Different Types of MH Professionals
Seeking mental health support can be daunting because you not only have to navigate the current stressor in your life, but you also need to figure out WHO can help you the best.
The purpose of this post is to convey some general information about the different types of mental health professionals. It can be confusing to somebody who is not plugged into this industry. I’m a big advocate for potential clients to be more informed about the types of professionals they engage with. I hope this is helpful.
In a broad sense, there are social workers, addiction counselors, Mental Health Counselors, Marriage & Family Therapists, Clinical Psychologists, and Psychiatrists. They serve different functions, have different training, and approach mental health from differing perspectives.
Please Note- These are broad generalizations. There exists variation in skill and perspective from all of these professional titles. It makes it more important for a client to understand the different roles and look out for what type of professional is needed. Having a higher level of degree does NOT mean better or more useful to you. It depends on your situation.
Here is a graph to help show the difference between mental health professionals.
Social Workers tend to have a community perspective. They are trained in a more social justice approach to mental health. For some, this perspective helps connect to practical resources and community support. Social workers are excellent advocates, and community organizers, and tend to have a good sense of the community resources available. The training of many social workers puts less emphasis on individual therapy, meaning there may be better options for personal counseling or therapy. In other words, this perspective places less emphasis on what we as an individual can change, and more on changing the environment. For some this way of working is helpful, others, perhaps looking for more individual work, may not find it as useful.
Addiction counselors require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in most states. Addiction counselors, as the name suggests, are trained to help individuals overcome addiction. This is usually done through a behavioral focus. They are also trained to learn the physical aspects of substance use. This type of professional is generally limited to issues that involve some sort of substance use. However, I predict the topic of addictions will expand over time to cover technology, food, and video games. These professionals have valuable insight.
Mental Health counselors, of which I am one, require a master’s degree to practice. Mental health counselors can be broad or specific in their scope and tend to take a more humanistic, individual lens. This means we keep our focus on the individual while considering the other aspects of living such as art, faith, fitness, literature, history, and ethics. The training for Counselors includes listening, attending, relational skills, and many theories on human development/psychology. Mental Health counselors are an excellent choice for individuals who are not in severe crisis, don’t have a severe mental health condition, and have their basic needs being met. If food, housing, or transportation are current stressors, a social worker may be of better help.
Marriage and Family Therapists are master’s level professionals who focus on couples, marriage, and family-based treatment. These professionals are perhaps the most ‘rare’ of the master’s level but have unique systems-based training that allows them to work well with multiple people at the same time. They excel at helping parents, and family units overcome their barriers and learn healthier ways of being in the home. If you are seeking help from a marriage or family perspective, these professionals are equipped to help.
Clinical Psychologists, not to be confused with regular psychologists who teach or do research, need to have a doctorate level of education. Clinical Psychologists tend to be more of the scientific bend. This means they focus on psychological assessments, diagnostics, and deeper-seated mental processes. The training of clinical psychologists includes psychological theories but also a strong statistic, research, and observational focus. This makes this type of professional great for in-depth evaluations and stronger diagnostics. Many clinical psychologists do some sort of mix of research, therapy, and assessments.
Finally, we have our Psychairtrists. These professionals have gone to medical school, the same as any other medical doctor. Their focus is on the biological and pharmacological dimensions of mental health. This level of professional can prescribe psyche meds. It is common for this type of professional to only do what they call ‘med-checks’, meaning they don’t do actual therapy, but rather manage and support the medication side of treatment. These professionals usually work in tandem with a counselor, social worker, or psychologist. For some, this service has totally saved their life, while others have expressed concern and harm from over-prescription.
I hope that you come away from this post with a better understanding of the current mental health landscape. The aim is for you to take this understanding with you if you seek professional help in the future. Hopefully, you will have a better sense of what you need and who you need to see.
Live Well!
ST