What is the difference between a counselor, psychologist and psychiatrist?
In North Carolina, a number of different licensed professionals provide mental health counseling services. A Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) has successfully completed the National Counselor Examination and a M.S. (Master of Science) or M.A. (Master of Arts) in counseling, psychology, or other mental health discipline, along with a 2,000 hour/two year supervised internship in order to be licensed to provide psychotherapy. An LPC may provide assessment or testing as well, based on individual qualifications. A psychologist has completed a Ph.D. (Doctorate of Philosophy), Psy.D. (Doctorate of Psychology), or Ed.D. (Doctorate of Education) and also provides assessment along with treating clients with psychotherapy. A psychiatrist is a M.D. (Doctor of Medicine) or a D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathy) who has completed specialized training and a clinical residency addressing mental health. Typically, psychiatrists focus on medication management although some provide psychotherapy or counselin
