According to the National Institute of Mental Health, more than 30 million Americans need help dealing with situations that seem out of their control. Choosing to work with mental health professionals such as psychiatrists, psychologists or marriage and family therapists is considered one approach to resolving such problems. Psychiatrists and psychologists are trained professionals who specialize in psychotherapy and other forms of treatment to prevent, diagnose and treat human behavior. Psychiatrists are medical doctors who graduate from accredited medical schools and are licensed by their state licensing board. Psychologists are not medical doctors, but have varying degrees of education depending on state licensing and accreditation requirements.
The Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards is the alliance of state, territorial and provincial agencies, however regulatory authority exists at the state level. Psychiatrists are licensed (medical) at the state level and state licensing boards handle any regulatory issues regarding a physician's medical license. Psychiatrists who are board certified by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) in Psychiatry and Neurology do so on a voluntary basis and have additional training and certification requirements considered by the American Medical Association to be a "Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval." For information about a physician's certification status call 800- 776-CERT.
