Finding the Right Mental Health Care Provider for Your Child
Looking for mental health support for your child can feel like alphabet soup. PhD, LICSW, LMFT, oh my! Don’t worry if you’re feeling confused as to what these options mean - we’ll help you sort out the differences between mental health providers and how to determine what your family needs.
Psychologist
A psychologist is a mental health professional who has trained for 8-10 years to become licensed to provide counseling to individuals and families. Psychologists are licensed at the state level and must earn a bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in psychology. Psychologists specialize in talk therapy and giving their clients tools to process experiences and deal with stress, anxiety, and depression without medication. Your child might see a psychologist if you are looking for a psychoeducational assessment to determine your child’s learning needs and differences. An easy way to determine if a provider might be a psychologist is to see whether they have PhD or PsyD in their title.
Psychiatrist
Psychiatrists focus on diagnosing and treating mental health disorders and stabilizing their client’s emotions and behaviors. A psychiatrist attends medical school and completes a residency afterwards, meaning that psychiatrists typically have around 12 years of training before becoming licensed. Psychiatrists can prescribe and monitor medication to support an individual’s wellbeing and progress. Individuals typically see a psychologist or therapist for support first before being referred to a psychiatrist if medication is needed. You’ll look for psychiatrists to list themselves as doctors or have MD after their name.
Therapist
A therapist is a licensed mental health professional who specializes in helping clients of all ages set goals, understand and cope with challenges, develop cognitive, emotional, and communication skills, and increase mental wellbeing. Many therapists provide individual talk therapy, but young people can also receive therapy in groups, with their families, or through play. You might encounter any of the following types of therapists in your search for support and all can be great supporters of your child’s needs:
Licensed Clinical Social Worker [LCSW]: LCSWs hold master’s degrees in social work and are licensed to provide diagnoses and counseling services. They emphasize thinking about the many settings (school, home, community, etc.) in which our children exist and help clients develop positive strategies for all of those settings. LCSWs are often highly plugged into community resources and have networks of support to provide referrals for further help as needed.
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist [LMFT]: LMFTs are trained to help individuals and families identify and treat personal and interpersonal problems. They have a specific focus on thinking about family systems, habits, and relationships and how to use effective communication to strengthen bonds between people and build trust.
Licensed Mental Health Counselor [LMHC] and Licensed Professional Counselor [LPC]: LMHCs and LPCs are experts in behaviors and help clients understand how their own behaviors and the behaviors of others impact their lives and emotions. These counselors often have extensive knowledge of mental illness and medications and can help young people needing a high level of support connect with other providers.
To find a provider, you may want to ask for recommendations from your child’s pediatrician, school counselor, or from family or friends. You can also use online resources like PsychologyToday or GoodTherapy to search for providers with different characteristics like type of therapies offered, insurance types they take, provider gender or religion, or whether you’re seeking support in person or online.
It may take you a bit of time to find the right person to work with your child. Sometimes the need to “shop around” can feel frustrating and time consuming, but the relationship between your child and their provider is the most important piece of successful support. Be upfront with the hopes, concerns, and questions you have and encourage your child to do the same. Congratulations on seeking support for your child and your family - it really does take a village. And if you’re not sure where to start, a Village coach can help you sort out your options.