Mental Health Provider Differences (Counselor, Therapist, Psychologist, Psychiatrist)
Mental pain is less dramatic than physical pain, but it is more common and also harder to bear. The frequent attempt to conceal mental pain increases the burden:
It is easier to say
‘My tooth is aching’
than to say
‘My heart is broken.’
(Author, C.S. Lewis)
Today, let’s talk about the difference between different mental health professionals.
Let’s talk about the difference between mental healthcare providers, their licensures, and how clients can select the best professional to address their needs.
If a client (or patient) needs specific mental health care, the professional they choose may shorten the time, cost, and successful care outcome.
Some mental health providers can prescribe medications, while others cannot. Some mental health professionals focus on medications, while others aim to ‘get to the root problem’ through talk therapy, feedback, discussions of past and present events, or evaluating behaviors and outcomes. Some mental health providers work with specific age groups; others work with all ages; some work in specialized fields; others work with many other mental health or counseling issues. And if that isn’t confusing enough, to top it all off, the title ‘therapist’ and ‘counselor’ are used interchangeably. Lawyers are often called ‘counselors’ in the courtroom, but mental health counselors are not lawyers; they are therapists.
Confusing, to say the least, isn’t it?!
Some mental health providers carry multiple licensures in their state or even in other states. Each state has different licensing laws that licensed professionals within that state must meet for specific credentials or licenses. These requirements usually include specific educational degrees, documented experience with an approved supervisor in the licensing field, application, approval of and registration with the state for the license, and continued CEU (continuing academic requirements) to be met and documented for continued licensure coverage.
Not all states even require licensing, so always verify with your state what standards are needed to ensure you seek care from a qualified professional.
How to Verify a license:
1. Most states have online license verification, or patients can call the capital government office for each state for information.
2. Most insurance companies require that professionals on their provider panels be licensed; however, some states' requirements are changing due to increasing shortages of providers in the medical and mental healthcare field. Contact your insurance carrier for their ‘provider panel list’, which should include licensee information.
What is the difference between a mental health professional, talk therapist, psychologist, and psychiatrist?
‘Talk Therapy’ is a licensed professional who assists clients with mental health, emotional, life, and relationship challenges. Clinicians have a Master’s degree (Master of Science or Master of the Arts) or Doctorate (Ph.D., PsyD) in a mental health-related field such as psychology, social work, counseling, or marriage or family therapy.
Most are allowed to offer a diagnosis, but each state varies, so verify licensing information of the different professionals within your state.
“Talk therapy” professionals may include:
· LPC: Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC can diagnose mental illness to plan treatments for each individual, allows insurance to pay for mental health counseling)
· LCSW: Licensed Clinical Social Worker (authorized to assess, diagnose, and treat individuals and families of all ages & economic groups. Insurance will cover LCSW diagnosis).
· LMFT: Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (MFTs can independently diagnose by the DSM, allowing insurance to cover sessions that carry a diagnosis).
· LCDC: Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC can diagnose substance disorders but is not qualified to treat a person with a mental health disorder or provide family counseling to an individual presenting problems that do not include substance use).
· LMHC: Licensed mental health counselors (LMHC can make a diagnosis for mental health issues, allows for insurance coverage)
What does the word ‘Associate’ by a license indicate? That is a professional who has received their Master’s degree but is still ‘under supervision’ and is still obtaining the required number of hours of experience working in the profession. Once their supervisor(s) and the state licensing board approve, they can seek approval to operate under a full license.
What does an ‘S’ after a professional’s license indicate? It means that the licensing board in that state has recognized that the professional has a higher level of experience and skills, has approved them to carry ‘supervisor’ status in the state, and allows them to supervise new professionals entering the mental healthcare field.
Psychologists (PhDs or PsyDs)
Psychologists have doctoral degrees and provide standardized testing, specialized assessments, and formal diagnosis of mental health illnesses or educational needs for schools, courts, and hospitals.
They do not prescribe medication, and some may offer limited talk therapy, as their focus is usually on testing and assessment. As with talk therapists, they must obtain a master’s degree that focuses on the mental health or psychology field, plus an advanced doctoral degree. They, too, must be supervised for a certain number of hours after attaining their degree to practice independently. Psychologists may have one of two degrees, a Ph.D. or a Psy.D. In Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) programs, the focus is tilted more toward research. A Psy.D. (Doctor of Psychology) the degree focuses more on clinical practice and less on research. Even though they hold a doctoral degree, they are not medical doctors (which a psychiatrist is). Insurance companies will cover psychologists, depending upon the service provided.
Psychiatrists (MDs or DOs)
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who focus on mental health issues. Psychiatrists can make diagnoses, like talk therapists and psychologists. But whereas talk therapists and psychologists cannot prescribe medications to treat mental health issues, psychiatrists can. They can prescribe medications since they are doctors. Psychiatrists must graduate from medical school, earning an MD (medical doctor) or DO degree, followed by at least four years of residency. They must then be tested for competency by a professional board (as are talk therapists and psychologists, but at a much higher level of knowledge as it pertains not only to mental health but also to medical healthcare).
Does insurance cover mental health professionals?
Insurance companies cover services psychiatrists, psychologists, and most mental health professionals provide. Insurance will only cover services if there is a medical diagnosis on the patient and for a type of service covered by the insurance carrier.
If a provider is ‘in-network’ or ‘out-of-network’ may also determine the amount of insurance coverage.
Want to learn more?
Click here to read more about the difference between in-network and out-of-network professionals.
“My clients experience changes over time in therapy, find ways to address complex issues, and begin to understand that they can learn to be confident in who they are, what they can do, and to make a plan for success. Life is about how we recover and heal that determines how effective we are in addressing life’s ups and downs. We can feel happiness, even if it is a slow process. If you need help doing addressing issues in your life, please contact my offices to schedule an appointment or to request more information” - Clifton Fuller
Clifton Fuller
LCSW, LPC, LMFT
San Antonio, TX 78248 Phone 210.970.1511
HIPAA-Compliant tele-counseling video sessions are available. Easily schedule sessions 24/7 online.
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NOTE: Clifton Fuller is licensed in Texas and provides counseling services for Texas residents.
Clifton Fuller authored the book, “Marriage Vampire: Living with a Narcissist,” now available on Amazon.
Copyright 2020. Permission to reprint and share his information is permitted if shared in its entirety, (without editing or revision) for personal, educational or mental health information. Contact our offices for permission regarding the use of sections in the article. Information contained in this article and any other resources on this website are for educational and informational purposes only and are not intended as health, mental health or medical advice. Always consult a physician, mental health other qualified health providers health provider regarding any questions you have about medical, mental health or health conditions or objectives.
