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A mental health professional is a person who offers services for the purpose of improving an individual's mental health. These professionals include psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, psychiatric nurses as well as other professionals.

These professionals often deal with the same illnesses, disorders, conditions, and issues, however their scope of practice usually differs. The most significant difference between mental health professionals is education and training.^[1]

Contents 1 Professional distinctions 1.1 Treatment Diversity 2 Psychiatrist 2.1 Specialties of psychiatrists 2.2 Educational requirements for psychiatrists 3 Clinical psychologist 3.1 Specialties of clinical psychologists 3.2 Educational requirements for clinical psychologists 4 Counseling psychologist or psychotherapist 5 School psychologist 6 Clinical social worker 7 Psychiatric and mental health nurse 7.1 Educational requirements for psychiatric and mental health nurses 8 Other professionals 9 Cultural and religious considerations 10 See also 11 References

[edit] Professional distinctions

[edit] Treatment Diversity

Mental health professionals exist to improve an individual's mental health. Because mental health covers a wide range of elements, the scope of practice greatly varies between professionals. Some professionals may enhance relationships while others treat specific mental disorders and illness. Often times, as with the case of psychiatrists and psychologists, the scope of practice may overlap.

Most qualified mental health professionals will refer a patient or client to another professional if the specific type of treatment needed is outside of their scope of practice. Additionally, many mental health professionals may sometimes work together using a variety of treatment options such as concurrent psychiatric medication and psychotherapy. Additionally, specific mental health professionals may be utilized based upon their cultural and religious background or experience (see Cultural and religious considerations).

[edit] Psychiatrist

Main article: Psychiatry

Psychiatrists are physicians and one of the few professionals in the mental health industry who specialize and are certified in treating mental illness using the biomedical approach to mental disorders including the use of medications.

Psychiatrists may also go through significant training to conduct psychotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy; however psychologists and clinical psychologists specialize in the research and clinical application of these techniques. The amount of training a psychiatrist holds in providing these types of therapies varies from program to program and also differs greatly based upon region.

[edit] Specialties of psychiatrists

As part of their evaluation of the patient, psychiatrists are one of only a few mental health professionals who may conduct physical examinations, order and interpret laboratory tests and EEGs, and may order brain imaging studies such as CT or CAT, MRI, and PET scanning. A medical professional must evaluate the patient for any medical problems or diseases that may be the cause of the mental illness.

Historically psychiatrists have been the only mental health professional with the power to prescribe medication to treat specific types of mental illness. However Physician Assistants, psychiatric nurses, and clinical psychologists have gained the ability to prescribe psychotropic medications in a few U.S. states.

[edit] Educational requirements for psychiatrists

Typically the educational requirements to become a psychiatrist are substantial but differ from country to country. In the United States one must complete their Bachelor's degree, then 4 years of medical school in order to earn their MD or DO, then must practice as a psychiatry resident for another four years. Psychiatry residents are often required to complete at least four post-graduate months of internal medicine or pediatrics and two months of neurology during the first year. After completing their training, psychiatrists take written and then oral board examinations. The total amount of time required to complete post-baccalaureate work in the field of psychiatry is typically 8 to 9 years.

[edit] Clinical psychologist

Main article: Clinical psychology

A clinical psychologist studies and applies psychology for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically-based distress or dysfunction and to promote subjective well-being and personal development. In many countries it is a regulated profession that addresses moderate to more severe or chronic psychological problems, including diagnosable mental disorders. Clinical psychology includes a wide range of practices, such as research, psychological assessment, teaching, consultation, forensic testimony, and program development and administration. Central to clinical psychology is the practice of psychotherapy, which uses a wide range of techniques to change thoughts, feelings, or behaviors in service to enhancing subjective well-being, mental health, and life functioning. Clinical psychologists can work with individuals, couples, children, older adults, families, small groups, and communities.

[edit] Specialties of clinical psychologists

Clinical psychologists who focus on treating mental health specialize in evaluating patients and providing psychotherapy. There are a wide variety of therapeutic techniques and perspectives that guide practitioners, although most fall into the major categories of Psychodynamic, Cognitive Behavioral, Humanistic, Systems (e.g. family or couples therapy), Gestalt, Existential and Transpersonal. In addition to therapy, clinical psychologists are also trained to administer and interpret psychological personality tests such as the MMPI and the Rorschach inkblot test, and various standardized tests of intelligence, memory, and neuropsychological functioning. Common areas of specialization include: specific disorders (e.g. trauma or depression), neuropsychological disorders, child and adolescent, family and relationship counseling, health, sport, forensic, organization and business, and school psychology.

