Psychologist, psychiatrist, LCSW, LFT. Have you decided you need some sort of shrink in your story but have no idea what the differences are? You definitely are not alone! The long-running tv show “Law and Order” often gets it wrong, or at least confused. Here’s a quick, handy guide to help you differentiate the different professions dealing with mental illness.

Psychiatrist

These are medical doctors who have gone through a residency* in psychiatry. Like all medical doctors, they can prescribe medication. In fact, nowadays that’s what they do the most. They do very limited psychotherapy, but do monitor how the medications are working and any side effects. In my years in practice, I often sent a client to a psychiatrist for medications. For a client or patient to see both a psychiatrist and a psychologist is common. Psychiatrists are also the ones who most easily can hospitalize a patient. The issue is whether or not they have admitting privileges at a particular hospital.

Psychiatrists have an MD after their names and are referred to as “Doctor.”

Psychologist

Psychologists have either a Ph.D., PsyD, or EdD in psychology and, if licensed, have passed an examination for licensure. Psychologist perform both therapy and assessment. The use of psychological tests is exclusive to them. Such tests include such instruments as the MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory) or (less common nowadays) inkblots. All practitioners do some sort of assessment of a patient, but only psychologists are trained in the interpretation of psychological testing.

Psychologists typically cannot prescribe medications and only occasionally have gotten hospital privileges that allow them to directly admit patients to a hospital.

BTW: EdDs typically work in school settings and are often referred to as school psychologists.

Social Workers

Social workers typically have a master’s degree, though some do progress to a Ph.D. They work in a variety of settings including hospitals and Child Protective Services. They can also have a private practice or work in organizations like the VA. They can provide diagnosis and therapy, often with entire families or couples. They cannot prescribe medications or interpret psychological tests.

Here’s a resource that might be helpful: http://www2.nami.org/Content/ContentGroups/Helpline1/Mental_Health_Professionals_Who_They_Are_and_How_to_Find_One.htm

Feel free to post a comment or question. I’m happy to help.

* A residency is supervised work, usually in a hospital, during which a doctor gains hand-on experience in a particular specialty in medicine.