Mental Health Professional Alphabet Soup

There are so many different kinds of mental health providers available today and more are being added all the time. This results in an alphabet soup of letters behind each providers name that can seem about as decipherable as hieroglyphics to the average person. So, how does the average person decide which type of provider is right for them? This post will attempt to translate the alphabet soup of provider credentials so you can make an informed choice. Keep in mind that some of the designations, requirements and functions you read about here can vary from state to state and the contributors to this post are from the Kansas City area.

Types of Mental Health Providers

According to psychiatrist Carolina Aponte Urdaneta, MD, psychiatrists are physicians who “specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. In order to be able to do psychiatric residency training, one must first…