What is the difference b/t a psychologist, therapist, and clinician?

Question

I have heard of different titles such as clinical psychologist, therapist, clinician, licensed clinical social worker, psychologist, psychotherapist, .......can someone please break it down for me!!

Answer 1

The biggest difference is that some of these titles are licensed and some are not. If a professional title is licensed, then the state maintains certain requirements in terms of training and supervision. The professional terms which are licensed include:

psychologist - a psychologist usually has a doctoral degree (in a few states only a master's degree is required). In most places, in order to call yourself a psychologist, you have to have completed training in an approved program, completed a one-year internship, passed an exam and completed a period of supervision. You can then be licensed and call yourself a psychologist. You can't call yourself a psychologist unless you are licensed. Psychologists provide assessment, diagnosis and treatment and work in a wide range of jobs - hospitals, mental health clinics, universities, etc. as well as in independent practice.

clinical psychologist - is someone whose training was in clinical psychology. Other specialties might be counselling psychologist, forensic psychologist, developmental psychologist, etc. The key is that to call yourself a psychologist, you have to be licensed ( as above).

Licensed clinical social worker (LCSW). Has training in the field of social work. Usually at the master's level. Again, like a psychologist the LCSW designation means that you have met a standard determined by the state which allows you to call yourself a licensed clinical social worker. In some states, the title "social worker" is licensed. LCSWs also work in a variety of settings, most often providing counselling or therapy.

The other titles, therapist, clinical, psychotherapist, are not licensed in most states. That means anyone may use such a title. So, you don't really know what kind of training such a person has received. People can become affiliated with credentialing bodies - for example the American Association of Marriage and Family Counsellors and then use such a credential in their professional title, but the title is not necessarily sanctioned or monitored by the state.

Anyone seeing a counsellor, therapist, clinician - or a psychologist or LCSW for that matter - should inquire about the individuals training and credentials.

Hope that helps.

Answer 2

Years of education... straight up. if it says psycho... in front in most cases they are doctors with psychology degree too. others are just somewhere in the middle and some have little or no training.

Be careful. you get what you pay for, but if there not willing to talk to you first for free, then there not worth talking too at all.