What is the difference between a social worker, a psychologist and a psychiatrist?
Social workers, licensed clinical professional counselors (LCPC), psychologists and psychiatrists are all fully trained mental health professionals, state licensed and experienced in a wide range of mental health treatment modalities. Clinical social workers and LCPCs have master’s level degrees in social work or counseling, which includes training and several years of supervised experience in a number of mental health settings. A psychologist has received a PhD or Psy.D degree which includes an internship in a mental health setting. Psychologists are also trained in psychological testing. A psychiatrist is a physician with an M.D. degree with doctoral training and specialization in mental health. Psychiatrists may prescribe medication.
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