Below:
 • What kind of therapist should I look for?
 • Psychiatrists
 • Clinical Psychologists
 • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (MFT)

Note: This article has been localised for an Irish audience.

The type of therapist you choose is less important than the emotional connection you make with that person. Studies have shown that successful therapy depends more on fit than on technique or training. Still, the array of choices can be confusing. Should you go with a psychiatrist or a psychologist? What exactly does a marriage and family therapist do? Here's a rundown on the kinds of practitioners who offer talk therapy. Any one of them may specialise in such issues as anxiety, eating disorders, addiction, sexual abuse, sexual dysfunction, couples or family therapy, divorce or separation, and child psychology.

These are MDs with three years of training in a psychiatric residency programme. Doctors who are psychoanalysts must also complete many years of additional training at a psychoanalytic institute. Psychiatrists are the only therapists who can prescribe drugs, and most of them choose to concentrate on either medication consultations or psychotherapy, although some do both. (Most people see a psychiatrist for medication and a less-expensive therapist for counselling.) A psychiatrist might prove particularly helpful if your emotional problems are related to physical ailments or if you have pronounced physical symptoms: blackouts, memory lapses, severe headaches, numbness or tingling, dizzy spells, shortness of breath, significant weight loss, seizures, heart palpitations, heavy sweating, tremors, or slurred speech.

These therapists have earned a PhD by completing four years of graduate school and a one-year internship in a psychotherapy clinic. Psychologists in private practice have gone through two more years of supervised clinical experience and passed an exam in order to become certified. Psychologists often have more extensive training in psychotherapy than psychiatrists do. Since studies have shown that cognitive-behaviorial therapy and interpersonal therapy are both effective ways of dealing with depression, you may want to look for a psychologist who practices one of these types of therapy or integrates techniques from these approaches into their sessions.

These counsellors are relationship specialists. They help people become more satisfied and productive in their marriages, families, and other social situations. An MFT may have a master's degree or PhD and must undergo the same amount of training and testing as a clinical social worker in order to become licensed.

This article has been revised by Vhihealthe for its audience and may contain, among other things, information or medical practices that are unique to Ireland. Neither Consumer Health Interactive nor the original author make any warranty as to the accuracy of the article as revised, and assume no responsibility for modified content.

First published July 24, 2003
Copyright © 2003 Consumer Health Interactive

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