Hi, you are probably reading this post because you are confused or overwhelmed by where to start with picking a professional to support you with some questions or challenges you have in your life. I get it, there are a lot of us and we have different titles and some people have self assigned titles. So lets go through everyone and see if I can make it clearer for you as to where to begin and which professional is right for you!
Marriage and Family Psychotherapist (MFT): This is what I am. This person is qualified to work with any issues that pertain to relationship. So children, couples, and families. However, we also are always in relationship with ourselves as well so we are allowed to work with individuals. Therapists tend to do the deep dive work. They will explore your attachment style, deep narratives about yourself and offer tools for whatever condition you have. What therapists aren’t really qualified to do is prescribe medications and work with, in general, axis 2 diagnosis like schizophrenia, psychosis or anything that requires hospitalization. MFT’s are not the right person for a formal evaluation of a child for school purposes. That requires testing and is done by a psychologist. Always make sure an MFT has completed a masters level program and has had experience in the field working with people. A session with a therapist is usually 45-50 minutes.
Psychologist: Psychologists have obtained a doctoral level education. They are the person who will give you a formal diagnosis. For instance, a psychologist will evaluate your child for ADHD. Their main focus is on diagnosis and while some psychologists will do the actual work of therapy, others tend to focus on diagnosis and treatment plan. There is a wide range of philosophies with psychologists on this matter so it is best to talk to them about their orientation. A session with a psychologist runs 45-50 minutes. They tend to be more expensive than an MFT.
Psychiatrist: Psychiatrists have also gotten a PhD. They are the person who can prescribe medication. They are also interested in diagnosis as it pertains to medication. They do not conduct therapy. They will check in with your symptoms and dose of medication when you see them. An appointment with a psychiatrist will be short. You would only see a psychiatrist for medication.
Clinical Social Worker (LCSW): These professionals have a wide scope of applications. They may work with families, foster situations, in schools or private practice like an MFT. Social workers therefore are qualified to conduct therapy as well as work within the foster system and assisted medical relief systems. They are versatile in nature and highly qualified. Their sessions are usually 45-50 minutes and their fee is comparable to MFT.
I think it is important to distinguish between the above mental health professionals and the ones I am about to mention. Please do your homework and make sure your professional has the qualifications and education to work with your trauma.
Counselor: A counselor may be qualified to work with you. A therapist may call themselves a counselor and many often do. They may have an MA in a certain type pf counseling. For instance, my MA is in Counseling with a concentration in Somatic Psychotherapy. However they may not have qualifications and self assign this term. For instance, they may call themselves a “spiritual counselor”. This means that they have not gotten any of the qualifications to work with mental health. So it is important to understand that this word is tremendously misleading. It is also against the law to perform anything that looks like therapy if you are not qualified to be a therapist. Counselors may fall under the domain of wellness and not mental health.
Life Coach or just Coach: A life coach is someone who is certified to identify your goals in life, identify the obstacles you experience with those goals and set up strategies to help you get there. They may coach you on your perspective and how to find a more successful outlook. They are not qualified to do therapy or anything that looks like therapy. They are not a mental health professional, they fall under the category of wellness.
I hope this is helpful information. If you have any questions list them in the comments below and I will answer them! If you want more privacy just email me and I will respond. As usual, from my heart to yours, until next time!