What is a psychiatrist vs. therapist vs. nurse practitioner?
Searching for mental health care but not sure what all the letters after people’s names mean? There are several options for mental health care, including psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, and nurse practitioners. It can get confusing when you don’t know the difference between them or the different role they can each play in your care.
This guide highlights the differences between various types of mental health providers and can help you choose the right person for your needs.
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Psychiatrists are medical doctors who complete a minimum of 12 years of education and training: a 4-year undergraduate degree, 4 years of medical school, and a 4-year psychiatry residency. They take three major licensing exams and a board certification exam in psychiatry.
Their extensive medical training gives them a unique ability to understand the biological, psychological, and social factors contributing to mental illness.
Psychiatrists are specialists in:
-diagnosing psychiatric conditions and managing highly complex cases
-advanced psychopharmacology: prescribing, adjusting, and managing medications, including tapering and polypharmacy
-evaluating and integrating psychiatric and medical conditions (e.g. overlap with neurology, autoimmune, endocrine)
-designing integrated treatment plans in collaboration with other healthcare providers
-providing psychotherapy depending on their practice focus
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Psychologists are doctoral-level mental health professionals who complete a 4–7 year graduate program in clinical or counseling psychology (PhD or PsyD), followed by supervised clinical training and licensure exams. They are not medical doctors and cannot prescribe medication (except in a few states with special certification).
Psychologists are specialists in:
-providing evidence-based psychotherapy in various modalities, such as CBT, DBT, ACT, trauma-focused
-conducting psychological testing and assessments for diagnostic clarity
-developing structured treatment plans for individuals, couples, or families
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Therapists and counselors are licensed mental health professionals who complete a master’s degree in fields such as social work, counseling, psychology, or marriage and family therapy, followed by supervised clinical hours and licensure exams. They cannot prescribe medication.
Therapists are specialists in:
-providing psychotherapy for various emotional, behavioral, and interpersonal issues
-helping build coping skills, emotional awareness, and resilience
-supporting people through life transitions, trauma, grief, or stress
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Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners are advanced practice registered nurses who complete a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in nursing followed by a 2-3 year graduate program. The degree of training and clinical hours varies depending on the training program. They take a national certification exam.
PMHNPs are specialists in:
-Assessing and diagnosing mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety
-Prescribing, managing, and monitoring psychiatric medications
-Coordinating with primary care, therapists, and psychiatrists for high complexity cases
