Mental Health Practitioners: Who’s Who? by Amy Scholten, MPH If
you or a loved one needs mental health services, it can be a
challenge to choose which practitioner would be the best choice.
While your doctor can provide a referral, it helps to know the
difference between the types of professionals who specialize in
mental health: Psychiatrist (MD or DO) Psychiatrists are medical
doctors who have specialized training to diagnosis and treat
mental health conditions. Treatment from a psychiatrist
typically involves being prescribed medicine, such as a mood
stabilizer to treat bipolar disorder, and undergoing
psychotherapy. Some psychiatrists, though, only manage the
medicine-side of treatment and refer you to another practitioner
for therapy. A psychiatrist’s training includes a bachelors
degree, medical school, and four years of residency training in
the field of psychiatry. Many psychiatrists get additional
training so that they can specialize in areas, such as working
with children, teens, the elderly, and pe