(See related pages)
|
|
|
Psychotherapy is practiced by a variety of mental health professionals, including clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers. The table below lists the main types of mental health professionals, their degrees, the years of education required, and the nature of their training. Although all types of mental health professionals are trained to help people, they differ in their approach to therapy. Psychologists tend to be focused on the person's emotions and behaviors. Psychiatrists, trained as medical doctors, are likely to focus on the physical aspects of psychological problems. Social workers are inclined to take a person's entire family and social situation into account. Some cases are best treated by a professional with advanced, specialized training in a certain area. For example, if a person is seeking help with drug abuse, alcohol abuse, or a sexual problem, the therapist should have some training in that area. You should ask about the professional's credentials either before or during a first visit. In addition to asking about special training, you should ask about licensing. All states have licensing regulations for professionals who provide public services. Thus, at a minimum a therapist should be licensed or certified by a state in order to practice. Licensing laws vary in toughness from one state to another, but invariably they specify the training the mental health professional must have and provide for some assessment of the applicant's skill through formal examination. Licensing boards exist to protect the public from unscrupulous individuals who might use the title psychologist to offer treatment and collect payment without sufficient training to do so. Licensing and certification also require mental health practitioners to engage in ethical practices. Ethics laws typically stress the importance of doing no harm to clients, protecting the privacy of clients, and avoiding inappropriate relationships with clients. Violations of ethical codes can result in a loss of the license to practice psychotherapy.
|
