A therapist is a licensed medical professional that diagnoses and treats emotional and mental disorders. There are lots of different treatment approaches and modalities available to help you.
In this blog, we’ll dive into some of the most common ones that you’ll come across in your search, including primary care physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors/therapists, clinical social workers, mental health nurse practitioners, and pastoral counselors. That way, if you need to access mental health support, you’ll know exactly what kind of services you’ll need to find.
Want to connect with counselors in your area? Ravel Mental Health is coming soon.
Primary Care Physicians
Primary care physicians are often the first port of call to access treatment for mental health issues. They are licensed medical doctors who can prescribe medication, such as anti-depressants or anti-anxiety drugs, and refer you to a mental health professional who can provide therapy. This could be a family medicine doctor, an emergency medicine doctor, or any other type of physician. It’s important to be open with your doctor about any mental health issues you may be experiencing, because they’ll be able to help you take the necessary next steps to restoring your health.
Psychiatrists
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in mental health disorders. They can diagnose and treat complicated mental health conditions and can prescribe medication and provide therapy. American Psychiatric Association says a psychiatrist may be suitable for you if you’re experiencing conditions such as, “panic attacks, frightening hallucinations, thoughts of suicide, or hearing voices.’” They can also help with short-term and long-term issues such as depression or anxiety.
Psychiatrists can order a full range of medical and psychological tests to get an overview of your mental and physical well-being. This means they are able to identify and manage issues caused by genetics, brain chemistry, or personality type while making a treatment plan.
Psychiatrists use medications to treat mental health disorders in the same way a primary care physician might prescribe drugs to help with issues such as diabetes or blood pressure. They can support you with specific life stages, such as pediatric or geriatric psychiatry, as well as specialized issues such as addiction, pain, eating disorders, gender dysphoria, post-traumatic stress disorder, sleep disorders, and more.
Psychologists
Psychologists specialize in the science of human thought. They can assess and diagnose mental health conditions and provide clinical interviews, psychological evaluations and testing, as well as provide a range of different therapies, to find out what’s causing your symptoms and why.
Once they identify the root issue, they develop a treatment. The specifics will vary from person to person, but generally speaking, psychologists can help you understand what’s happening inside your head and why. They can also help you learn new coping strategies and thought patterns that will empower you to reclaim your health and achieve your long-term mental health goals.
Many psychologists hold doctorate degrees; however, this is not the same as being a medical doctor – instead, it means that this person is an expert in a particular aspect of mental health. The biggest difference between psychiatrists and psychologists is that psychologists can’t prescribe medication. As such, they will often work closely with your primary care physician or psychiatrist.
Counselors/Therapists
The terms “counselor” and “therapist” are often used interchangeably. They usually refer to people with a masters-level qualification who can evaluate a person’s mental health and treat a specific condition. This could include individual sessions, couples or family sessions, or group sessions.
Counselors and therapists generally start by asking you to identify a problem and set a goal. Once you have a plan in place, they can help you work towards it by identifying and removing triggers and stressors, learning and reinforcing healthy behaviours, and making positive long-term changes.
Many counselors and therapists will be licensed by the relevant authorities in their state, but this varies across the country. Here are some examples from the National Institute of Mental Health:
- LPC: Licensed Professional Counselor
- LMFT: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
- LCADAC: Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor
Clinical Social Workers
Clinical social workers help people with challenges in their lives. They can assess and evaluate a person’s mental health and provide therapy to help them cope with everyday problems, such as illness, divorce, unemployment, and financial difficulties. They can also help with issues like trauma and mental health emergencies.
Many social workers also provide case management and advocacy services, which include identifying people and communities in need of help and referring people to public resources such as food stamps, child care, and health care. Social workers take a broad approach that ensures their clients’ basic needs are being met so their situation can improve.
Just like counselors/therapists, licensing requirements change from state to state. Clinical social workers will hold a bachelor’s degree and they may have one of the following licences:
- LICSW: Licensed and Independent Clinical Social Worker
- ACSW: Academic of Certified Social Workers
- LCSW: Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Mental Health Nurse Practitioners
Mental health nurse practitioners are highly skilled professionals who can assess and diagnose many mental health conditions, including substance use issues, and provide medical and psychological treatment. This is the highest clinical qualification available in the field of mental health nursing.
Mental health nurse practitioners normally provide therapy and may even be able to prescribe medications in some states (this is normally subject to supervision from a psychiatrist). It’s very common that they will hold a master’s degree or a doctorate degree.
Pastoral Counselors
Pastoral counselors are members of a particular faith who have additional training in clinical mental health. They can diagnose high-level issues and provide counseling that combines principles from their faith with modern evidence-based treatment approaches. Many pastoral counselors have degrees in counseling in addition to their faith-based studies. This can be a wonderful avenue of support to people from a particular religious community dealing with everyday issues.
Finding the Right Type of Provider
This blog has covered seven different types of providers. As you can see, all of them can help with everyday mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety. There are multiple avenues available to help you get the support you need to make positive changes and start getting back on track.
However, if you are struggling with something more specific, such as substance use disorders, relationship breakdowns, grief and loss, or financial issues, different types of mental health professionals will be able to provide tailored treatments to suit your needs.
Ravel Mental Health is a new mental health service that allows people like you to instantly connect with mental health providers in your area. It’s the brainchild of Nancy Cowden, a licensed marriage and family therapist from California, because she realized that for most people, the biggest barrier to accessing mental health services was finding a provider with availability.
You can apply filters to target particular skills and specialties, which ensures you find someone who is the right fit. Best of all, you can check their availability and schedule an appointment on the spot. It’s currently in the beta testing phase and will be rolling out across the country later this year. Stay tuned as we revolutionize mental health access throughout America.
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