Do you know the difference between a counselor and a
therapist?
The difference between a psychologist and a marital and family therapist? Most people don’t, which makes choosing a mental health professional a confusing and potentially expensive task. Here we have outlined some key differences between the mental health professions that can help you choose the best person to help you:
The difference between a psychologist and a marital and family therapist? Most people don’t, which makes choosing a mental health professional a confusing and potentially expensive task. Here we have outlined some key differences between the mental health professions that can help you choose the best person to help you:
Psychiatrist
A Psychiatrist is a physician (M.D.) who specializes in
mental health disorders. Psychiatrists
deal primarily in diagnosis and prescribing psychiatric medications. Psychiatrists are the only mental health
professionals who can prescribe psychiatric medication. Psychiatrists can also run medical tests to
look for physiological causes of mental disorders. Psychiatrists may also provide psychotherapy
and psychoanalysis. (The difference between psychotherapy and psychoanalysis is
academic – the most basic explanation is that psychotherapy implies a brief
working relationship focused on a specific problem and psychoanalysis is more
long term and focused on the pathology of a problem).
Psychologist
Psychologists are clinicians who have a doctorate degree in
psychology (PhD or PsyD) and maintain a clinical license to practice psychology. There is one exception – a school psychologist
is a specialty and thus only may require a masters degree. Typically school psychologists do not
practice outside of the educational setting.
Psychologists often administer and interpret psychological tests, such
as those used to find learning disabilities.
Psychologists also provide psychotherapy and psychoanalysis.
Marital and Family Therapist
Marital and Family Therapists (MFT)s hold at least a masters
degree (M.S. or M.A.) and maintain a clinical license to practice therapy. MFTs focus on relationships and family
systems rather than individuals. MFTs
provide psychotherapy to couples and families, and individuals who are looking
for relationship-related therapy.
Counselor
The term “counselor” can refer to a broad range of
professionals with widely varied levels of education. In general, counselors do just what the name
implies – they counsel people. A lot of
counselors specialize in one area such as substance abuse or grief. Here is a rundown of the types of licenses
and education a counselor may hold:
·
Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) –
this is the newest field of counseling and requires at least a masters degree
(M.S. or M.A.). A LPCC must hold a
clinical license and can offer counseling in any setting.
·
School Counselor – School Counselors are
required to have a masters degree (M.S. or M.A.). School Counselors work in an educational
setting and typically counsel students on topics such as college/career
planning, behavioral issues, and social problems.
·
Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors – These counselors
are not required to have any formal education aside from the Drug and Alcohol
education required for certification.
The highest level of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors are the Licensed
Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LAADC), followed by the Certified Alchohol and Drug
Counselor (CADC II and CADC I), the Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor
Associate (CADCA), the Registered Recovery Worker (RRW), and the Registered
Student (RS). Each level requires a
certain amount of field experience, education, and an exam before you can move
to the next level.
Social Worker
Social Workers are typically licensed professionals such as
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who hold at least a Masters Degree (M.S.
or M.A.). Social workers typically
assist people who are in the social system (ie…prison, persons seeking social
services). Social Workers help navigate
the complexities of the social system as well as offering counseling and case
management.
It is important to note that within each mental health
field, you will come across varying degrees of licensure as persons work toward
the final licensure. This means you may
run into an intern, a trainee, or an associate of some kind. This typically means that this person is a
student or is working to complete the licensing requirements. Don’t be afraid to work with such an
individual as many of them have substantial hours of experience under their
belts and may be cheaper than a licensed counterpart. You can check the licensing board to
determine how much experience the person has and if they are qualified enough
to satisfy you.
