Licensing Information For Psychologists, Psychiatrists,therapists, And Counselors

Many people nowadays utilize psychological services to assist in their day to day lives. The people who deliver these services have titles that range anywhere from psychiatrist to psychologist. Some people practice even though they are not certified in that field of study or they are not certified for the location they practice in.

Requirements for certification are different from state to state and city to city but for the most part there is a "standard" for the titles used by those individuals who deliver psychiatric or psychological services to others. It makes tremendous sense for you to contact the state licensing board online when deciding on whom it is you want to help you handle your problems and/or improve your life.

Here are some general guidelines from one particular state in which the state followed up to validate that the therapist is professionally trained and can now be known as a psychotherapist. In addition, these accredited titles mean the individual had supervision during their training time and has successfully completed their classes and passed a formal examination for their profession.

The Following Are The Titlew:

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist: 24 month post graduate degree in family therapy psychotherapy, completion of exams specific to the field of marriage and family therapy, two years supervised work experience. Also, the marriage and family therapist designation is an add-on to existing licensing so they will generally also be trained and qualified as a psychotherapist.

Licensed Psychologists: 48 month Psychology PhD that also covers psychotherapy, 12 months supervised after receiving their PhD, and successful completion of a verbal and written psychologist's exam.

Licensed Professional Counselor: 24 month post-grad (Masters) program graduate in general counseling and psychotherapy, In addition, 24 more months of supervised experience and passing on a written exam.

Psychiatrists: These individuals are licensed MD's that have specialized in disorders of the mind. The requirements require full licensing as a MD (Medical Doctor) prior to a 36 month psychiatric medicine program that also covers the practice of psychotherapy.
Licensed Clinical Social Workers: Similar to a licensed professional counselor with an emphasis on social work psychotherapy. 2 years (24 months) of work experience after getting their degree and a successful written test outcome.

With the information above you will find yourself better informed when reaching out to secure, if needed, your own relationship with a psychologist. Please keep in mind that licensing, although very important, is not the only thing you need to keep an eye on.

In the end you may find that the most ideal candidate for you to use to resolve issues affecting your peace of mind is someone you cannot stand or trust. This, believe it or not, is absolutely normal and all that means is that you need to look at the other therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, to see if there was something you missed or you can start the search again.