Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for counseling and psychotherapy services has skyrocketed. This, combined with advances in reducing stigma around mental health challenges, has led to people wondering where to get care and who to get it from.
Many different professionals may offer mental health services, and it can be confusing and overwhelming to tell the differences between who does what and how. It is always a good place to start with your primary care provider. They can help you figure out what sort of difficulties you are having, who might be a good person to seek out, and how to access that care.
Professionals who provide psychotherapy may include:
- Psychologists
- Psychiatrists
- Clinical social workers
- Clinical counselors
- Marriage and family therapists
- Pastoral counselors
- Psychiatric nurse practitioners
Of that group, psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors, social workers, and marriage and family therapists are the most common. All of these professionals are trained to offer psychotherapy, but there are differences in their education and training.
What you are struggling with will help you determine which professional is likely to be the best fit for your needs. Whichever professional you select, their goal is the same: namely, to help you live your best life and achieve good health.
By the way, the term “therapist” is a broad term that typically refers to anyone with some level of training in doing counseling and psychotherapy. But be aware that the simple term “therapist” is not regulated by any credentialing or licensing body. Be sure to seek out a provider who has been issued a professional license to practice by a state and/or national regulatory body.
Let’s look at some of the most common mental health professionals to consider.
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor with either an M.D. or D.O. degree. They have done an extensive residency, post-medical school, in preventing, diagnosing, and treating mental illness.
They are specialists in differentiating mental health problems from other medical conditions, and they typically focus on the biological aspects of mental illness. Because of their medical training, they are prescribers of medications for mental illness, such as antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, etc.
While some psychiatrists will do counseling as part of their practice, many work together with nonmedical behavioral health clinicians to offer counseling services as part of holistic care. Because of their medical training, psychiatrists are well positioned to help determine if a patient’s concerns might be related to some other underlying medical condition.
Psychologist
A psychologist has earned a doctoral degree (Ph.D., Psy.D., Ed.D.) in psychology which involves the study of human behavior and the training to evaluate, diagnose, and treat a variety of mental health conditions.
Psychologists complete a doctoral degree in four to six years post-college and are required to do an internship and residency and pass state and national examinations to receive a license to practice independently. The American Psychological Association recognizes the doctoral degree as the minimum educational requirement for psychologists.
Psychologists in seven states can prescribe medications, but this is not the case in most states.
Licensed psychologists are qualified to do counseling and psychotherapy, perform psychological testing, and provide treatment for mental disorders. Psychologists spend several years learning and administering different psychological tests that assess intellectual and personality functioning. Due to psychologists’ advanced skills in assessment, they tend to be adept at differentiating one mental health condition from another, which is important because many clinical disorders can look alike or overlap.
Clinical social worker
A licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) has at least a master’s degree in social work and training to be able to evaluate and treat mental illnesses. Some social workers will go on in their training to earn a doctoral degree in social work (DSW).
In addition to psychotherapy, many social workers will provide case management services as well as work as advocates for patients and their families. Clinical social workers are trained to assess and diagnose patients with behavioral health challenges and perform psychotherapy, with a particular emphasis on connecting people with the community and support services available there.
Mental health counselor
A professional mental health counselor is a licensed clinician who has a master’s degree in psychology, counseling, or a related field. To be licensed, the professional counselor also needs one to two additional years’ experience working with a qualified supervising mental health professional after graduate school.
A mental health counselor is qualified to evaluate and treat behavioral health concerns and problems by providing counseling or psychotherapy.
Marriage and family therapist
A licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) is a certified health care professional who has typically graduated with a master’s degree in counseling or marriage and family therapy.
Marriage and family therapists are typically trained to help patients in distress with particular emphasis on families and couples or how family units impact individual functioning. They frequently treat personal and interpersonal problems including depression, parent-child conflicts, drug and alcohol abuse, anxiety and more, with special attention to how people function within family units.
Start with primary care
Starting with your primary care provider is a good idea. They can help you evaluate the factors associated with your distress, select the right kind of professional to assist you, and provide referrals to help you get on the road to health as soon as possible.
Learn more
- Where to start mental health care? Your doctor’s office
- Podcast: How to find a mental health provider
- NFL prospect overcomes mental health issues on path to pros
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Posted In Behavioral Health, People & Culture, Sioux Falls
