Choosing the Type of Therapist That's Right for You

If you're seeking therapy for stress relief or to help solve a mental health problem, you may find the world of therapists a bit confusing. The different types of therapists available to counsel you are almost overwhelming. How do you choose the right one? Here's how to tell one mental health therapist from another one:

Types of therapists: Psychiatrists

Psychiatrists are physicians who have undergone four years of medical school followed by a three or four year internship and residency program to receive advanced training in treating mental illness. Although psychiatrists are medical doctors, their experience with outpatient psychotherapy may be limited. They are most adept at understanding the role that medications play in treating mental illness and helping to determine the best combination of drugs necessary to provide relief for the problem. If you have a simple stress related problem, mild depression, or anxiety, you may not need the help of a psychiatrist.

Types of therapists: Clinical Psychologists

Clinical psychologists are licensed professionals that hold the equivalent of a doctoral level degree in advanced psychology. They have usually had extensive training in all aspects of psychology and counseling whereas a psychiatrist has concentrated much of his training on the medical and pharmacological aspects of mental illness. Although clinical psychologists are generally well versed in psychological counseling, they aren't able to prescribe medications so you would need to be referred to a medical doctor if you condition requires drug treatment. A clinical psychologist can be quite effective in treating mild anxiety, depression, phobias, marital problems, relationship, and sexual problems through a variety of counseling methods including psychotherapy.

Types of therapists: Social workers

A clinical social worker who works in a health care setting generally has a master's level degree in social work. To become licensed, most states require postgraduate training and an acceptable score on a licensed social work exam. Once this requirement is met, a licensed clinical social worker can provide individual, family, and group counseling in a variety of settings. Not every social worker is a licensed clinical social worker. Some social workers have the equivalent of a bachelor's degree in social work which doesn't qualify them for counseling related positions in a health care setting. Like psychologists, they are unable to prescribe medications.

Types of therapists: Family therapists

Family therapists usually have a master's or doctoral level degree in family therapy. Some family therapists go on to take an exam to become licensed in their state, although not all states require licensure. They are skilled providing short term counseling for specific family related problems and issues. These counselors are best when a mental health problem involves the family unit as opposed to being a problem primarily experienced by an individual. Some family therapists specialize in marital counseling to help resolve problems between couples.

If you're seeking mental health counseling, be sure to get documentation of training and certification of your counselor in order to get the best possible care for your problem. A good mental health counselor or therapist can help you clarify your problem and enable you to find better solutions and techniques for relieving stress.