Types of Mental Health Professionals
Psychiatrist:
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor that has been through medical school as do general practitioners, but with a specialization in mental illness and pharmacology, and will have “md” after their names. Like every physician they were trained to assess, diagnose, and provide a treatment, in their case, with medication. they treat mental disorders with medication, and in general, with a limited conversation. they are reserved for more severe mental disorders like schizophrenia, psychotic symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, bipolar disorder I and II, or advance dementia, just to name a few. if you see a psychiatrist, most likely you will leave with a diagnosis, if that is what you are looking for. There are a few psychiatrists who have gone beyond their medical training, and specialization in psychiatry, and have trained in a psychotherapeutical theory, which I will describe later below. In Canada, psychiatrists are the only mental health professionals covered by the provincial health insurance. if you ask your family doctor to recommend a psychotherapist, just make sure that if they recommend a psychiatrist, that it’s someone who offers a talking cure, unless all you want is medication.
Psychologists:
Psychologists usually have experience in research on a specific topic. they’ve spent more time in academia focusing on areas of interest to them. some psychologists have master’s degrees, while others have doctorate degrees (but not medical degrees). Those psychologists with doctorate degrees carry the title “Doctor.” they might have the designation Psy.D (doctorate in psychology), Ed.D (doctorate in education), indicating that their psychology doctoral program was part of a university’s college of education), or PhD (doctorate of philosophy). now, regarding their services to you, there is no practical
difference between the doctoral designations; however, you might not see a PhD in practice as they are generally more focused on research.
Psychologists do not have the ability to prescribe any medications. some might focus on diagnosing using the “Diagnostic Statistical Manual or DSM.
Finding a diagnosis can be a relief for some while others may feel labelled. and many others may use the diagnosis as a justification to only take a medication, or as a crutch, and not go through the process of a psychotherapist treatment. so, keep in mind that a diagnosis can be a double-edged sword.
Masters in Counselling Psychology or Counsellors
In the United States, each state will have several different titles to identify professional counsellors, as they might be called over there:
Licensed professional counselor (LPC); licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC); just to name a few
for those living in the states.
Same with Canada, several different titles are used to identify professional counsellors in each province. In Ontario commonly it is Registered Psychotherapist (RP) or Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC)
In British Columbia, the province where I am located, we are denominated Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCC)
I will use the example of British Columbia, but I am sure it is similar in all of Canada and the US: In BC, Registered Clinical Counsellors are highly qualified Counsellors who belong to the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC) and meet stringent, graduate-level education and training standards. This is a counselling designation common to B.C. The minimum education requirement is a master’s degree in counselling psychology or similar. The practitioners should meet other required clinical standards as well. This is considered the “gold standard” for master’s level Psychotherapists and Counsellors. Same as Canadian Certified Counsellor.
Now, the issue is that counselling: is a misleading nomination because it means the job or process of listening to someone and giving that person advice about their problems, which is the opposite of what we are suppose to do. We don’t give advise, like life coaches, or lawyers do, we help so that an individual finds their own strength to overcome barriers, or what their true desires are. counsellor is being use as an umbrella term to provide therapeutic intervention. Unfortunately, here in Canada many provinces like British Columbia, Saskatchewan, or Manitoba, Counselling Therapists are not regulated by a government authority there are no regulations around using the term “counsellor”. People can say they are “counsellors” or “therapists,” even if they have no training in the assessment or treatment of mental health challenges. What does this mean? it means that anyone can call themselves a psychotherapist, or a counsellor. There is no minimum education, training, supervision or experience requirements. As such, it is important to look for someone who is a licence professional who has the qualifications to provide therapy. So, make sure that the professional you are contacting has at least a masters degree in Counselling Psychology, and is registered with a professional association.
When a government authority oversees healthcare professionals to ensure they are competent to perform their jobs safely and ethically, this protects you from incompetent practitioners who may take advantage. Because in some provinces in Canada this is still not happening, you must be sure that the counsellor has at least a masters in Counselling Psychology
Again, in my province, in British Columbia, the title you should be looking for is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) this designation indicates that a psychotherapist has a minimum of a master’s degree in counselling. We do not diagnose or prescribe medications, while part of our training involves the knowledge of how diagnosis works.
One more time: Registered Clinical Counsellors have a minimum of a master’s degree. And remember, people can say they are “counsellors” or “therapists,” even if they have no training in the assessment or treatment of mental health challenges. So, it is very important to find someone who is registered with a professional regulatory body, in other words, a professional college or association. This means they have met specific educational and training criteria and are held accountable by professional standards. In British Columbia, a clinical counsellor is the professional title for mental health practitioners who are registered with the BC Association of Clinical Counselling (BCACC). this registration requires at least 6 years of university education (including a bachelor’s and a master’s degree), as well as a passing grade in comprehensive exams, and a rigorous internship.
