How Different Mental Health Providers Can Support Homeschooling Families
Finding the right provider to meet your family’s mental health needs can feel like wandering alone in the wilderness.
By creating a list of homeschool family-friendly providers, we aim to help ease the burden of seeking support services by doing some legwork for you.
It is our sincerest wish to offer families comfort, encouragement, and support by connecting homeschooling families with providers who are equipped to help meet their counseling and mental health needs.
Professionals in the counseling and mental health community are diverse. Providers vary greatly in terms of educational backgrounds, professional credentials, and scope of practice.
Below is a list of professionals who provide mental health services:
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (L.C.S.W.) – LCSWs have earned a Master’s degree in social work at a minimum, have accrued several years of post-graduate supervision, and passed an exam as part of the requirements to earn a license to practice independently. Social workers provide a range of services including clinical evaluation, talk therapy, and other services, but are prohibited from prescribing medication. To learn more about clinical social workers, visit www.socialworkers.org
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (L.M.F.T.) – Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists have also earned a Master’s degree at minimum, as well as several years of post-graduate supervision and successfully passing an exam before practicing independently. These therapists are trained in both family and individual therapy. Licensure and credential requirements for LMFTs vary by state. Please visit www.aamft.org for more information.
- Licensed Professional Counselor (L.P.C.)/Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor(L.C.P.C.)/Licensed Mental Health Counselor (L.M.H.C.) – When it comes to licensed professional counselors, titles/credentials can vary by state. Much like social workers, at a minimum, licensed counselors have earned a Master’s degree, have accrued several years of post-graduate supervision, and passed an exam as part of the requirements to earn a license to practice independently. Professional counselors also provide a range of services including clinical evaluation, identifying and diagnosing mental health disorders, talk therapy, and other services, but are prohibited from prescribing medication. To learn more about professional counselors, visit www.counseling.org
- Physician Assistant (P.A.) – a physician’s assistant may practice medicine independently providing primary care or in conjunction with a physician. P.A.s can also specialize in psychiatric care and prescribe medication. To learn more about physician assistants, visit www.aapa.org
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse (P.M.H.N.) – a registered nurse (R.N.) who is trained in mental health disorders. A psychiatric mental health advanced practice registered nurse (P.M.H.-A.P.R.N.) has earned, at minimum, a Master’s degree in psychiatric nursing. Other types of psychiatric care nurses include a clinical nurse specialist (C.N.S.), a nurse practitioner (N.P.), and a nurse with a doctorate in nursing practice (D.N.P.). Scopes of practice, levels of education, and ability to prescribe medication vary depending on state law. Please visit the American Psychiatric Nurses Association for more detailed information.
- Psychiatrist – a physician (M.D.) who specializes in treating mental health disorders and can prescribe medication. Some psychiatrists offer talk therapy. To learn more about psychiatrists, visit www.psychiatry.org
- Psychologist – doctoral level clinician in psychology (Psy.D. or Ph.D.). Psychologists (counseling or clinical) are trained to identify and treat a variety of mental health disorders through talk therapy. To learn more about psychologists, visit www.apa.org
- Registered Play Therapist (RPT) – A Registered Play Therapist is “a mental health professional with training and experience working with children and families through the use of play therapy” (taken from The University of North Texas Center for Play Therapy) At a minimum, play therapists have earned a Master’s degree in mental health with coursework in child development, personality, psychotherapy, psychopathology, and ethics. Visit the following websites for more information: www.a4pt.org, www.cpt.unt.edu/what-is-play-therapy
**This descriptive list is merely a simplistic overview. Information is for organizations and professionals licensed in the United States ONLY. For more in-depth information, please click on the links provided.
What About Other Support Professionals?
While this list seems long, it is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to support.
Upcoming blog posts will be filled with all sorts of information from the various types of providers in the world of counseling and mental health to providers in our sister fields (art therapists, music therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech-language therapists) and other allied professionals, such as life coaches and educators.
Degrees and alphabet soup credentials aside, all of the professionals share one common goal, to support homeschooling families in their homeschooling journey.
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Blessings,
Kimberly
IOH Mom
Founder/CEO, It’s Only Homeschooling
Founder/CEO, The Homeschool Counseling Network
This website is not a professional counseling website and nothing here should be construed as professional counseling advice. Although Kimberly Bennett, LPC is a Licensed Professional Counselor, she is not your counselor, and no counselor-client relationship is established unless she has signed an agreement with you. All information provided through this website is for informational and educational purposes only.
