Mental Health Practitioners: Who’s Who?

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Mental Health Practitioners:
Who’s Who?

by Amy Scholten, MPH

Perhaps you or someone you love is wrestling with a relationship problem, a life crisis, or a serious mental illness. But deciding whether you should see a psychiatrist, psychologist, or another type of mental health professional can be enough to make you lose your mind! Don’t worry, your health care provider can likely provide you with an appropriate referral, if necessary. In the meantime, it helps to know the difference between the types of mental health professionals.

Psychiatrist

Psychologist

Mental Health Counselor or Licensed Counselor

Clinical Social Worker

Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor

Pastoral Counselor

Marriage and Family Therapist
Psychiatrist (M.D.)


Psychiatrists are medical doctors who have specialized training to diagnosis and treat mental illnesses. They understand the body's functions and the complex relationship between emotional illness and other medical illnesses. They are the only mental health professionals who can prescribe medication. Although they may sometimes practice some type of psychotherapy, particularly if they are in private practice, at the present time, most psychiatrists focus largely on prescribing medication for the treatment of mental disorders.

Education and training

A psychiatrist’s training includes a bachelor’s degree, medical school, and four years of residency training in the field of psychiatry. Many psychiatrists get additional training so that they can specialize in areas such as child and adolescent psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, psychopharmacology, and/or psychoanalysis. They are trained to work with a biosocial model, in which behavior is largely viewed as a function of biology and brain chemistry.

Qualifications

Psychiatrists should have a state license and be board eligible or certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.


Psychologist (Ph.D. or Psy.D.)
Psychologists are mental health professionals who work in a variety of settings including clinics, hospitals, private practice, schools, and universities. Depending on their training and specialization, psychologists may:

* Assess and counsel people who have serious mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, alcoholism, drug addiction and eating disorders
* Assess and counsel people who are experiencing life transitions such as divorce, relationship problems, and academic problems
* Teach in a college or university
* Conduct research on any number of mental health issues
* Consult in various areas such as business and sports teams

Education and Training

All psychologists must have a Bachelor of Arts or Science degree before they enroll in a Ph.D. or Psy.D. program.

Ph.D.

The Ph.D. training program may be in clinical psychology, which focuses on research and practice, or counseling psychology, which focuses on practice in less pathological populations. As part of their training, individuals in this program must complete a minimum of three full-time academic years of study and a one-year internship (practicum), known as a post-doctorate, in an in-patient or out-patient setting. The average length of a Ph.D. program is six to seven years.

Psy.D.

The Psy.D program tends to have a more clinical focus than the Ph.D. program, and offers more pre-internship experience and practical coursework than courses on statistics and research. Students may need to take up to three practicums before their internship. They have the most direct clinical training experience of all mental health professionals. The average length of a Psy.D. program is six to seven years.

Qualifications

Psychologists should have a state license.
Mental Health Counselor (M.A., M.S., N.C.C., C.C.M.C.) and Licensed Professional Counselor (L.P.C.)

Mental health counselors and licensed professional counselors are therapists who are trained to diagnose and provide individual and group counseling. They often provide general psychotherapy. They work in community mental health centers, in group or private practices, or other settings.

Education and training

Mental health counselors and licensed professional counselors have a master’s degree (usually in clinical or counseling psychology) and several years of supervised clinical work experience.

Qualifications

In many, but not all states, mental health counselors must have a state license in order to practice. They may also receive certification by the National Academy of Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselors. Licensed professional counselors have a state license.

Clinical Social Worker (C.S.W., M.S.W., L.S.W., L.C.S.W., Ph.D.)

Licensed social workers are mental health providers that deal with issues such as life events, family conflicts, violence, substance abuse, and disabilities. They not only offer psychotherapy but also help patients find community care. They may practice in community mental health centers, family services agencies, child welfare agencies, hospitals, schools, businesses, nursing homes, private practice, courts, prisons, and various public and private agencies.

Education and training

Clinical social workers have a bachelor’s degree as well as a master’s or doctoral degree in social work from an accredited graduate program.

Qualifications

Clinical social workers must have a state license. They may also be members of the Academy of Certified Social Workers.

Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor or Addiction Counselor (C.S.A.C., C.A.C.,)

Certified alcohol and drug abuse counselors and addiction counselors are trained to diagnose and provide individual and group counseling for individuals with addiction problems. They may work in drug abuse and addiction centers, hospitals, clinics, and community mental health centers.

Education and training

Training may include a bachelor’s degree, specific clinical training in alcohol and drug abuse, and supervised experience.

Qualifications

Alcohol and drug abuse counselors and addiction counselors usually have a state license. They may also receive national certification through the National Association for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors.

Pastoral Counselors (M.A., M.S., M.div, D.Min)

Pastoral counselors are certified mental health professionals who have had extensive religious/theological training and clinical training in the behavioral sciences. They may specialize in marriage and family therapy, addiction, grief, and other issues, including serious mental illnesses. They may also provide educational programs on marriage preparation, adjusting to divorce, and coping with loss and grief. They may work in health clinics, state hospital, private and group practices, congregation-based centers, or in pastoral counseling centers.

Education and training

Pastoral counselors typically have a bachelor’s degree, a three-year professional degree, and a specialized master’s or doctoral degree in a mental health field.

Qualifications

Pastoral counselors are certified through the American Association of Pastoral Counselors. Many are also certified and licensed as other mental health professionals.

Marriage and Family Therapist (M.F.T.)

Marriage and family therapists diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders, and other health and behavioral problems within the context of marriage, couples and family systems. They often work in group or private practices.

Education and training

Marriage and family therapists have a master’s or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy and at least two years of clinical experience. They are trained in psychotherapy and family systems.

Qualifications

Marriage and family therapists have a state license.

RESOURCES:

The Association for Addiction Professionals
http://naadac.org/

American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
http://www.aamft.org/

American Association of Pastoral Counselors
http://www.aapc.org/

American Psychiatric Association
http://www.psych.org/

American Psychological Association
http://www.apa.org/

National Mental Health Association
http://www.nmha.org/


Sources:

American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists

American Association of Pastoral Counselors

American Psychiatric Association

American Psychological Association

National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors

National Mental Health Association

Last reviewed September 2004 by Jeffrey Andrews, MD

Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

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