[granite1]

does a LMHC have more education then a LICSW

[stopdog]

List of credentials in psychology - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
may have some info for you. A search on google on my quick reading made it seem like both are basically Master's degrees as the actual underlying degree with other requirements for the license.

[granite1]

now can someone please give e some words to say on the phone to these people . im terrified but think I need to do this

Pick one who offers/allows emailing for the first appointment. We want you to start out right with a T who is okay with emailing!

[Lauliza]

Originally Posted by granite1

does a LMHC have more education then a LICSW

I am going to school to be an LMHC. They have equal amounts of education- both require a Master's degree, but the coursework is very different.

In Massachusetts anyway, an LMHC is a MS in psychology with state licensing. A social worker has a Masters in Social Work. A social worker can also go a step further and be licensed as an LICSW (Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker). That is the only way a social worker can work independently as opposed to working in a hospital setting or in a group practice.

For an LMHC, the coursework is heavy on psychological theory, the DSM and cultivating counseling skills. In Social work, the focus is heavier on social structures. When and MSW student chooses the Mental health track to become a therapist they then get their training in counseling skills and some psychological theory.

An important difference though is that a LICSW can treat more serious mental illnesses like Bipolar or schizophrenia. I'm not sure but I think an LMHC can but under supervision of a psychologist. So there is a little bit of a heiarchy there which has never been clearly explained to me. There is no difference in the socal worker's education to justify this difference, but the social work license is much older than the LMHC. An LMHC license is fairly recent- has only been around since the 1970's. Before that there were a lot more unqualified people practicing as "therapists", so that may have something to do with it. I imagine eventually LMHC's will be able to diagnose.

So when it comes down to it, it is the approach that is more different between the two. A social worker is more focused on external factors in a client- society, while an LMHC is more focused on the internal. Otherwise it's fairly equal, both have a Masters degree and both need to be licensed by the state.

[Lauliza]

Ask them what patient population they work with and how their practice is structured?

[vans1974]

Originally Posted by granite1

does a LMHC have more education then a LICSW

I believe they both just have a master's degree...I prefer to see a counselling psychologist since they have a doctorate.

[Lauliza]

Originally Posted by vans1974

I believe they both just have a master's degree...I prefer to see a counselling psychologist since they have a doctorate.

The doctorate gives them more research expertise and the ability to perform psychological testing. In terms of therapy, the doctorate doesn't carry any weight. A Phd or Doctorate will tell you that themselves.

[Perna]

Good article from a professional organization:

Counselor Versus Social Worker | What is the Difference?

[stopdog]

Another thing one could do is simply ask the one you are already seeing for referrals. I asked one of the two I see for some and she gave them to me and did not get all bent out about it.

[unaluna]

Try googling "psychotherapy vs counseling"