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Encyclopedia > Mental health professional

A mental health professional is a person who offers services for the purpose of improving an individual's mental health and/or researches in the field of mental health. Mental health is a concept that refers to a human individuals emotional and psychological well-being. ...

Contents

Mental health

Main article: Mental health

"Mental health has been defined variously by scholars from different cultures. Concepts of mental health include subjective well-being, perceived self-efficacy, autonomy, competence, inter-generational dependence, and self-actualization of one's intellectual and emotional potential, among others. From a cross-cultural perspective, it is nearly impossible to define mental health comprehensively. It is, however, generally agreed that mental health is broader than a lack of mental disorders." [1] Mental health is a concept that refers to a human individuals emotional and psychological well-being. ...


Distinctions

The most significant differences between mental health professionals are specialties, education, experience, and religious awareness.


Treatment Diversity

Most qualified mental health professionals will refer a patient or client to another professional if the specific type of treatment needed is outside of their scope of practice. Additionally, many mental health professionals may sometimes work together using a variety of treatment options such as concurrent psychiatric medication and psychotherapy. Pediatric polysomnography patient Childrens Hospital (Saint Louis), 2006 A patient or invalid is any person who receives medical attention, care, or treatment. ... The term client may have the following meanings. ... Mental Illness is a concept in psychiatry and other mental health professions referring to mental abnormality associated with distress and/or dysfunction. ... Psychiatric medications are also known as psychotropic medications. ... // Psychotherapy is a range of techniques based on dialogue, communication and behavior change and which are designed to improve the mental health of a client or patient, or to improve group relationships (such as in a family). ...


Cultural and Religious Considerations

Mental health is socially constructed and socially defined; that is different professions, communities, societies and cultures have very different ways of conceptualizing its nature and causes, determining what is mentally healthy, and deciding what interventions are appropriate. [2] A community usually refers to a group of people who interact and share certain things as a group, but it can refer to various collections of living things sharing an environment, plant or animal. ... Young people interacting within an ethnically diverse society. ... Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning to cultivate), generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activity significance. ...


A holistic model of mental health generally includes concepts based upon anthropological, educational, psychological, religious and sociological perspectives as well as theoretical perspectives from personality, social, clinical, health and developmental psychology. [3][4] Holism (from holos, a Greek word meaning all, entire, total) is the idea that all the properties of a given system (biological, chemical, social, economic, mental, linguistic, etc. ... Initiation rite of the Yao people of Malawi Anthropology (from the Greek word , man or person) consists of the study of humanity (see genus Homo). ... Psychology is an academic and applied discipline involving the scientific study of mental processes and behavior. ... Various Religious symbols, including (first row) Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Bahai, (second row) Islamic, tribal, Taoist, Shinto (third row) Buddhist, Sikh, Hindu, Jain, (fourth row) Ayyavazhi, Triple Goddess, Maltese cross, pre-Christian Slavonic Religion is the adherence to codified beliefs and rituals that generally involve a faith in a spiritual... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Personality psychology is a branch of psychology which studies personality and individual differences. ... Social psychology is often conceived to be the study of how individuals perceive, influence, and relate to others. ... The Greek letter Psi is often used as a symbol of psychology. ... This article or section is incomplete and may require expansion and/or cleanup. ... Psychology is an academic and applied discipline involving the scientific study of mental processes and behavior. ...


Many mental health professionals are already or beginning to understand the importance of competency in religious diversity and spirituality. The American Psychological Association explicitly states that religion must be respected. Education in spiritual and religious matters is also required by the American Psychiatric Association. [5] The American Psychological Association (APA) is a professional organization representing psychology in the US. It has around 150,000 members and an annual budget of around $70m. ... Spirituality, in a narrow sense, concerns itself with matters of the spirit. ... The American Psychiatric Association is a professional organization of psychiatrists whose members are American and international physicians who are trained in psychiatry. ...


