RLP 0 Posted July 26, 2019 My insurance emailed me a list of mental health providers to choose from and I’m not sure which type I should seek. Counselor? Therapist? Psychologist? Psychiatrist? My issue is OCD so I don’t know which one would be the best for me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MobileChucko 23 Posted July 27, 2019 Hi RLP... For my Panic Disorder with panic attacks, I started off seeing a psychiatrist. I'm glad I did as psychiatrists are medical doctors. She was able to put all my past medical history together, come up with my diagnoses, and then also immediately suggest a counselor for me to see, one who specializes in Panic Disorder. Also, since psychiatrists are medical doctors, they can prescribe medication if you need it, as well as providing you with a treatment plan. So, you might consider going this route to start out. Don't forget that regardless of who you see, if you don't "click" with them, there is nothing wrong with finding someone else. You need a good relationship with your provider, to get the most out of your visits with them. Best of luck to you, RLP!... Chuck😉 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zazz 20 Posted February 14, 2020 Honestly, it's mostly up to you. If you're in the US, most psychiatrists basically are there for prescribing meds... so if you don't need/want meds you might skip that one (I think it's different in other countries, at least where I live psychiatrists don't do much in the way of talk therapy). I would probably also skip "counselors" if they're not also considered a therapist or psychologist... but that's... kinda variable too? Some "counselors" aren't actually psychologists (example: school counselor) and are more there for support than actual psychotherapy. Both psychologists and therapists should be trained and licenced psychotherapists that do talk therapy. From there I think usually the difference is that "therapists" focus mostly on talk therapy, where as psychologists might have additional training in specific forms of therapy (like DBT, CBT, EMDR, ect) that can be an additional help to you in figuring out strategies for coping and recovery. I personally see a therapist. My sister poo-poos this because she thinks I need more than talk therapy (and honestly... she is correct) and my therapist has actually suggested I see a psychologist that does EMDR for my PTSD. But honestly... I mostly need someone to talk to. That said: there are lots of times that I wish she were more knowledgeable in therapy techniques because... truly... I could use some CBT or DBT or some kind of focused therapy that's less about getting me talking and more about helping me fight this shit. The reason I don't switch is because it takes me a long time to warm up to practitioners so switching is very difficult for me. I've been seeing this therapist for idk 8 years or something and I actually really like her... and I've had some really really bad psychs in the past so... yeah (I have also had some great ones too... don't get me wrong). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites