How do I become a family therapist
Get qualified to work as a family therapist with a course recognised across Australia. Speak to a training provider to learn more.
Related career opportunities
Browse occupations related to Family Therapist.
Common questions
The average weekly salary for a Family Therapist in Australia is approximately $2,200 per week ($114,400 annually). Increase your earning capacity by obtaining post-graduate qualifications in Family Therapy and joining a professional association such as the Australian Association of Family Therapy (AAFT).PLEASE NOTE: These are median figures for full-time employees and should be considered a guide only.
Courses.com.au Team
There are approximately 35,000 counsellors and psychotherapists working in Australia right now, some of these are Family Therapists. They may be employed by healthcare facilities, community service organisations, and government agencies, or work in private practice.
Courses.com.au Team
To become a Family Therapist you need to be a registered counsellor (Bachelor of Counselling), social worker (Bachelor of Social Work), or psychologist (Bachelor of Psychology (Child and Family)) and have specialist training in Family Therapy. Suitable post-graduate qualifications include: Graduate Certificate in Family Therapy, Graduate Diploma of Family and Relationship Therapy, Master of Family and Systemic Therapy, and Master of Clinical Family Therapy. For more detailed information about the career pathway of Family Therapists, contact the Australian Association of Family Therapy (AAFT) which is the peak industry body for this occupation in Australia.
Source: Australian Government Labour Market Insights 2023
Courses.com.au Team
Further reading
What does an Occupational Therapist do?
15th September 2022
How to become a qualified Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist in Australia
23rd December 2024Family Therapist careers
Family Therapists are qualified health professionals who work with parents, couples, and family groups to improve relationships and resolve problems within the group dynamics. They may provide counselling and support for issues with bereavement, fostering and adoption, mental health, disability, estrangement, alcohol and substance abuse, domestic violence, separation and divorce.
As a Family Therapist you could be facilitating a discussion between estranged siblings, counselling a teenage boy whose father has recently been diagnosed with cancer, referring a single mother who is the victim of domestic violence to the appropriate authorities, developing a psychotherapy treatment plan for a three young children who have been orphaned after a car accident, or conducting an initial assessment on a couple who are in the early stages of separation and divorce.
