MedTerm 10.02 (Mental Health Specialties)
genetics
Geneticists are doctors who study genes and the role they play in disease and health. While the study can focus on many areas of health and wellness, there is a growing trend of understanding how genes play into mental health disorders. This branch of genetics is called psychiatric genetics. Geneticists who work with mental health patients complete a medical degree program (M.D. or D.O.) and then specialize in the research of how genetic variation relates to human health and disease. Psychiatric geneticists may meet with patients clinically, order genetic tests, diagnose and help manage mental health conditions, and evaluate a family's risk of inheriting these disorders. They often work together with other mental health specialties in the recovery plan for a patient.
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
Licensed professional counselors (LPCs) are healthcare professionals trained to evaluate a person's mental health and use a variety of therapeutic techniques to aid in recovery. Mental health counselors must hold a master's degree in a field related to mental health, such as psychology or counseling psychology, and often have completed a supervised clinical internship and passed a state licensing exam to be eligible to see patients.
psychiatrist
Psychiatrists are medical doctors (M.D. or D.O.) who have completed their residency in mental disorders. While some psychiatrists perform clinical therapy, they primarily prescribe and administer medication and treatments to aid in mental disorders. Psychiatrists are trained in a medical model of treatment for mental illness, where they focus more on physical and chemical changes to anatomy to aid in recovery. This differs from psychologists, who focus more on behavioral and psychological theory. However, although the two specialties differ in their approaches, they often work together in designing a recovery plan for a common patient.
psychologist
Psychologists are trained to evaluate and treat mental disorders, but they are not medical doctors (M.D.). Most psychologists hold a doctoral degree (Ph.D. or Psy.D.). Many psychologists continue studies past their doctorate programs to specialize in a particular area, such as child psychology, clinical psychology, or neuropsychology.