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| |    Child Mental Health Professionals by Dr. Benjamin Spock reviewed and revised by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. Adapted from Baby and Child Care Frequently on our site, we advise parents to consult a child mental health professional for help sorting through various family issues. Parents are apt to be confused, however, about the specific roles of psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers and the differences between them. All these professionals are trained to understand and treat the behavioral and emotional problems of children. Back in the 19th century, psychiatrists were mainly concerned with caring for the insane, and because of the stigma attached to that, some people are reluctant to consult with any type of mental health professional. But as we have learned how serious troubles usually develop out of mild ones, mental health professionals have turned more and more attention to everyday problems. In this way, they can do the most good in the shortest time. There's no more reason to wait until a child is severely disturbed before seeing a child mental health professional than there is to wait until he is in a desperate condition from pneumonia before going to the doctor. Psychiatrists These are medical doctors who specialize in mental and emotional disorders. They can prescribe medications to alleviate emotional and psychological problems and often also provide individual and group counseling. A child and adolescent psychiatrist has additional training in handling the particular problems of children and adolescents. The professional organization is the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Developmental-behavioral pediatricians These are pediatricians who have additional training in child behavior and development. This training usually consists of a three-year fellowship, done following the usual three years of general pediatrics training. Developmental-behavioral pediatricians have experience in assessing and treating common behavioral and emotional problems of children. Like psychiatrists, they are trained in the use of medications to treat behavior, although they usually work with children who have milder problems than the issues treated by psychiatrists. The main professional organizations for developmental-behavioral pediatricians are the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. Psychologists These are nonmedical professionals who specialize in one of the many branches of psychology. Psychologists who work with children are trained in such areas as intelligence testing and aptitude testing, and the causes and treatment of learning and behavior problems, as well as emotional problems. To be a licensed psychologist, a person must have earned a Ph.D. and have done a clinical internship (worked with clients under supervision). The leading professional organization for psychologists is the American Psychological Association. Social workers These professionals have had at least two years of classroom and clinic training after college, leading to a master's degree. To earn a LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Work) degree, a master's level candidate must provide counseling or therapy to clients under supervision and pass a state licensing examination. Social workers can evaluate a child, his family, and his school situation and can treat behavioral problems in both the child and the family. Psychoanalysts These are psychiatrists, psychologists, or other mental health professionals who treat emotional problems through exploration of unconscious conflicts and defenses as they have developed over time, and through the patient's relationship with the analyst. Many analysts apply other therapies and medication as well. Child psychoanalysts often use play and art as well as conversing to communicate with their young patients, and they usually work with the parents as well. Legitimate psychoanalysts have advanced degrees, have studied psychoanalysis and undergone personal psychoanalysis, and have worked under supervision for years. However, there is no national licensing of these professionals, and anyone can legally call himself or herself a psychoanalyst. So, it's important to look carefully at a person's credentials before entering into psychoanalytic treatment. The American Psychoanalytic Association website provides a detailed and clear description of psychoanalysis, as well as a national listing of psychoanalysts. Family therapists Family therapists have training in a variety of fields: psychology, psychiatry, social work, and pastoral care. Most states have licensing requirements that include at least a master's degree, two years of family therapy practice under close supervision (much of it through a one-way mirror), and a standardized exam. About 23,000 licensed family therapists in the United States are members of The American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, the main professional organization. Licensed Professional Counselors and School Counselors The qualifications for a professional counselor in most states are a master's degree in counseling and either two or three years of supervised practice--between 2,000 and 4,000 hours. School counselors are specially trained to provide counseling in schools. The training to become a licensed professional counselor (LPC) or school counselor is similar in scope to the training of many family therapists or master's-level psychologists. As with other mental health professionals, the skills and personality of the individual practitioner matter most, not which degree the person happens to hold. You can learn more about this profession at The American Counseling Association website. How to choose In cases where medication is the primary treatment, it's usually best to see a child psychiatrist or behavioral pediatrician. In most circumstances, however, the professional title is not nearly as important as the individual behind the academic degree. Ask friends and family for a recommendation. Interview the prospective professional first and see if you have positive feelings about him or her. It's important that both you and your child feel comfortable. A good rapport is central to successful treatment.
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