Mental Health Facts
Alcohol/Drug Abuse Counselor - often has a degree in either social work, psychology, or psychiatry and works in a variety of settings, including alcohol rehabilitation, drug treatment centers and other clinics.
Employee Assistance Professional - mental health professionals provided by employers to offer confidential services to employees and, often, to their families. These counselors can be occupational physicians, nurses, psychologists, professional counselors or social workers. They provide assessment, brief counseling, and when appropriate, referral to community resources. Some are Certified Employee Assistance Professionals (CEAP).
Marriage Counselor or Family Therapist - has a degree in social work, psychology, or psychiatry with post-graduate study and training in marital and/or family problems.
Pastoral Counselor - a minister, priest, or rabbi who has a Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Divinity (religion) and additional training in psychology or counseling. They can identify mental health problems and make appropriate referrals. Certified Pastoral Counselors have an advanced degree (masters or doctorate) in mental health and may provide counseling.
Professional Counselor - has earned masters or doctoral degree in counseling.
Psychiatric Nurse or Clinical Nurse Specialist - holds a degree in nursing, either as a Registered Nurse (R.N.), a Bachelor's in Nursing (B.S.N.), or a Master's in Nursing (M.S.N.). In addition, they have specialized training in the care and treatment of psychiatric problems.
Psychiatrist - a medical doctor (M.D.) or doctor of osteopathy (D.O.) who has had a three or four year residency in a psychiatric facility and is board certified in psychiatry. A psychiatrist is the only mental health professional who can prescribe medication and/or medical treatments.
Psychoanalyst - a psychiatrist, clinical psychologist, or social worker who has had specialized training in psychoanalysis and has gone through psychoanalysis.
Psychologist - received either a doctorate degree in psychology, education, or counseling (i.e., Ph.D., Psy.D., Ed.D). This professional must also complete at least a one-year internship in a mental health setting and have specific training to do psychotherapy.
Social Worker - has earned a Bachelor's Degree (B.S.), Master's Degree (M.S.W.) or Doctoral Degree (D.S.W.) in social work. Graduate training involves coursework dealing with individual, group and family assessment and psychotherapy.
Content last reviewed on February 24th, 2009.