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Choosing
A Therapist
GayFriendlyTherapists.com is a directory of Marriage and
Family Therapists, Licensed Clinical Social Workers and Psychiatrists.
To find a therapist with a specific license, click the links below.
Licensed Marriage and Family
Therapists (LMFTs) are relationship specialists who treat persons
involved in interpersonal relationships. They are trained to assess,
diagnose and treat individuals, couples, families and groups to
achieve more adequate, satisfying and productive marriage, family and
social adjustment. The practice also includes premarital counseling,
child counseling, divorce or separation counseling and other
relationship counseling. Marriage and Family Therapists are
psychotherapists and healing arts practitioners licensed by the State
of California. Requirements for licensure include a related doctoral
or two-year master's degree, passage of a comprehensive written and
oral examination and at least 3,000 hours of supervised experience.
Psychiatrists are
medical doctors who have specialized training to diagnosis and treat
mental illnesses. They understand the body's functions and the complex
relationship between emotional illness and other medical illnesses.
They are the only mental health professionals who can prescribe
medication. Although they may sometimes practice some type of
psychotherapy, particularly if they are in private practice, at the
present time, most psychiatrists focus largely on prescribing
medication for the treatment of mental disorders.
Clinical Psychologist
Clinical psychologists aim to reduce psychological
distress and to enhance and promote psychological well-being.
They work with people with mental or physical health problems - which
might include anxiety and depression, serious and enduring mental
illness, adjustment to physical illness, neurological disorders,
addictive behaviors, childhood behavior disorders, personal and family
relationships. They work with people throughout the life-span and with
those with learning disabilities.
Clinical psychologists may work in health and social care settings
including hospitals, health centers, community mental health teams,
child and adolescent mental health services and social services, also
they will often work alongside other professionals including doctors,
nurses, social workers, occupational therapists and physiotherapists.
To assess a client, a clinical psychologist may undertake a clinical
assessment using a variety of methods including psychometric tests,
interviews and direct observation of behavior. Assessment may lead to
therapy, counseling or advice.
Due to their high level of research skills clinical psychologists may
undertake the role of scientist-practitioner as an innovator and applied
researcher adding to the evidence base of practice in a variety of
health care settings
