Psychiatrists, Psychologists and Social Workers (Oh My!)

The first time I walked into the small beige waiting room of my therapist, I realized two things: I forgot my checkbook, and I knew nothing about my therapist except that my insurance's referral service assured me she had a PhD. I flubbed my way through what seemed like endless paperwork and in fifty minutes I laid my soul bare to an utter stranger in a shield-back chair.

As I walked out the door, revved high on first impressions and long withheld emotions, my soon-to-be therapist tucked a brochure into my hand. I think I may have glanced at it, but I never really saw it. After fifty minutes "on the couch," I knew almost nothing about my therapist except that she seemed kind around the eyes, where it matters, and that when I talked, she looked as if she believed me.

I lucked out.

But if I had to do it all again, I wouldn't trust to luck.

When looking for a therapist, you will want to know what certification or licensing that therapist has. Are they are a psychiatrist, psychologist, or a social worker? It's also helpful to know what that means. You wouldn't buy a car without knowing the difference between an SUV, a sedan or a coupe, right? So, consider this your psychological Consumer Reports.

Mental Health Professionals:
The main difference behind the titles of mental health care professionals center on the degrees they carry and what those degrees are in. The most commonly confused professionals are psychiatrists and psychologists.

Psychiatrists
These are the medical doctors, licensed to practice medicine. Not only can they provide psychotherapy, but they can also prescribe medication. They are the only mental health professionals who can prescribe medication. They are, however, very much doctors and they train like regular physicians.

Psychologists
Psychologists, on the other hand, are not medical doctors, but they carry a university PhD in a psychological discipline and take an examination to become licensed. Of all the mental health care professionals, including psychiatrists, psychologists have the most training when it comes to hands-on treatment of mental disorders.

Social Workers
A social worker differs from a psychiatrist or a psychologist in that they carry a degree--either a Masters or a PhD--in social work. They also must be licensed. Social workers can work for their clients within government and state offices or systems.

Counselors
Licensed counselors tend to focus on current relationships and career issues. Though counseling and therapy are often used interchangeably, counseling is usually thought of as being short in duration while psychotherapy is usually longer and deals with deeper, more serious issues that might be affecting a client's life.

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