Does/Would it matter to you if you see a psychiatric nurse vs a psychiatrist?

For therapy, does/would it matter if you see a licensed social worker, master's, PhD, etc?

Why?

[bioChE]

Being given the choice, I would always default to the practitioner with the highest academic credentials. That would mean a psychiatrist (MD or DO, preferably one who specializes in mood disorders) and a PhD psychologist. With these people you have the highest odds of getting someone who knows what they're talking about and has the most experience dealing with patients.

Don't get me wrong, there are some excellent NPs and MSWs out there. I'm not trying to denigrate them and their experience. However in my experience I've had the best results with those with the higher academic credentials. Like anything else, YMMV; there are some lousy people in practice who have the highest credentials, but they're more rare than the alternative on average.

[Sunflower123]

I agree with the previous poster. I've had more success with a psychiatrist and a PhD psychologist although there are excellent NPs and MSWs out there. I've tried both but my support team that really helps me is the psychiatrist and psychologist.

[5150DirtDiva]

The best care I have received is from a Nurse Practitioner, been with her since 2012. I had a PhD Psychologist before and she was meh. Many social workers too, meh. I had a psychiatrist once, she was a VA doc, but she was excellent. Just sucked bc of military rotations, I miss her.

[Victoria'smom]

I care more where they've worked/who they've worked with. I would like a pdoc / T trained in community outreach or worked with high risk population. One that isn't shy about dealing with symptomatic clients that are adverse to taking medication. My best T was in a mobile crisis unit for years. My best pdoc was charismatic enough to get me to try medication when I just wanted a T and was angry I had to see him for a dx. I'd love to have them back. Even though his med choices for me weren't the best.

My current Pdoc worked with high risk population and is really good but my T IDK I find myself holding back for her sake.

[hahayeahtotallylol]

My best part of my treatment team i've ever had was social worker who worked at a medium secure prison. My last psychiatrist graduated UPenn and is still really helpful with legal troulbes and such even though she discharged me since i moved.

[Wild Coyote]

I have had the best luck with pdocs for both meds and therapy.

That said, experience counts a lot, along with solid training.

Beware, some states in the U.S. are very lax in credentialing and allow "therapists" to obtain licensure when they have graduated from very inferior programs of education/training. These are some of the LMHC (Licensed Mental Health Counselors), M.Ed , M.S., M.A. credentials.
There are some very talented people with these credentials, however.

In this area, LICSWs are highly trained. (Licensed Social Workers, specializing in mental health.)

Some people are outstanding in their field, no matter the credentialing process.

I have a lot of medical issues, thus it's helpful for me to have someone specializing both in medicine and in mental health, due to the co-morbidities.
Pdocs work well for me. I am very lucky to have had access to very good pdocs.

Blue, are you looking for a new therapist/doctor?


WC

[Guiness187055]

For medicine with out a doubt a full fledged psychiatrist. Therapist does not matter to me I just have to feel comfortable talking with them.

[rwwff]

I don't want anyone but a psychiatrist running the show.

Talk therapy, counseling, etc. though; I'm not particularly fussy, whatever my doc wants me to do, when they want me to do it, is fine by me. I'm talking with a masters level therapist on betterhelp just for now, and that seems more than sufficient for me to work on the tag-along details that really don't fit in my little window of time with my psychiatrist.

Great responses, everyone! I agree that experience matters a lot.

Originally Posted by Wild Coyote

Blue, are you looking for a new therapist/doctor?


WC

Nope! I really like my pdoc (psychiatrist MD) and my therapist (PhD).

I haven't had such good luck with bachelor's and master's therapists, so I was wondering about you guys.

That said, I'd be willing to give a psychiatric nurse practitioner a shot if my pdoc had too many clients and I couldn't get in for an appt.

It really depends on the situation.

I am fortunate enough to see my psychiatrist for therapy in addition to check-ups/medication management. My sessions are 90 minutes long. But some people see their psychiatrists infrequently for as little as 10 minutes per visit. Even my CBT facilitator was a psychiatrist. So, I am biased towards them.

[Nammu]

I don't do well with western medicine trained authority figures so shrinks are last on my list had a shrink that was trained in Spain and I liked her approach much better. Nurses are better trained to deal with humans as a rule and I like that approach better.

As for the T it depends on there approach and their training I prefer those who see the patient not a consumer and work with me on an equal footing doing more listening than lecturing.

[raspberrytorte]

I don't trust any of them. Neither!

[luvyrself]

Originally Posted by bluebicycle

Does/Would it matter to you if you see a psychiatric nurse vs a psychiatrist?

For therapy, does/would it matter if you see a licensed social worker, master's, PhD, etc?

Why?

I love my nurse practitioner in private practice. She gives longer sessions than the 15 mins the pdocs give. She is not always rushing. I just dropped my other meds and went on latuda with her and it is going very well.

I'm more interested in their overall experience and intelligence. A new doctor who graduated bottom of his class versus a nurse who graduated top of theirs with lots of experience is a no brainer. But really, it's about so much more than just education and experience. Someone who isn't jaded and has fresh eyes and no learned bias could be wonderful. I see who is assigned to me and if it feels wrong or bad, I ask to switch. Right now everything feels wrong and I almost changed my therapist yet again but I'm giving it another shot. I kinda wish my PDOC could do therapy as he doesn't give me the major creeps and that's more than I can say for some doctors I've had. I need to have someone I click with and their title isn't all that important to me to put it short and to the point.

[ComfortablyNumb5]

Originally Posted by bluebicycle

Does/Would it matter to you if you see a psychiatric nurse vs a psychiatrist?


For therapy, does/would it matter if you see a licensed social worker, master's, PhD, etc?


Why?

I go to a low income/state funded pdoc and T is at the same building. Thing is I go through 4-5 pdocs a year because they're only residents. Pisses me off so bad but anyway. I had one pdoc leave the room and ask another long term pdoc to ask her opinion. Ok she was taking precautions but it was so annoying. But my nurse there is awesome. She can't write scripts but if I'm desperate and the pdoc is in she hunts them down for me.

I guess what I'm trying to get at is that if it was a no I don't mine a psych nurse however if they're not confident about their job it would bother me. And for my T... I honestly don't know what her title is so I guess it doesn't matter. Hey as long as I get to vent. I'll vent to a wall.