A wellness model developed by Myers, Sweeny and Witmer, five life tasks—essence or spirituality, work and leisure, friendship, love and self-direction—and twelve sub tasks—sense of worth, sense of control, realistic beliefs, emotional awareness and coping, problem solving and creativity, sense of humor, nutrition, exercise, self care, stress management, gender identity, and cultural identity—are identified as characteristics of healthy functioning and a major component of wellness. The components provide a means of responding to the circumstances of life in a manner that promotes healthy functioning. [6] Wellness may mean: Wellness (alternative medicine) - Here, wellness is generally used to mean a healthy balance of the mind-body and spirit that results in an overall feeling of well-being. ... In classical economics and all micro-economics labour is a measure of the work done by human beings and is one of three factors of production, the others being land and capital. ... An example of leisure, someone falling asleep whilst bathing in the sun. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Love Look up love in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... In psychology, self-esteem or self-worth is a persons self-image at an emotional level; circumventing reason and logic. ... Problem solving forms part of thinking. ... Look up Creativity in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Look up humor in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The updated USDA food pyramid, published in 2005, is a general nutrition guide for recommended food consumption. ... (for options, see option exercise) U.S. marine emerges from the water upon completing the swimming portion of the triathlon. ... A cluttered environment with too many tasks can lead to stress. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Cultural identity is the (feeling of) identity of a group or culture, or of an individual as far as she/he is influenced by her/his belonging to a group or culture. ...


Types of mental health professionals

There are many types of mental health professionals varying in education, experience, certifications, and specialties.


Psychiatrists

Main article: Psychiatry

Psychiatrists are the most well known of mental health professionals. They are medical doctors and one of the few professionals in the mental health industry who specialize and are certified in treating mental illness using the biomedical approach to mental disorders including the use of medications. Psychiatry is a medical specialty dealing with the prevention, assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of mental illness. ... The Doctor by Samuel Luke Fildes This article is about the term physician, one type of doctor; for other uses of the word doctor see Doctor. ... Mental Illness is a concept in psychiatry and other mental health professions referring to mental abnormality associated with distress and/or dysfunction. ... Psychiatric medications are also known as psychotropic medications. ...


Psychiatrists may also go through significant training to conduct psychotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy; however psychologists and clinical psychologists specialize in the research and clinical application of these techniques. The amount of training a psychiatrist holds in providing these types of therapies varies from program to program and also differs greatly based upon region. // Psychotherapy is a range of techniques based on dialogue, communication and behavior change and which are designed to improve the mental health of a client or patient, or to improve group relationships (such as in a family). ... Cognitive therapy or cognitive behaviour therapy is a kind of psychotherapy used to treat depression, anxiety disorders, phobias, and other forms of mental disorder. ...


Specialties of psychiatrists

As part of their evaluation of the patient, psychiatrists are one of only a few mental health professionals who may conduct physical examinations, order and interpret laboratory tests and EEGs, and may order brain imaging studies such as CT or CAT, MRI, and PET scanning. A medical professional must evaluate the patient for any medical problems or diseases that may be the cause of the mental illness. EEG can mean: Electroencephalography - the method and science of recording and interpreting traces of brain electrical activity as recorded from the skull surface or the device used to record such traces Emperor Entertainment Group - A Hong Kong entertainment company. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Image of a typical positron emission tomography (PET) facility Positron emission tomography (PET) is a nuclear medicine medical imaging technique which produces a three dimensional image or map of functional processes in the body. ...


Historically psychiatrists have been the only mental health professional with the power to prescribe medication to treat specific types of mental illness. However, in certain regions, Physician Assistants, psychiatric nurses, and psychologists may also have the authorization to prescribe such medications. In the United States, Physician Assistants (PAs) are non-physician clinicians licensed to practice medicine with a physicians supervision. ...


