What is the difference between a Psychiatrist, Psychologist, and a Social Worker?

Oftentimes, when someone is seeking therapy, they are not entirely sure how to begin or where to even start this process. This blog can help you get started and on the right path to finding a mental health professional that can meet your needs. 

What is a psychiatrist? 

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor that has training in prescribing psychiatric medications to those suffering from depression, anxiety and other mental health disorders. There are some scenarios where psychiatrists also offer psychotherapy but most of the time, psychiatrists will see clients for an initial evaluation and then offer follow-up appointments once every 1-3 months. 

What is a psychologist? 

A psychologist will have a doctoral degree, either a PhD or a psyD, in clinical psychology and the amount of years of schooling a psychologist will attend is 8-12 years. Psychologists can also provide services that a social worker cannot, such as specialty testing and assessments. Psychologists are also trained in providing psychotherapy similar to social workers. Most of the psychologists in the field are not licensed to prescribe medications but there are certain states and clinical scenarios where they can prescribe medications. 

What is a social worker?

A social worker “wears many hats” and depending on the schooling and training they receive, they can follow many different paths that often do not involve clinical therapy. Clinical social workers have the ability to diagnose and treat mental health disorders such as ADHD, anxiety depression, etc. and often develop a specialty in a certain type of treatment they offer such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavioral Therapy or Psychodynamic Treatment. 

Ben Barer is an LCSW-C, which is a licensed clinical social worker that sees clients dealing with all sorts of mental health issues including addiction, grief and men’s issues. If you feel that a clinical social worker is what you are looking for, please reach by phone or email, 443-601-9722 or barercounseling@gmail.com.