Therapy. The word conjures up a variety of images from Freud to voodoo dolls. But when the laughter dies down and you find yourself in need of help the question becomes Just exactly which professional do I turn to?
For the purposes of this discussion, I'd like to look at four options (of many) which are available for mental health consultation and therapy.
Counselors. The term "counselor" can refer to anyone who offers another help. There are lay counselors, peer counselors, pastoral counselors, career counselors, rehabilitation counselors--and the list goes on. The thing most counselors have in common is specialized training. Lay and peer counselors usually do not require a degree program, but often involve a variety of training, usually specific to the type of of counseling being offered.
Pastoral counseling may be a part of a cleric's training, but usually does not involve diagnosis of mental illness. Often, pastoral counseling is rooted in the fundamentals of the religious denomination of the practicing pastor or priest. They are not usually required to be licensed by the state.
Some career counselors have completed master's degree programs which are devoted to this specialty. They are usually extensively trained in basic counseling skills and theory, with a concentration in their specialty. Some who provide career counseling can do so without a degree program; sometimes this is referred to as "life coaching" or "career development."
Rehabilitation counselors have master's degrees in their specialties, usually followed by a rigorous certification examination. Rehabilitation counselors can work with those with illness, injury, mobility challenges, deafness and other disabilities. Rehab counselors work to empower people with disabilities to make informed choices, build careers and live independently.
Therapists. In the mental health field, therapists are master's degree graduates who have (in most states) completed up to 3,000+ hours of clinical practicum work and passed a rigorous licensing exam administered by the state. In the past, in the state of California, these therapists were designated Marriage Family and Child Counselors. Today, these same professionals are called Marriage and Family Therapists. They work with couples and families dealing with relationship issues; they also work with as individuals struggling with a variety of disorders that are causing difficulty in personal and professional relationships such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, stress, phobias, personality disorders and more.
Traditionally, therapists practice talk therapy, which is precisely as it sounds.
Psychologists. Clinical Psychologists have usually have doctorates in psychology or philosophy. While they hold doctorate degrees and are addressed as "Doctor," they are not physicians, and cannot dispense medication.
In order to be called a "psychologist" you must be licensed. Clinical psychologists work with those who have life adjustment problems, emotional disorders or mental illness. They also provide diagnostic assessment or "testing services" which can be essential for clarifying diagnoses of a mental disorder or addiction.
Psychologists must complete a specific number of hours of supervised training, usually two to three years, prior to finishing their Ph.D. They must pass licensing examinations; most have produced a doctoral dissertation on original research. In addition to Clinical Psychologists, there are also Educational Psychologists, Neuropsychologists, Forensic Psychologists, Organizational Psychologists as well as other specialities.
Psychiatrists. These individuals are medical school graduates with years of advanced training in their specialty, Psychiatry. They are physicians, licensed to treat patients and prescribe medications. In the past, many psychiatrists had full-time talk-therapy practices and functioned as the prescribing physician as well as admitting physician should a patient need inpatient psychiatric care.
In more recent years, some psychiatrists have shifted their focus to evaluation and medical management of mental illness, providing an extensive psychiatric evaluation at intake, prescription of psychotropic medication as needed, and followup visits on a regular basis.
So, now you know. Who's the best fit for you? Only you can decide what you need and who the best provider will be. The answer will depend on a variety of factors, which we'll take a look at in the next posting.
I hope to shed more light on the subject then.
Thanks for listening.
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