mental health practitioners. Clinical social workers not only include mental health therapy but also many services performed in medical settings. The social worker may, for example, plan for patient discharge, making sure that things like social services are in place. They may work with families who are under stress or a crisis, but they typically do more counseling than casework. As for MFTs, they are the "Relationship Experts." Marriage and Family Therapy is approached from a systemic perspective and focuses on familial and other close relationships. Both MFTs and clinical socail workers routinely deal with the impact of alcoholism and illness, work in a variety of settings, and include private practice. Although, clinical workers are more likely to be employed in medical areas.
    To conclude, MFTs are people who have the desire to help relationships between families and couples. They love to help people, as do I. I like the fact that MFTs are probably one of the best people to go to when you just don't feel right. They do their best to figure out what is the problem. MFTs should be known as one of the main social workers to help the people of this country.
 
 

Sources:

“About Marriage And Family Therapists.” About Marriage and Family Therapists. Web. 22 Oct. 2015. <http://www.aamft.org/imis15/aamft/content/about_aamft/qualifications.aspx?hkey=2d5f6fac-24c6-40fd-b74f-5f3eaf214e55>

“Marriage And Family Therapists.” Marriage and Family Therapists. Web. 22 Oct. 2015. <https://www.therapistlocator.net/imis15/aamft/content/consumer_updates/marriage_and_family_therapists.aspx>

“Marriage And Family Therapists.” Career Information: Web. 22 Oct. 2015. <http://www.campusexplorer.com/careers/92117a0f/marriage-and-family-therapists/>