Right around the same time as thousands of wounded and traumatized soldiers were coming back from the First World War, society came to embrace the idea that individuals with mental health issues could and should be treated and assisted in finding a place in society. But the attitudes that motivated them to help individuals, and to see them as unique and worthy of a place in society, never left. But in the post-war years and into the s, what came out of the new social upheavals was a renewed interest in marital happiness and family harmony.
Drawing on new theories of psychology coming from Bowen and Bateson who believed that treatment of individuals might not be as effective as addressing their entire family group, marriage and family therapy took off in a big way. Marriage and family therapy came of age as new understandings of multiculturalism, the social contract and gender were evolving. It only makes sense that it embraces mental health and therapy as problems that are best addressed in the context of relationships and social support systems.
And it only makes sense that it now seeks to use more inclusive language, these days often being referred to as couple and family therapy. Psychologists, other than school psychologists, have to climb all the way to a doctorate. One similarity that runs through all of these paths is something that can end up being a big advantage for you.
At the undergraduate level, just about any of these majors will work just fine to qualify you to enter any of the others at the master or doctoral level. One thing that makes all these degrees different is that programs should meet the high standards of their respective specialty accreditors. Each specialty accreditor is a standard-bearer for the profession. They keep these programs in their lanes, keeping the culture and philosophy consistent. These accreditors are actually a big part of what establishes the distinctions between all of these roles.
Something you will notice with all of these degree paths is that they lean slightly toward either liberal arts, science or education. And like counseling, therapy and psychology roles, the differences can be subtle, but still worth noting. Just as there are nuts and bolts differences in each of these jobs out in the field, though, there are also specific differences in the education and training for each of them. A therapist will go through 45 credit hours or more of graduate-level coursework in addition to at least direct contact hours of fieldwork in multiple internship placements.
That means a lot of coursework on society and culture. Understanding cultural competency is a core requirement. The training is designed to be outcome-based. Psychologists receive the broadest and deepest education in mental health issues of any of these roles. Up to seven years in a doctoral program gives you a lot of time to hit the books. Psychology doctoral students come away with a core understanding of every element of human cognition and behavior from every angle, from neurology to sociology.
That puts psychologists in a unique place to specialize in any kind of mental healthcare practice. So you will find counseling psychologists and family psychologists in the human services field and beyond, and their practices almost completely overlap with counselors and therapists in this capacity. Developing that sort of expertise goes beyond just studying. Psychology doctoral programs also involve original research and plenty of hands-on practicum. You can expect clinical field placements throughout a PsyD program, placing you out in the real world to learn as you work under supervision and guidance for between 8 and 20 hours per week depending on your course load.
A full clinical internship caps that off with even more on-the-job experience. There are many different specializations and concentrations in psychology.
Each of them will have unique coursework that go along with them. But the core program in any psychology PhD or PsyD will cover:. Not only do they get this intensive education during the program, but they also may spend as many as two years working on a doctoral dissertation in the field. It develops a high level of expertise in the subject matter. All of these roles are licensed at the state level. There is no unified national standard for every profession. But you will also find that all of them jump through a lot of the same hoops to get that little piece of paper at the end.
In general, licensure for each of these professions includes checking these boxes:. Every state has a board that is responsible for setting those standards and evaluating qualifications for each license. There is enough common thread running through different types of therapy and counseling that license holders in any of these roles are usually specifically exempted from having to get a license in the other. So you can easily practice across boundaries… to an extent.
Local laws will tell you where that line is. And school counselors and psychologists each have a whole separate licensing regime to deal with specific to their jobs. You can find more details here on how to become a psychologist, as well as therapist and counseling license requirements. Testing sets out the boundaries for the role in every state. Tests for each type of license reflect the kind of approach to mental health treatment you got in your degree program.
Apart from that, they tend to cover the same kinds of general mental health conditions and clinical skills, just from different angles. The test itself covers six domains within marriage and family therapy with a total of questions to be completed in 4 hours. You need to know the material cold. Counselors: Unlike therapists and psychologists, counselors face a lot of different possible exams.
That reflects the different practical areas the field covers. The three main exams are:. Each state also has specific requirements for supervised clinical experience for each kind of practitioner. Some of your college experience will count while some of the hours must be earned after graduation, depending on the state. It can take anywhere from 1, to 6, total hours, but some states will give you credit for more education versus hours: extra graduate credits can reduce that total count.
In a sign that there is more that unites these jobs than divides them, in many states your supervisor can actually be a licensed professional from one of the other two roles. Psychology students in training, members of the clergy, licensed therapists and psychologists, medical doctors and even attorneys in some cases, can be exempt from licensure laws.
And school counselors have their own credential tree to climb, although it often mirrors LPCs. Howes says L. For the same reason, they can be especially adept at exploring the societal and environmental factors that can impact your well-being, such as systems of oppression, like racism , classism, and sexism. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists L. These are mental health professionals trained and licensed in therapy and family systems. Similar to how L. Contrary to the name, L. The difference between the right and wrong therapist or counselor for you is not going to come down to the letters after their name.
