Types of Mental Health Professionals

When life becomes difficult, it's good to know that many types of mental health professionals are available to provide support. Here is an overview to help you decide which type of professional is right for you:

• Psychiatrists are physicians who specialize in prescribing medication for psychiatric disorders. They hold either an MD degree (Doctor of Medicine) or DO degree (Doctor of Osteopathy), followed by four years of psychiatric residency training. Some psychiatrists choose to obtain additional training in a specialty area following their residency years. Their medical training makes psychiatrists the ideal professionals to determine whether a patient is suffering from a mental illness, or from a physical illness that is affecting their mental health. Although psychiatrists do receive some training in how to do psychotherapy, most of them focus their practice on psychiatric diagnosis and medication management.
• Psychologists hold doctoral degrees such as PhD (Doctor of Philosophy), PsyD (Doctor of Psychology), or EdD (Doctor of Education). These degrees require 4-6 years of graduate coursework followed by two years of supervised experience. Psychologists receive specialized training in psychological testing to identify mental health disorders that interfere with a patient's ability to function in their personal lives, at works, or at school. They also receive extensive training in various methods of psychotherapy and research to help them develop and use evidence-based therapies to treat mental health disorders. Psychologists in some states can opt to pursue additional training in psychopharmacology which qualifies them to prescribe psychiatric medications.
• Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW) hold a master's degree in social work or social welfare, and have completed 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience. They us a "bio-psycho-social" approach that takes into account the patient's physical functioning, psychological functioning, and social environment. They are also experts in case management (connecting patients with appropriate community services).
• Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT) hold a master's degree in marriage and family therapy, and have completed 3,000 hours of supervised experience. They specialize in providing couples therapy and family therapy focused on improving communication and supporting healthy relationship patterns.
• Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) hold a master's degree in counseling and have completed 3,000 hours of supervised experience. They offer individual and group psychotherapy for many types of behavioral disorders.
• Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNP) are Registered Nurses who have completed a master's-level psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner program which includes 500 supervised clinical hours, additional graduate-level training in physiology and pharmacology, and clinical training in at least two psychotherapy modalities. They diagnose mental health disorders, provide psychotherapy, and prescribe medication. In some states, they are required to practice in collaboration with physicians.
• National Certified Pastoral Counselors (NCPC) hold a master's degree in pastoral counseling and have completed 500 hours of supervised experience. They offer counseling for a variety of mental health concerns, with an emphasis on integrating mental health and spirituality.
• Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA) and Board Certified Behavior Specialists (BCBS) hold a master's degree in behavioral analysis or a related field, and have completed 2,000 hours of supervised experience. They work with student in grade K-12 to improve problematic communication skills and behaviors, such as those associated with autism.
• Certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (CADC) hold a bachelor's degree and have completed 3,000 hours of CADC training as well as 4,000 hours of relevant work experience. They provide individual and group counseling for people struggling with substance abuse problems.
• Certified Peer Specialists (CPS) are people who are recovering from mental health disorders and have received 75 hours of peer specialist training. They provide support to people recovering from mental health disorders by sharing insights based on their own experience.
• Certified Recovery Specialists (CRS) are people who are recovering from substance abuse disorders, have at least 18 months' sobriety, and have received 78 hours of recovery specialist training. They provide support to people recovering from substance abuse disorders by sharing insights based on their own experience.

Here are some tips to help you decide which type of provider best fits your needs:

• If you're unsure whether the problem is caused by a medical disorder or a mental health disorder, see a psychiatrist.
• If you need clarification about what type of mental health disorder is present, or how it may be interfering with your functioning at work or school, see a psychologist for psychological testing.
• If you need medication for a mental health disorder, see a psychiatrist, a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, or (in some states) a psychologist who is qualified to prescribe medication.
• If you need individual or group therapy, see a psychologist, LCSW, or LPC. For specialized treatment or marital or family problems, see an LMFT. (Note: some other types of mental health professionals also have training in couples and family therapy; you can ask about this when scheduling an appointment).
• If you are interested in a particular type of therapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, ask the provider if they provide those services.
• If possible, try to meet with several professionals to see who feels like the best fit for you.

Talk to someone who can help! Find a licensed psychologist near you, use PPA's Psychologist Locator at www.papsy.org/locator. For information on other mental health topics, go to www.papsy.org, Resources, and then Public Resources. PPA offers these articles for informational purposes only; they are not a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment.

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