Educational requirements for psychiatrists

Typically the educational requirements to become a psychiatrist are substantial but differ from country to country. In the United States one must complete their Bachelor's degree, then 4 years of medical school in order to earn their M.D. or D.O., then must practice as a psychiatry resident for another four years. Psychiatry residents are often required to complete at least four post-graduate months of internal medicine or pediatrics and two months of neurology during the first year. After completing their training, psychiatrists take written and then oral board examinations. The total amount of time required to complete post-baccalaureate work in the field of psychiatry is typically 8-9 years. A bachelors degree (Artium Baccalaureus, A.B. or B.A.) is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course or major that generally lasts for three, four, or in some cases and countries, five or six years. ... A medical school or faculty of medicine is a tertiary educational institution or part of such an institution that teaches medicine. ... The Medicinæ Doctor or Doctor of Medicine (M.D. or D.M.) is a doctorate level degree held by medical doctors. ... Osteopathic medicine (formerly known as osteopathy) is [1] Outside the United States, osteopathic medicine is often used interchangeably with osteopathy. Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine, or D.O.s, apply the philosophy of treating the whole person (a holistic approach) to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of illness, disease and injury... It has been suggested that Medical resident work hours be merged into this article or section. ...


Psychologists

Main article: Psychology

A psychologist is a scientist and/or clinician who studies psychology, the systematic investigation of the human behavior and mental processes. There are many subsets in the field of psychology dealing with mental health, the most common being clinical psychology. Psychology is an academic and applied discipline involving the scientific study of mental processes and behavior. ... A psychologist is a scientist and/or clinician who studies psychology, the systematic investigation of the human mind, including behavior and cognition. ... The physicist Albert Einstein is probably the most famous scientist of our time. ...

See also: List of psychology disciplines

These are some of the sub-fields within the field of psychology: Abnormal psychology Activity theory Analytical psychology Applied psychology Asian Psychology Behavior analysis Behavioural medicine Behavioural psychology Biobehavioural health Biological psychology Biopsychology Cognitive neuropsychology Cognitive psychology Cognitive neuroscience Community psychology Comparative psychology Clinical psychology Counselling psychology Critical psychology Developmental...

Clinical psychologists

Main article: Clinical psychology

Clinical psychology is the application of psychology to problematic mental distress in a health and social care context. It is a specific subset of Psychology. Clinical psychologists assess mental health problems; conduct and use scientific research to understand mental health problems; develop, provide and evaluate psychological care and interventions. The Greek letter Psi is often used as a symbol of psychology. ...


Specialties of psychologists

Psychologists who focus on treating mental health specialize in evaluating patients and providing therapy. There are a wide variety of therapeutic techniques and perspectives that guide practitioners, although most fall into the major categories of Psychodynamic, Cognitive Behavioral, Humanistic, Systems (e.g. family or couples therapy), Gestalt, Existential and Transpersonal. In addition to therapy, psychologists are also trained to administer and interpret psychological personality tests such as the MMPI and the Rorschach inkblot test, and various standardized tests of intelligence, memory, and neuropsychological functioning. These tests may aid in the diagnosis of patients' condition (particularly in severe or complex cases) and help guide treatment planning. It has been suggested that Psychodynamic psychology be merged into this article or section. ... Cognitive therapy or cognitive behavior therapy is a kind of psychotherapy used to treat depression, anxiety disorders, phobias, and other forms of mental disorder. ... Humanistic psychology is a school of psychology that emerged in the 1950s in reaction to both behaviorism and psychoanalysis. ... Systemic Therapy, or Marriage and Family therapy, is a professional and conscious attempt and method to study, understand and cure disorders of the interactional whole of a family and its individual members as family members. ... Gestalt Therapy is a psychotherapy which focuses on here-and-now experience and personal responsibility. ... Existential psychotherapy is partly based on the existential belief that human beings are alone in the world. ... Transpersonal psychology is a school of psychology that studies the transcendent, or spiritual dimensions of humanity. ... The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) is the most frequently used test in the mental health fields. ... A solid tone rendering of the first of ten cards in the Rorschach inkblot test. ... Neuropsychology is a branch of psychology and neurology that aims to understand how the structure and function of the brain relate to specific psychological processes. ...


