Marriage and Family Therapists Resume Samples and Templates for 2026

Marriage and Family Therapist Resume Examples and Templates: A Complete Guide

A professional marriage and family therapist resume is essential for standing out in India’s growing mental health and counselling industry. Whether you’re applying for positions at leading hospitals like Apollo or Fortis, mental health clinics like Mpower or iCall, NGOs working in family welfare, corporate EAP programmes, or private counselling practices, your resume should highlight your therapeutic expertise, clinical experience, and commitment to helping families navigate emotional challenges.

This guide walks you through marriage and family therapist resume examples and templates, formatting tips, and keywords to help you write a resume that stands out to recruiters at leading healthcare and counselling organisations in India.

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Understanding the Marriage and Family Therapist Role in India

Marriage and family therapists are licensed mental health professionals who specialise in treating individuals, couples, and families experiencing relationship difficulties, emotional challenges, and life transitions. From helping couples navigate marital conflicts to supporting families through crisis situations, marriage and family therapists use systemic approaches to promote healthy relationships and emotional well-being.

Key responsibilities include:

• Conducting individual, couple, and family therapy sessions
• Assessing clients’ mental health needs and developing treatment plans
• Applying family systems therapy and other evidence-based approaches
• Providing crisis intervention and support services
• Maintaining confidential client records and documentation
• Collaborating with psychiatrists, social workers, and other professionals
• Conducting psychoeducational workshops and group sessions
• Supporting clients through divorce, bereavement, and life transitions

India’s increasing awareness of mental health, changing family dynamics, and growing demand for professional counselling services create strong opportunities for qualified marriage and family therapists across healthcare, corporate, and community settings.

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Preparing to Write Your Marriage and Family Therapist Resume

Before drafting your resume, gather all relevant information:

Professional details to compile:

• Complete employment history in counselling/therapy roles
• Client populations served and specialisations
• Therapeutic approaches and modalities used
• Clinical hours and supervision experience
• Training and certifications completed
• Research and publications (if applicable)
• Workshop facilitation experience
• Professional memberships and affiliations

Research target employers:

• Review requirements from hospitals and mental health clinics
• Understand expectations at NGOs and community organisations
• Note specific qualifications mentioned in job descriptions

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Choosing the Best Resume Format

Select a format that best presents your therapeutic experience:

Chronological Format

Best for marriage and family therapists with steady career progression in clinical roles. Highlights your work at organisations in reverse chronological order.

Functional Format

Suitable for professionals transitioning from related fields like social work or psychology who want to emphasise therapeutic skills and training.

Combination Format

Ideal for therapists with diverse experience across different settings, populations, or therapeutic specialisations.

Format recommendations by experience: | Experience Level | Recommended Format | Resume Length | |-----------------|-------------------|---------------| | Entry-level (0-3 years) | Chronological | 1-2 pages | | Mid-level (3-7 years) | Combination | 2 pages | | Senior (7+ years) | Chronological | 2-3 pages |

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Professional Summary Examples

Your professional summary should immediately communicate your therapeutic expertise:

Entry-Level Therapist

M.Phil Clinical Psychology graduate from NIMHANS seeking marriage and family therapist position at leading mental health clinic. Completed internship at Mpower Foundation providing individual and family counselling. Trained in family systems therapy, CBT, and solution-focused approaches. Strong assessment and intervention skills. Knowledge of cultural factors affecting Indian families. Eager to contribute to client well-being while developing clinical expertise under supervision.

Experienced Marriage and Family Therapist

Compassionate marriage and family therapist with 5+ years of experience providing counselling services at leading healthcare organisations. Currently Senior Counsellor at Apollo Hospitals Chennai managing caseload of 40+ clients including couples and families. Expertise in family systems therapy, emotionally focused therapy, and trauma-informed care. Conducted 2,000+ therapy sessions with 85% client satisfaction. M.Phil from Tata Institute of Social Sciences with RCI registration.

Senior Family Therapist

Dedicated senior family therapist with 10+ years of experience in clinical practice and programme development. Currently Head of Family Counselling at Fortis Mental Health managing team of 5 therapists. Expertise in marital therapy, parenting interventions, and adolescent counselling. Established family therapy programme serving 500+ families annually. Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Delhi University with extensive training in systemic therapies.

Clinical Director

Seasoned mental health professional with 15+ years of experience leading counselling programmes at premier healthcare institutions. Currently Director of Counselling Services at leading hospital chain overseeing ₹2 crore annual programme serving 2,000+ families. Expertise in clinical leadership, programme development, and therapist training. Published researcher with 10+ peer-reviewed papers. Ph.D. from NIMHANS. Known for developing culturally-adapted family therapy protocols.

