Search By Provider Type

Below are the most common professional titles you’ll meet while searching for support. “Therapist,” “counselor,” and “clinician” are umbrella terms; the provider’s license determines the scope of practice, insurance billing, and legal accountability.

License	Typical Education & Training	Can Diagnose?	Can Prescribe?
Psychiatrist (MD/DO)	4 yrs medical school + 4 yrs psychiatric residency	✔	✔
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)	BSN + 2–4 yrs graduate nursing	✔	✔ (varies by state)
Clinical Psychologist (PhD/PsyD)	5–7 yrs doctoral study + internship + postdoc	✔	✖
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)	2 yr MSW + 2–3 yrs supervised practice	✔	✖
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC/LPC-MH, etc.)	2 yr master’s + 2–3 yrs supervised practice	✔	✖
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT)	2 yr master’s + 2–3 yrs supervised practice focused on systems work	✔	✖
Certified Peer Specialist / Coach	State certification or private program	✖	✖

Below is a closer look at how each provider type can help and when they’re most beneficial.

• Psychiatrist (MD/DO) – Physicians who specialize in mental disorders. Ideal for complex diagnoses (e.g., bipolar disorder), medication management, or when hospitalization may be needed. Many also offer psychotherapy but often focus on 20- to 30-minute medication visits.
• Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) – Advanced practice nurses who can assess, diagnose, and prescribe. They bring a holistic, nursing-centered lens and are often more available than psychiatrists for routine med follow-ups.
• Clinical Psychologist (PhD/PsyD) – Experts in assessment, testing, and evidence-based talk therapy such as CBT, ACT, or DBT. Some specialize in neuropsychological evaluations for ADHD, dementia, or learning differences.
• Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) – Provide therapy and are skilled at connecting clients with community resources (housing, benefits, support groups). Helpful when social determinants such as finances or caregiving stress compound mental-health symptoms.
• Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) – Focus on individual, group, or couples therapy for anxiety, depression, trauma, and life transitions. Training emphasizes counseling techniques and human development.
• Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT) – Specialize in relational and systemic therapy. Effective for couples counseling, family conflict, parenting issues, and situations where one member’s symptoms affect the whole household.
• Certified Peer Specialist / Coach – Individuals with lived experience of recovery, trained to provide hope, accountability, and skills practice. Best as an adjunct to clinical care or for maintenance after therapy ends.

Other terms you might hear:

• Caregiver: Family members, as well as specially trained caregivers, who provide in-home assistance, community programs, and residential support. They allow long-term care and participation in community life.
• Case Manager: A provider appointed by a mental-health service to plan and oversee recovery. They coordinate services, schedule assessments, and help implement treatment plans.

Think about symptoms, goals, and preferred style:

Need	Good Starting Point
First-time therapy for anxiety or mild depression	LPC, LCSW, LMFT, or psychologist
Medication evaluation or treatment-resistant condition	Psychiatrist or PMHNP
Relationship distress or parenting conflict	LMFT
Formal psychological testing (ADHD, autism, learning)	Psychologist
Dual needs (therapy + meds)	Therapist + psychiatrist/PMHNP team
Navigation of benefits, housing, and caregiving	LCSW
Extra motivation, peer accountability	Certified peer specialist/coach

Stepped-care approach: Start with the least intensive service that is likely to be effective, then “step up” to higher intensity (e.g., add medication, move to intensive outpatient) if progress stalls. This model balances access, cost, and clinical need.

• License verification: Every state licensing board offers a public lookup. Enter the professional’s last name to confirm active status and review any disciplinary actions.
• Board certification vs. licensure: For physicians, board certification in psychiatry indicates passing rigorous specialty exams beyond a general medical license.
• Advanced training badges: Examples include EMDR (trauma), DBT (emotion regulation), Perinatal Mental Health (PMH-C), eating-disorder certifications, LGBTQIA+ competency certificates, and culturally specific programs.
• Continuing-education record: Most boards require annual learning hours; a therapist who regularly trains in evidence-based modalities is more likely to offer up-to-date care.
• Professional affiliations: Membership in associations (e.g., American Psychological Association, National Association of Social Workers) may signal adherence to ethical codes and best practices.

• Private practice (in-person or virtual): Offers flexibility in scheduling and modality. Often shorter wait times but may be out-of-network.
• Telehealth-only platforms: Provide statewide access, evening/weekend slots, and easy switching if the match isn’t right. Good for rural areas or busy schedules.
• Community mental health centers & FQHCs: Sliding-scale or Medicaid-friendly, integrated with primary care. Waitlists can be longer, but services are comprehensive.
• Hospital outpatient programs & partial-hospitalization programs (PHP/IOP): Structured, multidisciplinary care several hours a day. Useful for moderate-to-severe symptoms that don’t require 24/7 hospitalization.
• College counseling centers & employee-assistance programs (EAPs): Short-term, goal-focused therapy plus referrals; great first stop for students or employees needing brief intervention.

Modern mental-health delivery increasingly involves teams rather than silos.

Model	Who’s Involved	When It Helps
Primary-Care Behavioral Health (PCBH)	Primary-care doctor + embedded therapist	Mild-to-moderate anxiety/depression managed in a familiar setting
Collaborative Care Model (CoCM)	Primary-care doctor + care manager + consulting psychiatrist	Med-management support in primary care improves outcomes and reduces wait times
Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)	Psychiatrists, therapists, nurses, peers, dietitians	Moderate-to-severe symptoms requiring several hours of therapy multiple days per week
Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)	Multidisciplinary hospital team	Step down from inpatient or step up from outpatient when safety allows
Specialty clinics (eating disorders, PTSD, OCD)	Highly trained clinicians using protocol-driven care	Complex cases needing concentrated expertise

Tip If you’re Coordinating Care Yourself: If you work with both a therapist and a prescriber, sign a release of information so they can share progress notes. This prevents duplicated efforts, conflicting advice, and medication interactions.