Educational requirements for psychologists & clinical psychologists

While psychologists are not medical doctors, they have achieved a Ph.D. or Psy.D., both doctorates, instead of a medical degree (an M.D. is also a form of a doctorate). Their form and scope of practice is therefore very different from that of psychiatrists; in fact, it is common that a clinical psychologist and a psychiatrist work together in providing therapy. Those with Ph.D.s in psychology have had to submit a major original contribution in their field in order to be awarded the degree which includes substantial postgraduate training in mental health, psychological assessment, psychotherapy, and psychosocial interventions and meet state or provincial licensing criteria. Ph.D.s in the field of psychology and clinical psychology tend to be awarded from universities. The Psy.D. program, which has slightly more focus on practice, is usually considered more of a professional degree (much like professional schools for medicine & law). The amount of time required to complete graduate work in the field of psychology & clinical psychology is typically 6-8 years dependent upon several factors. Doctor of Philosophy (Ph. ... The Psy. ... The Medicinæ Doctor or Doctor of Medicine (M.D. or D.M.) is a doctorate level degree held by medical doctors. ...


Clinical social workers

Main article: Social work

Clinical social workers assess, diagnose, intervene and treat individuals, families and groups with bio-psychosocial problems or disorders. They partner with an MD if they feel medication should be part of their treatment. State licensing boards and national certification boards require clinical social workers to have a masters or doctoral degree (MSW or DSW/PhD) from a university. The doctorate in social work requires submission of a major original contribution to the field in order to be awarded the degree. The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ...


Nurses

Psychiatric nurses or mental health nurses work with people with a large variety of mental health problems, often at the time of highest distress within hospital settings. Psychiatric nursing or mental health nursing is the branch of nursing that cares for people of all ages with mental illness or mental distress, such as psychosis, depression or dementia. ...


A Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (MHNP), also known as Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners, work in primary care facilities, outpatient mental health clinics, as well as in hospitals and community health centers. MHNP evaluate and provide care for patients who have anything from psychiatric disorders, medical mental conditions to substance abuse problems. They are licensed to provide emergency psychiatric services, psychosocial and physical assessment of their patients, treatment plans, and continually manage their care. They may also serve as consultants or as educators for families and staff; however, the MHNP has a greater focus on psychiatric diagnosis, including the differential diagnosis of medical disorders with psychiatric symptoms, and on medication treatment for psychiatric disorders. In order to become a nurse practitioner you must obtain at least six years of college education. You must first obtain a four-year college degree, although usually in nursing, there are some programs called Masters Entry Level Nursing programs designed around individuals with a Bachelors degree outside of nursing. Once the individual obtains their BSN, they must take the NCLEX-RN, the test for licensure as a registered nurse. Once an indvidual has obtained the status of a registered nurse, the candidate must complete a state-approved Masters Degree advanced nursing education program which includes at least 600 clinical hours. Individuals who choose a Masters Entry Level pathway will spend an extra year at the start of the program taking classes neccisary to pass the NCLEX-RN. Some schools will issue a BSN, others will issue a certificate. The student then continues with the normal MSN program. [7][8][9][10]


Other professionals

There are also many types of therapists that may hold a Ph.D., a master's degree or a bachelor's degree. Other practitioners include but aren't limited to licensed marital and family therapists, marriage, family and child counselors, licensed professional counselors, and licensed mental health counselors. This page is a candidate for speedy deletion, because: Wikipedia is not a repository of links If you disagree with its speedy deletion, please explain why on its talk page or at Wikipedia:Speedy deletions. ... A masters degree is an academic degree usually awarded for completion of a postgraduate (or graduate) course of one to three years in duration. ... A bachelors degree (Artium Baccalaureus, A.B. or B.A.) is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course or major that generally lasts for three, four, or in some cases and countries, five or six years. ...