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Showcasing Your Work Experience

Present your therapeutic experience with specific achievements and metrics:

Director of Counselling Services

Fortis Healthcare | Mumbai April 2019 – Present

• Lead family counselling programme serving 2,000+ families annually across 5 facilities
• Manage team of 8 counsellors and 3 clinical psychologists
• Develop treatment protocols for marital therapy and family interventions
• Achieve 90% client satisfaction on feedback surveys
• Establish corporate EAP partnerships generating ₹50 lakh annual revenue
• Conduct training workshops for junior therapists and interns
• Implement outcome measurement system tracking therapy effectiveness
• Collaborate with psychiatry department on integrated care model
• Present at national mental health conferences
• Received “Excellence in Mental Health Services” recognition (2022)

Senior Marriage and Family Therapist

Apollo Hospitals | Chennai June 2015 – March 2019

• Provided individual, couple, and family therapy to diverse client population
• Managed caseload of 50+ active clients weekly
• Conducted 3,000+ therapy sessions over tenure
• Specialised in marital counselling and parenting interventions
• Achieved 85% improvement in client-reported outcomes
• Developed psychoeducational programmes for families
• Supervised M.Phil trainees and interns
• Facilitated monthly support groups for caregivers
• Promoted from Counsellor to Senior Therapist
• Received positive feedback from clients and referring physicians

Family Counsellor

iCall - TISS | Mumbai July 2012 – May 2015

• Provided telephonic and in-person counselling to families in distress
• Handled crisis intervention calls and referrals
• Conducted family therapy sessions for community clients
• Developed outreach programmes for underserved populations
• Participated in research projects on family mental health
• Completed training in various therapeutic modalities
• Achieved high ratings on supervisor evaluations
• Contributed to helpline training manual development

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Essential Skills for Marriage and Family Therapists

Clinical Skills

• Individual therapy
• Couple therapy
• Family therapy
• Child and adolescent counselling
• Group therapy facilitation
• Crisis intervention
• Psychological assessment
• Treatment planning
• Case conceptualisation
• Therapeutic documentation

Therapeutic Approaches

• Family systems therapy
• Emotionally focused therapy (EFT)
• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
• Solution-focused brief therapy
• Narrative therapy
• Trauma-informed care
• Attachment-based interventions
• Structural family therapy
• Strategic family therapy
• Gottman Method (couples)

Soft Skills

• Active listening
• Empathy and compassion
• Cultural sensitivity
• Communication skills
• Ethical practice
• Boundaries maintenance
• Self-awareness
• Patience
• Non-judgmental attitude
• Collaboration

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Qualifications for Marriage and Family Therapists

Educational Qualifications

Qualification	Institution Type	Relevance
Ph.D. Clinical Psychology	NIMHANS, Central Universities	Highest qualification
M.Phil Clinical Psychology	NIMHANS, TISS, RCI-approved	Required for RCI registration
M.A. Psychology with internship	Universities	Foundation
M.S.W. with clinical focus	TISS, state universities	Alternative pathway
M.Sc. Counselling Psychology	Universities	Counselling focus
PG Diploma in Counselling	Recognised institutions	Additional training

Professional Certifications and Registrations

• Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) Registration
• Family Therapy Certification (international bodies)
• EMDR Training Certification
• Gottman Method Training
• Play Therapy Certification
• Trauma-Focused CBT Training
• EFT Certification for Couples
• Suicide Prevention Training

Additional Training

• Advanced family therapy workshops
• Supervision training programmes
• Cultural competence training
• Ethical practice courses
• Research methodology training
• Workshop facilitation skills
• Self-care for therapists

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Tips by Experience Level

Entry-Level Therapists (0-3 years)

• Highlight M.Phil/M.A. education and clinical training
• Include internship experience and supervision hours
• Emphasise therapeutic modalities learned
• Showcase assessment and intervention skills
• Include RCI registration status

Target employers: Hospital counselling departments, NGOs, training positions

Mid-Level Therapists (3-7 years)

• Quantify client caseload and session counts
• Highlight specialisations developed
• Showcase supervision experience
• Demonstrate programme contributions
• Include training and workshop delivery

Target positions: Senior Therapist, Lead Counsellor, Supervisor

Senior Therapists (7+ years)

• Emphasise leadership and programme development
• Highlight team management experience
• Showcase research and publications
• Demonstrate training and mentoring
• Include industry recognition and awards

Target positions: Clinical Director, Head of Counselling, Consultant

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ATS Optimisation for Marriage and Family Therapist Resumes

Ensure your resume passes Applicant Tracking Systems:

Essential keywords to include:

• Marriage and family therapist, counsellor
• Family therapy, couple therapy
• Clinical psychology, mental health
• RCI registered, licensed
• Assessment, treatment plan
• Crisis intervention, trauma
• Family systems, CBT, EFT
• NIMHANS, TISS (if applicable)
• Supervision, training
• Client outcomes, caseload

ATS-friendly formatting:

• Use standard section headings (Summary, Experience, Skills, Education)
• List certifications and registrations clearly
• Avoid tables, graphics, and complex formatting
• Use standard fonts (Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman)
• Include session counts and outcome metrics

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Conclusion

A professional marriage and family therapist resume is essential for success in India’s growing mental health industry. Whether you’re targeting positions at hospital counselling departments, mental health clinics, NGOs, or corporate EAP programmes, your resume must demonstrate your clinical expertise, therapeutic training, and commitment to helping families achieve emotional well-being.

Focus on quantifying your achievements—session counts, client outcomes, satisfaction ratings, and populations served. Highlight your RCI registration, M.Phil qualification, and specialised training that validate your expertise. With India’s increasing awareness of mental health and growing demand for family counselling services, qualified marriage and family therapists have excellent career opportunities across healthcare and community settings.

Use our resume builder to create an ATS-optimised marriage and family therapist resume, or explore our professional templates designed specifically for mental health professionals in India.