Your Guide to Mental Health Professionals
Seeking out a mental health professional can quickly become a daunting task. With a quick search, you’ll find a lengthy list of options available. Mental health providers fall under three main categories: psychiatrists, psychologists, and licensed therapists, and within each of those categories are subcategories. While all of these options fall under the same umbrella of mental health services, they differ in important ways to address specific needs. We’ve broken down each type of mental health professional so you can pick the option best suited for you with confidence.
At a glance:
Psychologists are mental health professionals with a doctorate in psychology. They have extensive knowledge of a wide range of mental health issues and are experts in evidence-based treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and other communication-based therapies.
Clinical Psychology vs. Neuropsychology
Clinical psychology focuses its efforts on the diagnosis and treatment of various personality, emotional, and behavioral disorders. This makes clinical psychologists the typical provider for treating anxiety, depression, or hyperactivity. Neuropsychology, on the other hand, addresses mental health issues as they relate to cognitive makeup and brain traumas. Therefore, a neuropsychologist is more likely to treat issues related to memory, attention, or executive functioning. In many cases it is not so clearly divided and it is often an overlap of these two approaches that yields the most effective treatment plan.
When to choose a psychologist:
- you are struggling with stress and anxiety, making everyday tasks difficult to cope with
- you are looking for a comprehensive evaluation for unexplainable changes in mood and behavior or difficulties with interpersonal or cognitive functioning
Psychiatrists
At a glance:
Psychiatrists are mental health professionals with a medical degree. They’ve completed medical school and in depth psychiatric training. They are licensed to diagnose mental health conditions, as well as prescribe medication accordingly. Psychiatrists do conduct talk therapy, but are mostly concerned with mental health from a physiological standpoint.
Psychiatrists and psychologists can work together:
Psychiatrists and psychologists often work together: psychologists may refer a patient to a psychiatrist if they feel the patient could benefit from medication in addition to therapy, while a psychiatrist may refer a patient to a psychologist if they feel the patient could benefit from routine talk therapy in addition to medication.
When to Choose a Psychiatrist:
- you need additional help, in the form of medication, to address your mental health needs
- you want to rule out if your concerns are related to physical conditions of your body (for example, hormonal changes from pregnancy or a hyperactive thyroid)
Licensed Therapists
At a glance:
Licensed therapists are mental health professionals with a masters degree in psychology. They conduct therapy in a wide range of settings to help individuals, couples, families, or large groups through their issues and struggles.
Subcategories of licensed therapists:
Licensed therapists include social workers, marriage counselors, family therapists, and clinical counselors. The difference between each of these specialists is their subject group and therapy setting. For example, a marriage counselor will have in-depth experience with couples and understanding relationship dynamics, while a social worker will deal more with at risk and marginalized populations and understanding foster systems or systemic racial trauma.
When to Choose a Licensed Therapist:
- you are seeking therapy for specific, defined issues
Here at Pathways NA, we are a team of highly trained, compassionate clinical psychologists and neuropsychologists. If you decide that a psychologist is the right option for you, reach out to us today to schedule an appointment.
