If you’ve not seen a mental health professional before, the numerous options for help can be daunting. You may feel like you are not coping with life’s demands as you were before. Maybe you’re experiencing difficult emotions that have now become intolerable. Perhaps it is friends and family that are telling you to “get help.”
Once you have made the decision to seek help, do you need to see a psychiatrist? A psychologist? A counsellor or other therapist? Which is better: a doctor (psychiatrist), PhD-level therapist (psychologist) or a Masters-level therapist (social worker, nurse practitioner, counsellor)?
Here at Seaglass Clinical Consulting we understand the challenges this can bring. Below we offer some further information to help you decide. We are also happy to talk you through the options available depending on your needs – give us a call today on 747-7778.
Psychiatrist
Generally, if this is the first time you have sought help for your mental health, we strongly recommend an initial full assessment by a psychiatrist. As a medical doctor with many years of medical training and a deep understanding of the human body, human psychology and human society, a psychiatrist can provide a holistic assessment of you and your problems.
Many physical health issues can mimic mental health complaints and it is important to rule these out before starting any type of treatment. Medications (or even ‘natural remedies’) you may be taking for physical issues can have psychological side-effects or interact with each other in physically dangerous ways. This requires medical training and experience with psychopharmacology that only a psychiatrist can provide.
Following an initial assessment you may be diagnosed with a serious mental illness such as psychosis, bipolar disorder or severe depression/anxiety. If this is the case then a psychiatrist is the best person to help you manage this condition and this will often include the use of medication. Other diagnoses in which a psychiatrist is best placed to be the main clinician include severe ADHD, severe PTSD, and severe challenging behaviours that can be associated with dementia, intellectual disability or autism spectrum disorder.
Most psychiatrists also have training in basic psychological therapies such as CBT, motivational interviewing, interpersonal therapy and will often use these skills in an appointment session. Others have specialist training in psychotherapy and can provide more in-depth psychological interventions, typically on a long-term weekly basis.
In Bermuda psychiatrists must be registered with the Bermuda Medical Council.
Psychologist
Psychologists are highly trained mental health clinicians who spend many years studying to a PhD level in their field of human behaviour. After completing their university degree they will then normally have one or two years of supervised practice. There are different sub-specialties such as clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists, neuropsychologists and others.
Our recommendation is that you should see a psychologist first only if you have either a) discussed your situation with your GP (who should know whether a psychologist or psychiatrist would best help) and they can make a referral, or b) engaged in psychological therapy previously for a specific issue and feel that you need further assistance in the same area of your life. A clinical psychologist will also be alert to the need to refer to a psychiatrist should your situation be particularly complex or appear responsive to medication.
Psychologists in Bermuda must be registered with the Bermuda Psychologists Council.
Counsellors / life-coaches etc
Other interventions for mental health issues can be provided by counsellors, therapists and life-coaches. The types of intervention offered can be very varied and typically are short-term and focused on a single issue such as a relationship or work issue.
The training required to offer services for these types of therapies is also varied. This may require more investigation on your part to ensure the therapist has the required training and experience.
The mental health community in Bermuda is small and we are happy to make recommendations for particular therapists whom we know have the requisite expertise to assist without causing further harm.
Any counsellor or other therapist should be registered with the Council for Allied Health Professionals.
Summary
We know it can be daunting to choose someone to help with your mental health. Unless you have previous experience with mental health therapy or have a very specific life issue you want help with, we suggest you see a psychiatrist first or discuss with your GP. They can then make further recommendations on where you should seek help.
It is also very important that you check the qualifications and registration of anyone you see – your mind is precious and should not be entrusted to just anyone, no matter how well-meaning.
We are also happy to talk you through the options available depending on your needs – give us a call today on 747-7778 or complete our secure referral form here.