What is a Family Therapist?
Family Therapist - There are different types of people who can provide you with therapy. Counselors, social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists. They should have some kind of degree representing the type of education they have received. The therapist may or may not be licensed, but should have a degree in the theories of psychology, psychotherapy, social work or counseling.
Whether a license is important or not comes down to your own decision. There are many good counselors and social workers who are not licensed medical doctors, but who can still provide you with good therapy, as long as they have a degree. The only technical difference is that they cannot prescribe or administer medications.
What is most important is that you are in a comfortable and safe environment, conducive to recovery, and with someone who can treat you effectively.
Psychiatrists (MD) tend to focus on admissions, diagnosis, evaluations and medication administration. There are psychiatrists who do and do not provide psychotherapy. Not all psychiatrists are trained in practical psychotherapy unless they have sought some kind of post-graduate education.
Psychologists (Ph.D.) are trained to apply a wide range of methods to assess the clients' needs for treatment and to develop programs of therapy. Psychologists tailor the treatment to the needs of the clients. Psychologists have been in the forefront in developing new and better treatment procedures and have an ethical responsibility to continue their education and maintain their competence.
Marriage, Family and Child Counselor (MFCC), Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) are not very different from psychologists depending on the state you live in (licensing issues vary from state to state). Most can provide the same level of counseling as a psychologist.
Marriage, Family and Child Interns (MFCI) or Marriage and Family Therapist Interns (MFTI) are exactly that, interns. They are working in clinical practice to fulfill requirements they need to be licensed. They can see clients and all work is usually supervised by someone already in a licensed position.
L.C.S.W.: Licensed Clinical Social Worker
The LCSW is a state licensure designation for practitioners with a master's or doctoral degree in social work. Clinical Social Work, a practice specialty of Social Work, utilizes social work theory, knowledge, methods, and ethics to restore or enhance the functioning of individuals, couples, families, and groups, as well as organizations and communities.
L.P.C. (or L.M.H.C.)
The Licensed professional counselor or licensed mental health counselor. A licensing qualification is granted to those who have a graduate academic degree, clinical work experience, and have passed a state-certified licensing examination.
