People outside of the mental health field are often not familiar with the differences between psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, master's level clinicians, and life coaches. The more generic terms counselor, therapist, and psychotherapist can add to the confusion. The differences are significant, so read this section if you re not already familiar with the particular professions.

A psychologist has a doctoral degree in psychology (a PhD, EdD, or PsyD), requiring approximately six years of formal education and training beyond a four year college degree. Clinical and counseling psychologists have intensive instruction in the practice of psychotherapy and in the psychological underpinnings of human behavior. Psychologists are licensed by the State. They do not prescribe medications.

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor (MD) and has specialized training in the biological bases of behavior. Some psychiatrists do provide psychotherapy and all can prescribe medications. Psychiatrists are licensed by the State.

A social worker has a master's degree in social work (MSW, or LICSW when licensed), requiring three years of formal education and training beyond a four year college degree.

A master’s level clinician has a two year degree in psychology and is certified by the State.

No special education is required for someone to be a life coach. Life coaches work largely from their own experiences, though they can complete certification programs, generally in less than 100 hours. They are not regulated by the State.

The terms counselor, therapist, and psychotherapist are non specific. These terms can be used to describe practitioners in all of the fields above.

If you are using insurance to pay for therapy, your rights as a client may be limited by your benefit company. That company may limit the number of sessions available to you, the length of your treatment, or your choice of psychologist. Also, insurance companies usually require that your psychologist provide information about you before they pay for sessions.The information required varies by benefit company, but usually includes any diagnoses for which you meet criteria. They may also request specific treatment plans and periodic progress reports, and occasionally require copies of your treatment records. If you wish to use your benefits, you must sign a consent to release information to your benefit company. Your benefit company may have less strict policies on confidentiality than the ethical and legal standards upheld by psychologists.

Because of the above, we encourage clients to discuss with us the benefits of not using insurance to pay for therapy.