[edit] Educational requirements for clinical psychologists

Clinical psychologists undergo many hours of postgraduate training—usually 4 to 6 years post-Bachelors—in order to gain demonstrable competence and experience. Today, in America, about half of the licensed psychologists are being trained in the Scientist-Practitioner Model of Clinical Psychology (PhD)—a model that emphasizes research and is usually housed in universities. The other half are being trained within a Practitioner-Scholar Model of Clinical Psychology (PsyD), which has more focus on practice (similar to professional degrees for medicine and law).^[8] Outside of coursework, graduates of both programs generally are required to have had 2 to 3 years of supervised clinical experience, a certain amount of personal psychotherapy, and the completion of a dissertation (PhD programs usually require original quantitative empirical research, while PsyD dissertations often address qualitative research, theoretical scholarship, program evaluation or development, critical literature analysis, or clinical application and analysis).

[edit] Counseling psychologist or psychotherapist

Main article: Counseling Psychology

Counseling generally involves helping people with what might be considered "normal" or "moderate" psychological problems, such as the feelings of anxiety or sadness resulting from major life changes or events.^[9][10] As such, counseling psychologists often help people adjust to or cope with their environment or major events, although many also work with more serious problems as well. Compared with clinical psychology, there are fewer counseling psychology graduate programs (which are commonly housed in departments of education), counselors tend to conduct more vocational assessment and less projective or objective assessment, and they are more likely to work in public service or university clinics (rather than hospitals or private practice).^[11] Despite these differences, there is considerable overlap between the two fields and distinctions between them continue to fade.

[edit] School psychologist

Main article: School psychology

School psychologists' primary concern is with the academic, social, and emotional well-being of children within a scholastic environment. Unlike clinical psychologists, they receive much more training in education, child development and behavior, and the psychology of learning, often graduating with a post-Masters Educational Specialist Degree (EdS) or Doctor of Education (EdD) degree. Besides offering individual and group therapy with children and their families, school psychologists also evaluate school programs, provide cognitive assessment, help design prevention programs (e.g. reducing drops outs), and work with teachers and administrators to help maximize teaching efficacy, both in the classroom and systemically.^[12]

[edit] Clinical social worker

Main article: Social work

Clinical social workers assess, diagnose, intervene and treat individuals, families and groups with bio-psychosocial problems or disorders. They partner with an MD if they feel medication should be part of their treatment. State licensing boards and national certification boards require clinical social workers to have a masters or doctoral degree (MSW or DSW/PhD) from a university. The doctorate in social work requires submission of a major original contribution to the field in order to be awarded the degree.

[edit] Psychiatric and mental health nurse

Main article: Psychiatric and mental health nursing

Psychiatric nurses or Psychiatric and mental health nurse practitioners work with people with a large variety of mental health problems, often at the time of highest distress, and usually within hospital settings.

Psychiatric and mental health nurses receive specialist education to work in this area. In some countries it is required that a full general nurse training be completed prior to specialising as psychiatric nurse. In other countries, such as the United Kingdom, an individual completes a specific nurse training course that determines their area of work. As with other areas of nursing, it is becoming usual for psychiatric nurses to be educated to degree level and beyond.

These professionals work in primary care facilities, outpatient mental health clinics, as well as in hospitals and community health centers. MHNP evaluate and provide care for patients who have anything from psychiatric disorders, medical mental conditions to substance abuse problems. They are licensed to provide emergency psychiatric services, psychosocial and physical assessment of their patients, treatment plans, and continually manage their care. They may also serve as consultants or as educators for families and staff; however, the MHNP has a greater focus on psychiatric diagnosis, including the differential diagnosis of medical disorders with psychiatric symptoms, and on medication treatment for psychiatric disorders.

[edit] Educational requirements for psychiatric and mental health nurses

In order to become a nurse practitioner in the United States, you must obtain at least six years of college education. You must first obtain a four-year college degree, although usually in nursing, there are some programs called Masters Entry Level Nursing programs designed around individuals with a Bachelors degree outside of nursing. Once the individual obtains their BSN, they must take the NCLEX-RN, the test for licensure as a registered nurse. Once an indvidual has obtained the status of a registered nurse, the candidate must complete a state-approved Masters Degree advanced nursing education program which includes at least 600 clinical hours. Individuals who choose a Masters Entry Level pathway will spend an extra year at the start of the program taking classes neccisary to pass the NCLEX-RN. Some schools will issue a BSN, others will issue a certificate. The student then continues with the normal MSN program. ^{[13][14][15][16]}

[edit] Other professionals

Main article: Mental Health Counselor

There are also many types of therapists that may hold a Ph.D., a master's degree or a bachelor's degree. Other practitioners include but aren't limited to licensed marital and family therapists, marriage, family and child counselors, licensed professional counselors, and licensed mental health counselors.

These professional licenses are issued by U.S. states or other national or regional certification boards to graduate degree holders and license them to practice clinical mental health counseling and, usually, nonmedical psychotherapy.

