If you or a loved one is struggling with mental health issues and you’re willing to find professional help, there is a lot to consider. Certainly, you want to choose the best providers and facilities for care, but the choices and options may seem overwhelming. That’s why it’s important to understand what you should be looking for when vetting mental health care providers, like what type of clinicians would be involved in your care and the types of specialized treatment that are available.

Considering the Different Types of Mental Health Care Specialists

There are different mental health specialists that help to provide different levels of care. It can be helpful to understand the role of various mental health specialists so that you can determine the best care for your needs. Some examples of the roles of mental health specialists include:

Psychiatrist: This is a medical professional who has a doctorate in psychiatry. Individuals who are psychiatrists have the knowledge and professional skills to identify and diagnose mental health issues. Furthermore, psychiatrists can develop mental health treatment plans and prescribe treatments. Psychiatrists can focus their area of practice on specific types of patients including adolescents, people with mood disorders, etc., so it can be helpful to identify the specialty a psychiatrist focuses on before choosing a mental health care provider.

Psychologists: A psychologist is an educated professional who specializes in psychology. Psychologists use their knowledge of psychology to help patients identify various thoughts and behaviors due to diagnosed mental health issues during therapy sessions. Psychologists may be trained in various types of therapy including Cognitive Behavioral, Dialectical Behavioral, and many other types of therapy. Knowing what a psychologist specializes in in terms of therapy can help you better determine if their services are for you.

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC): An LPC is a mental health care professional who has many years of education and training to provide therapy services. These therapy services can help people better manage symptoms of mental health issues and also help people better understand the conditions they’ve been diagnosed with.

Ways to Find Mental Health Care Providers

There are some things you can do to vet mental health care providers to ensure that you’re getting specialized care that’s geared toward your needs and mental health goals including:

• asking your insurance provider about mental health care specialists in your area who take your insurance plan
• as your primary physician for a referral
• research on the internet mental health care providers that specialize in your diagnosis, have good patient reviews, and offer services that you’re interested in utilizing

Considering Delray Center for Healing as Your Mental Health Care Provider

Delray Center for Healing offers specialized care that ensures patients in our care are treated as individuals with individual needs and goals for treatment. We offer outpatient services and a variety of programs and therapy approaches. Find out more about our facilities, services, and programs from our website to better determine if we are a right fit for your mental health treatment needs.