These professional licenses are issued by U.S. states or other national or regional certification boards to graduate degree holders and license them to practice clinical mental health counseling and, usually, nonmedical psychotherapy. Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      A state of the United States is any one of the fifty subnational entities referred to...


See also

Mental health is a concept that refers to a human individuals emotional and psychological well-being. ... Mental Illness is a concept in psychiatry and other mental health professions referring to mental abnormality associated with distress and/or dysfunction. ... Psychiatry is a medical specialty dealing with the prevention, assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of mental illness. ... Psychology is an academic and applied discipline involving the scientific study of mental processes and behavior. ... It has been suggested that Professional degree be merged into this article or section. ... Beginning in the 1960s, a movement called anti-psychiatry claimed that psychiatric patients are not ill but are individuals that do not share the same consensus reality as most people in society. ... The Greek letter Psi is often used as a symbol of psychology. ... This list is of professional and academic credentials in the field of psychology and allied fields (psychotherapy, counseling and social work). ... A psychologist is a scientist and/or clinician who studies psychology, the systematic investigation of the human mind, including behavior and cognition. ... // Psychotherapy is a range of techniques based on dialogue, communication and behavior change and which are designed to improve the mental health of a client or patient, or to improve group relationships (such as in a family). ...

References

  1. ^ World Health Organisation (2001). The World Health Report 2001: Mental Health : New Understanding, New Hope (World Health Report). Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Report, 5. ISBN 978-92-4-156201-0. 
  2. ^ Weare, Katherine (2000). Promoting mental, emotional and social health: A whole school approach. London: RoutledgeFalmer, 12. ISBN 978-0415168755. 
  3. ^ Witmer, J.M.; Sweeny, T.J. (1992). "A holistic model for wellness and prevention over the lifespan". Journal of Counseling and Development 71: 140-148.
  4. ^ Hattie, J.A.; Myers, J.E.; Sweeney, T.J. (2004). "A factor structure of wellness: Theory, assessment, analysis and practice". Journal of Counseling and Development 82: 354-364.
  5. ^ Richards, P.S.; Bergin, A. E. (2000). Handbook of Psychotherapy and Religious Diversity. Washington D.C.: American Psychological Association, 4. ISBN 978-1557986245. 
  6. ^ Myers, J.E.; Sweeny, T.J.; Witmer, J.M. (2000). "The wheel of wellness counseling for wellness: A holistic model for treatment planning. Journal of Counseling and Development". Journal of Counseling and Development 78: 251-266.
  7. ^ http://nurseweb.ucsf.edu/www/spec-psy.htm.
  8. ^ http://www.acnpweb.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3479.
  9. ^ http://www.rn.ca.gov/practice/nps.htm.
  10. ^ http://nurse-practitioners.advanceweb.com/common/editorial/editorial.aspx?CC=65135&CP=3.

  Results from FactBites:
 
Mental health - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (1094 words)
Merriam-Webster defines mental health as "A state of emotional and psychological well-being in which an individual is able to use his or her cognitive and emotional capabilities, function in society, and meet the ordinary demands of everyday life."
Mental wellness is generally viewed as a positive attribute, such that a person can reach enhanced levels of mental health, even if they do not have any diagnosable mental illness.
Mental health, as a concept, is quite distinct from mental illness, and enhancement of mental health plays no part in what most mental health professionals actually do.
Why Mental Health Professionals Don't Help (1751 words)
Mental health units generally take a very hard line where drugs are concerned because many drugs, when combined with psychiatric medications can cause major problems and even kill.
Mental health professionals are not anywhere near so stupid as many of their clients believe them to be.
Mental health staff are ordinary people who do their work in order to help people - not to be treated as fools.
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