[edit] Cultural and religious considerations

“

Mental health has been defined variously by scholars from different cultures. Concepts of mental health include subjective well-being, perceived self-efficacy, autonomy, competence, inter-generational dependence, and self-actualization of one's intellectual and emotional potential, among others. From a cross-cultural perspective, it is nearly impossible to define mental health comprehensively. It is, however, generally agreed that mental health is broader than a lack of mental disorders. [17]

”

Mental health is socially constructed and socially defined; that is different professions, communities, societies and cultures have very different ways of conceptualizing its nature and causes, determining what is mentally healthy, and deciding what interventions are appropriate. ^[18] Therefore different professionals will have different cultural and religous backgrounds and experience which may impact the methodology applied during treatment.

A holistic model of mental health generally includes concepts based upon anthropological, educational, psychological, religious and sociological perspectives as well as theoretical perspectives from personality, social, clinical, health and developmental psychology. ^[19][20]

Many mental health professionals are beginning to or already understand the importance of competency in religious diversity and spirituality. The American Psychological Association explicitly states that religion must be respected. Education in spiritual and religious matters is also required by the American Psychiatric Association. ^[21]

One example of a wellness model was developed by Myers, Sweeny and Witmer. It includes five life tasks — essence or spirituality, work and leisure, friendship, love and self-direction—and twelve sub tasks—sense of worth, sense of control, realistic beliefs, emotional awareness and coping, problem solving and creativity, sense of humor, nutrition, exercise, self care, stress management, gender identity, and cultural identity—are identified as characteristics of healthy functioning and a major component of wellness. The components provide a means of responding to the circumstances of life in a manner that promotes healthy functioning. ^[22]

[edit] See also

• Mental health
• Mental illness
• Psychiatry
  • Anti-psychiatry
• Psychology
  • Clinical Psychology
  • List of credentials in psychology
  • Psychologist
  • Psychotherapy

[edit] References

1. ↑ About:Psychology. (2007). Difference Between Pyschologists and Psychiatrists. Retrieved March 4, 2007, from http://psychology.about.com/od/psychotherapy/f/psychvspsych.htm
2. ↑ APA. (2003). Salaries in Psychology 2003: Report of the 2003 APA Salary Survey
3. ↑ NIH: Office of Science Education. (2006). Lifeworks: Psychiatrist
4. ↑ U.S. Department of Labor: Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2004). Occupational Outlook Handbook: Social Workers
5. ↑ U.S. Department of Labor: Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2004). Occupational Outlook Handbook: Registered Nurses
6. ↑ NIH: Office of Science Education. (2006). [1] Advance News Magazines.(2005).
7. ↑ Lifeworks: Art Therapist. URL accessed on 2007-02-17.
8. ↑ Norcross, J. & Castle, P. (2002). Appreciating the PsyD: The Facts. Eye on Psi Chi, 7(1), 22-26.
9. ↑ Brain, Christine. (2002). Advanced psychology : applications, issues and perspectives. Cheltenham : Nelson Thornes. ISBN 0174900589>
10. ↑ Compass, B. & Gotlib, I. (2002). Introduction to Clinical Psychology. New York, NY : McGraw Hill. ISBN 0-07-012491-4
11. ↑ Norcross, John. (2000). Clinical versus counseling psychology: What's the diff? Eye on Psi Chi, 5(1), 20-22.
12. ↑ Silva, Arlene. (2003). Who Are School Psychologists?. National Association of School Psychologists.
13. ↑ http://nurseweb.ucsf.edu/www/spec-psy.htm.
14. ↑ http://www.acnpweb.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3479.
15. ↑ http://www.rn.ca.gov/practice/nps.htm.
16. ↑ http://nurse-practitioners.advanceweb.com/common/editorial/editorial.aspx?CC=65135&CP=3.
17. ↑ World Health Organisation (2001). The World Health Report 2001: Mental Health : New Understanding, New Hope (World Health Report), 5, Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Report. ISBN 978-92-4-156201-0.
18. ↑ Weare, Katherine (2000). Promoting mental, emotional and social health: A whole school approach, 12, London: RoutledgeFalmer. ISBN 978-0415168755.
19. ↑ Witmer, J.M., Sweeny, T.J. (1992). A holistic model for wellness and prevention over the lifespan. Journal of Counseling and Development 71: 140-148.
20. ↑ Hattie, J.A., Myers, J.E.; Sweeney, T.J. (2004). A factor structure of wellness: Theory, assessment, analysis and practice. Journal of Counseling and Development 82: 354-364.
21. ↑ Richards, P.S.; Bergin, A. E. (2000). Handbook of Psychotherapy and Religious Diversity, 4, Washington D.C.: American Psychological Association. ISBN 978-1557986245.
22. ↑ Myers, J.E., Sweeny, T.J.; Witmer, J.M. (2000). The wheel of wellness counseling for wellness: A holistic model for treatment planning. Journal of Counseling and Development. Journal of Counseling and Development 78: 251-266.

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