There are many different types of professionals that offer services for mental health or behavioral health concerns. This can often create confusion for individuals trying to coordinate care or insurance benefits. The main differences have to do with the type and level of educational and professional training they receive, the licensure requirements and their approach to treatment.
Psychiatrist – A psychiatrist is either a medical doctor who holds the M.D. or doctors of osteopathy (O.D.) degree. They go through medical school and then specialize in psychiatric care in their residency. Psychiatrists focus on treatment of mental disorders but have a strong understanding of bodily systems. They generally utilize medical interventions such as prescribing medications but may also do some psychotherapy or behavioral treatment. Some gain additional training and specialize in child and adolescent psychiatry. Psychiatrists are licensed as physicians to practice medicine by individual states. "Board certified" psychiatrists have passed the national examination administered by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.
Psychologist – A psychologist is a scientist/practitioner who holds a doctorate degree, either a Ph.D. (doctor of philosophy) or the Psy.D. (doctor of psychology) or in some cases an Ed.D. (doctor of education). Psychologists study and apply the science of psychology that deals with the mental processes and behaviors and specialize in a type of psychology such as clinical, counseling, neuropsychology, school/educational, or industrial organizational. While there are other specialties, these are the specialties that become licensed. A psychologists’ training consists of classroom work, research and clinical experience. Psychologists receive training in diagnosis, psychological assessment, psychotherapy, research and other topics. In some States, psychologists are gaining prescription privileges after they gain additional training and supervised experience. Qualifications: Doctoral degree in psychology from an accredited/designated doctoral program in psychology and a minimum of two years of supervised professional experience, including a year long internship from an approved internship. They must pass a National examination and any other State specific requirements (e.g., State exam, oral exam, case presentation).
Social Worker – Social workers have either a bachelor's degree (B.A., B.S., or B.S.W.), a master's degree (M.A., M.S., M.S.W., or M.S.S.W), or doctoral degree (D.S.W. or Ph.D.). In most states, social workers take an examination to be licensed to practice social work Licensing categories include: Social Work Associate (SWA), Licensed Social Worker (LSW), Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW), Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), and Licensed Master Social Worker-Advanced Practitioner (LMSW-AP). The type of license depends on their level of education and practice experience. Social workers provide various services including assessment and treatment of psychiatric illnesses, case management, hospital discharge planning, and psychotherapy.
Marriage & Family Therapist – These therapists have a Master’s degree in marriage and family therapy or in some cases another field. Their program focuses on counseling theories and usually has a special emphasis on family systems. To obtain licensure, they must obtain two to three years of supervised clinical experience and take a licensure exam.
Licensed Professional Counselor – The requirements for this designation can vary, but in general they have a Master’s degree in professional counseling or counseling psychology. In some cases they may also have a doctoral degree. They must obtain two to three years of supervised experience and sit for a licensure exam to be licensed.
Psychiatric Nurses – Psychiatric/mental health nurses may have various degrees ranging from associate's to bachelor's (B.S.N.) to master's (M.S.N. or A.P.R.N) to doctoral (D.N.Sc., Ph.D.). Depending on their level of education and licensing, they provide a broad range of psychiatric and medical services, including the assessment and treatment of psychiatric illnesses, case management, and psychotherapy. In some states, some psychiatric nurses may prescribe and monitor medication. Advanced practice registered nurses (A.P.R.N.) or nurse practitioners have at least a master's degree in psychiatric-mental health nursing. In general, they can diagnose and treat mental illnesses, and in many states they're authorized to prescribe medications. They also may be qualified to practice independently, without the supervision of a doctor.
Pastoral Counselor – Pastoral counselors are trained mental health providers who also have in-depth religious or theological training or they are clergy who have received additional counseling experience. They provide counseling and other support in a spiritual context. Certification and licensing can vary by State.
Coach – Coaching is a profession that sometimes deals with behavioral or emotional issues. By and large it is more future oriented and focused on helping individuals accomplish their personal goals. At present, coaches are not licensed, so their training can vary greatly. In general they have participated in some type of training or certification programs. Coaching professionals are developing standards for the profession.
Psychotherapists – A psychotherapist is a generic term for a mental health provider and does not designate a specific background or license. Psychotherapists might be any of the above, or others, who provide psychotherapy.
Psychoanalysts – A psychoanalyst is another generic term for a mental health provider who specializes in a specific type of treatment originally developed by Sigmund Freud. It involves exploring unconscious aspects of a persons experience and usually involves long-term, intensive treatment multiple times per week. While not regulated by license, many psychoanalysts receive extensive training or certification, which generally requires them to go through coursework, their own psychoanalysis and supervised experience.
