The Different Types of Therapists and Counselors: The Complete Guide
Submitted by guest contributor Joseph Rauch.
There are dozens of types of therapists and counselors, each with a different method, speciality, salary or degree. If you are interested in working with a psychotherapist, this guide will offer all the information you need to find the professional who best fits your challenges, lifestyle, budget and preferences. It is also helpful for aspiring therapists who want to learn about possible career paths.
What Does “Type” Mean in the Context of Therapists?
There are several factors that determine exactly what a therapist’s “type” is (we explore all of them thoroughly in the rest of the guide):
Type of Psychotherapy They Practice
Type of Degree or License
Type of Specialized or Additional Credential
Issues or Disorders They Specialize in Treating
Whether They Use Mediums Such as Art and Music
Willingness to Give Advice
Practicing In an Office, Online or Both
If They Practice in an Office, Is It a Group or Individual Office?
Health Insurance Policies
Works with Individuals, Couples, Families or a Combination
Works Only with Adults, Only with Children, Only with Seniors or a Combination
Specializes in Seeing Clients of Certain Races, Income Levels, Religious Backgrounds and Sexual Orientations
The Locations in Which They Practice
There is no consensus or standard definition of what “type” means in the context of counselors. “Type” can refer to any one of the aforementioned factors. Nonetheless, therapists and clients mostly use “type” to refer to the type of psychotherapy the therapist practices or their degree, license or credentials. This is because many therapists most prominently feature therapeutic approach and education in their personal brand and marketing. They also often perceive it as a more important part of their professional identity.
Why All Parts of a Therapist’s Type Are Equally Important
It’s natural for therapists to stress their credentials and approach more than other parts of their type. “Health Insurance Flexible Therapist” doesn’t sound as appealing as “CBT therapist,” even if clients find the therapist by searching health insurance directories.The unintended negative consequence of stressing education and type of psychotherapy more than other factors is it leads some clients and therapists to believe the other factors don’t matter as much. The factors actually vary in importance depending on what the client is looking for and what the therapist wants to offer during treatment.Some clients search for therapists based on health insurance or the ability to practice online. To them, the type of psychotherapy and credentials are an afterthought.Then there are clients who want a therapist with the same race or similar life experiences. They, too, don’t care as much about education level and therapeutic approach.There are also therapists who believe the type of degree does not significantly impact the quality of therapy. “I believe any mental health professional who has experience counseling can help people with the same effectiveness as another degree, such as LMFT, LPC, PhD, LCSW and LMHC,” said Talkspace therapist Karissa Brennan, LMHC. All of the factors that make a therapist’s type are important. Keep reading to learn about them in-depth and see how they impact both the client and therapist.
The Type of Psychotherapy/Therapeutic Approach
The type of psychotherapy or therapeutic approach affects a therapist’s career path but makes little difference in the quality of treatment they can provide. It is important to clients, though.Some clients might find a purely cognitive behavioral approach too cold or believe psychodynamic methods are outdated. It’s crucial for the therapist and client to think about how the therapeutic approach will mesh with their personalities, preferences and goals.Most therapists say they specialize in or use a certain approach rather than claiming they are a practitioner of it. There is a difference between someone who calls himself a psychoanalyst and someone who says he uses psychoanalysis in therapy. The former is less likely to blend psychoanalysis with other approaches.
This is a guest post by writer Joseph Rauch. Please visit the Talkspace blog to read the full version of this article.