Psychiatrist
Psychologist
Psychotherapist
School Psychologist
Organizational Psychologist
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Licensed Professional Counselor
Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
With so many 'ists,' do you know who is who?
I hope the following will give you more clarity when you are creating scenes with mental health professionals in your manuscripts.
Clinical Psychologist: A professional specializing in diagnosing and treating diseases of the brain, emotional disturbances, and behavior problems. Psychologists use talk therapy and can administer psychological tests. Psychologists have doctoral degrees such as Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) or Psy.D. (Doctor of Psychology). They may have additional training in specific specializations as well.
Psychiatrist: A medical doctor with an MD (Doctor of Medicine). They completed a specialization in Psychiatry on top of their medical school training. They are qualified to prescribe medication.
Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC): A professional specializing in talk therapy with the focus on diagnosing and treating emotional and behavioral problems. They have a minimum of a MS or MA (Master of Science or Master of Arts) and have completed a two-year training program/practicum and internship, before passing their state board exam for licensure. Their focus in on the individual in counseling.
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT): A professional specializing in talk therapy with the focus on diagnosing and treating emotional and behavioral problems as it pertains to the family. They have a minimum of a MS or MA (Master of Science or Master of Arts) and have completed a two year training program/practicum and internship, before passing their state board exam for licensure. Their focus in on the family structure, including marriage counseling and family therapy.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW): A professional specializing in talk therapy with the focus on diagnosing and treating emotional and behavioral problems. Their training focuses on how the community impacts the individual and are aware of social support resources. They have a minimum of a MS or MA (Master of Science or Master of Arts) and have completed a two year training program/practicum and internship, before passing their state board exam for licensure.
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC): Depending on the state of licensure, some states use this title to include all of the above Master Level Professionals.
Psychotherapist: Any professional who engages in talk therapy and holds a state approved license may use this title. It is the catch-all/umbrella title so to speak.
Organizational/Industrial Psychologist: A professional who consults with corporations to improve the functioning of the organization. Has a PhD or PsyD.
School Psychologist: In most cases, they do not provide counseling. Their education is sufficient at a Master level. Their main focus is to administer testing and develop academic plans/IEP (Individualized Educational Plan) and referrals based on the results of their testing for children needing exceptional education.
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