Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine

Meet Your Team

Leadership

Teams

Psychiatry

Psychiatrists are medical doctors who diagnose and treat mental health issues that affect a child’s thoughts, emotions, or behavior. The doctor may provide medicine evaluations, prescribe medicine, and can help a child talk through problems (psychotherapy). Psychiatric nurse practitioners are registered nurses with advanced training and education in psychiatry. They work independently and with doctors to diagnose, treat and teach patients and families about mental health issues that affect a child’s thoughts, emotions, or behavior. Nurse practitioners are also called advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs).

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Psychology

Psychologists are health professionals who diagnose and treat mental health issues that affect a child’s thoughts, emotions, or behavior. Psychologists treat children with evidence-based talking and behavioral therapy. A psychologist has a doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) in the study of the mind and behavior (psychology) rather than in the study of medicine. For this reason, they do not prescribe medicine.

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Mental health therapists

A mental health professional with a master’s degree who diagnoses and treats mental health issues that affect a child’s thoughts, emotions, or behavior. There are several types of licensed master’s-level therapists in Washington, including licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT), licensed independent social worker (LISW) and licensed mental health counselor (LMHC). They all provide diagnostic evaluation and therapy.

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Specialized Teams

Other Types of Providers You May See

Mental Health Therapist Associate

An associate is a pre-licensure candidate with a graduate degree in a mental health field, who is gaining the professional experience necessary to become a licensed independent clinical social worker, licensed advanced social worker, licensed mental health counselor or licensed marriage and family therapist.

Psychiatry fellow

A medical doctor who has finished adult psychiatry residency and now is training in the specialty of child and adolescent psychiatry. An attending psychiatrist directs a child’s care and supervises psychiatry fellows for all clinical work.

Psychiatry resident

A medical doctor who is training in the specialty of psychiatry. An attending psychiatrist directs a child’s care and supervises psychiatry residents for all clinical work.

Psychology postdoctoral fellow

A mental health professional who has earned a PhD or PsyD degree (doctorate) in psychology, has finished an internship and now is completing advanced training. A licensed psychologist supervises psychology postdoctoral fellows for all clinical work.

Psychology resident

A doctoral-level psychology graduate student who is completing a residency – one of the requirements to graduate and become a licensed psychologist. A licensed psychologist supervises psychology residents for all clinical work.

In a crisis?

If you, your child, family or friend needs help right away, call or text 988. Chat is another option. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides free and confidential support for people in distress, as well as prevention and crisis resources. The Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the United States.

Hotlines for Youth (PDF) provides other options for immediate help for children and teens. (Also available in Amharic, Arabic, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Somali, Spanish, Ukrainian and Vietnamese.)