Social Workers
RSW – registered social worker. Only individuals who are registered with the British Columbia College of Social Workers or who are employed as Social Workers by one of the exempt employers under the social workers regulation may call themselves social workers in British Columbia and only registrants of the college may use the abbreviation “RSW”.
Social Work is an incredibly broad field. A Social Worker might provide counselling to people in private practice, but they frequently work in places like schools, hospitals, detention centres, the courts, and many other systems and organizations. They advocate for children and underserved populations, and they help people navigate overwhelming systems. they support a wide range of people across settings. Social Workers know what the resources in the community are.
In the end, the exact licence does not matter what matters is that it is a mental health professional that has a master’s degree or a doctoral degree that follows guidelines and a code of ethics.
Method of Therapy
A psychotherapist will choose a theoretical orientation or method of therapy or approach: which is the concepts or perspectives a mental health professional uses to assess, understand, and treat their clients. any theory that a mental health provider uses to guide their practice, is their theoretical orientation.
In popular culture and the media, there are few widely known therapeutic modalities such as CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), DBT (Dialectic Behaviour Therapy), EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), and Psychoanalysis, or Psychoanalytic Therapy.
However, there are dozens of modalities that have been developed over the past 130 years, and most of them are less known. For those who are not familiar with any, I will give a brief description of the most well-known ones:
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Aims to correct faulty thinking and is directive in nature. Where you will be expected to do homework such as journaling, keeping logs/diaries or doing relaxation exercises.
Dialectic Behavioural Therapy (DBT)
Person Centre or Humanistic
This is the approach that most clinicians will be taught in their training. Developed by psychologist Carl Rogers it seeks to facilitate a client’s self -actualizing tendency, “an inbuilt inclination toward growth and fulfillment”, via acceptance (unconditional positive regard), therapist congruence (genuineness), and empathic understanding.
Existential Therapy
Psychoanalysis & Psychodynamic
Developed by Sigmund Freud, both explore the unconscious mind to help individuals understand and manage their desires. It aims to bring repressed desires into conscious awareness, allowing for healthier ways of fulfilling them and reducing reliance on defense mechanisms.
The unconscious mind consists of ideas and drives that have been subject to the mechanism of repression: anxiety-producing impulses in childhood are barred from consciousness, but do not cease to exist, and exert a constant pressure in the direction of consciousness.
This is the main difference between this type of therapy and the others, that it delves into the unconscious mind, where it is believed that unresolved conflicts and desires reside. Through techniques like free association and dream analysis, patients can bring these hidden desires to light.
It examines how individuals use defense mechanisms (like repression, denial, etc.) to manage unwanted or unacceptable desires. By understanding these mechanisms, individuals can learn to cope with their desires in more adaptive ways.
It helps individuals identify and resolve internal conflicts related to their desires. This can lead to a greater sense of self-awareness and emotional well-being. By understanding their own desires and how they impact their relationships, individuals can improve their interactions with others and develop healthier bonds.
The notion that people do not wake up in the morning and think: “how can I make my life more miserable today? oh, I know, I am going to think, or do this, and that.” In reality, most individuals cannot control what makes them suffer because it is coming from an unconscious place.
In essence, psychoanalysis provides a framework for understanding the origins and impact of desires, ultimately empowering individuals to manage them more effectively and lead more fulfilling lives
I just gave you a few examples of some school of thoughts or methods of therapy applied by some therapists, just to give you an idea. but you must be an active participant. this was just a guidance, you must do your homework based on the information I just shared. the more information you have, the better off you will be to select what you want and the type of therapist that is a good fit for you.
Once you have decided the theoretical orientation that works for you, you can search for an association that your state or your province has for that particular theory. It will help you in providing more information, and the names of the therapists that are members of that association. Sometimes in can be a national association. for example, I am a member of the Canadian Association for Psychodynamic therapy. Finally, there is a lot of confusion that has been created with the type of therapeutic relationship that is recommended that you must have with a therapist. that you must always “like” your therapist when the most important part is that you believe, and trust that the therapist knows how to help you. You will have many moments where you will probably even hate your therapist because they remind you of someone, or because they point out something that you hate about yourself. This is what is called transference towards your therapist.
Photo by Bill Gullo on Unsplash