That might take some trial and error, since finding the best therapist for you is kind of like dating: You might have to sit through a few bad sessions before meeting a match.
Beeson and Dr. The search could involve narrowing down possible therapists and counselors by their degree, but it also might not. It's not unlikely that you'll find someone who looks perfect on paper and, in fact, has written several papers on the exact issue you're struggling with but when you sit down in their office, the chemistry just isn't there.
Knowing all these different levels and types of mental health degrees can make your search less overwhelming, but when it comes down to it, finding the right fit for you personally is the crucial part. SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.
Health Chevron Mental Health Chevron. Type of degree. She's the author of the book The More or Less Definitive Guide to Self-Care and can be found writing around the internet about mental, emotional, and sexual health.
Most importantly, she's also a Virgo sun, Aquarius moon, Read more. Topics mental health Therapy. Zuckerman received her undergraduate degree from The Ohio State University and her doctorate in clinical psychology from La Salle University.
After returning to Pennsylvania, she took a position as head psychologist at the Coatesville, Virginia, for the acute medical, nursing, and hospice units. She was also actively involved in an internship training program. In , Dr. Zuckerman accepted the position as Director of Psychology at The Center for Neuroscience in Media, Pennsylvania, where she remained for several years until entering private practice full time. In addition to her practice, Dr. Zuckerman offers seminars and support groups for the Epilepsy Foundation of Eastern Pennsylvania and frequently presents at their conferences.
First, I had always been interested in how the body worked. Even as a young child, I was always fascinated with the pictures in my father's medical textbooks. Eventually, when I got to high school, I took an intro to psychology course as an elective and began to take a real interest in the brain and its role in emotions, cognition, and behaviors.
I'm fascinated by the fact that electrical impulses in our heads were solely responsible for every action, every thought, and every decision we made. I also became very interested in behaviorism and how modifying even the smallest of reinforcement schedules could drastically alter behavior. I loved the idea that there was a way to explain and modify what seemed like intangible variables, such as emotions and thoughts.
I also felt an innate obligation to help others. For as long as I can remember, I have held the belief that if you are in a position to help others, you do so. And what better way to combine my two interests of brain-based behavior and helping others than to become a clinical psychologist? I chose the path of earning a doctorate in clinical psychology because I wanted the flexibility to work across different domains within the field.
It enabled me to teach, see patients and work in various types of institutions. Furthermore, I wanted to develop more of a specialized approach in the empirically supported treatment of adults, specifically in cognitive behavior therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy.
The extended clinical training of the two year-long practicums, the year-long predoctoral internship, and the year-long postdoc experiences were of great interest to me. In addition to the clinical experience offered by a doctoral program, I wanted to take part in research opportunities, as well.
It was important to me that I become an educated consumer of empirical research in the field and I contributed to it, too. First, social media has inevitably affected the practice of psychology. In fact, and this is especially true for my millennial patients, social media is an integral part of their interpersonal experiences. To understand their experiences, I must remain aware of the ever-changing social media landscape.
Second, social media has drastically changed the way psychologists market themselves. Whether it's a practice's website or an informational Instagram page, psychologists' presence on social media has become somewhat commonplace.
And while I do believe that such a platform can be extremely beneficial, it remains a grey area. Currently, there are no hard rules about social media presence, other than to not engage with your patients on these platforms. Finding that healthy and appropriate balance is something that I have found to be a day-to-day challenge. Juggling different roles also presents a challenge. In addition to working as a clinical psychologist, I am also a mother of three little children all under the age of seven.
The coordination of schedules, homework, doctor appointments, playdates, and carpools keep my head swimming -- and that is before I add in seeing patients. I sometimes struggle with the constant switching of hats from psychologist to mom, but with time management strategies and leaving room for self-care and a lot of support, it can be truly rewarding.
By far, the most rewarding thing about my career as a psychologist is seeing my patients improve. There is nothing better than a patient who once had crippling social anxiety begin dating, or a person with severe depression re-enrolling in school and finishing their semester with a 4. Seeing a patient with low self-esteem and toxic relational patterns finally understand and change their behaviors is such a satisfying thing to observe.
Also, it is extremely gratifying when patients who have been in therapy with me for some time permanently incorporate our therapeutic language into their everyday problem-solving. First, make sure you thoroughly research the programs that interest you.
Are they APA-accredited? Ask current and former students about their experiences and opinions. Though counseling and clinical psychology approach the field from different perspectives and though these professionals work with patients with different degrees of severity of conditions, they share common goals. Many counseling and clinical psychologists find that their actual job duties involve an overlap of both advisor and healthcare professional roles.
Counseling and clinical psychologists also work in many of the same settings, including private practices, hospitals and mental health centers.
The difference between particular programs can be as significant as, or even more significant than, the overall differences between counseling and clinical psychology, the American Psychological Association reported. By delving deeper into the missions and curriculum requirements of various programs, you can determine which one most closely aligns with your career goals.
Consider these tips as society returns to a new normal. Your financial situation should not prevent you from securing care for your mental health.
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