Getting the most from the Directory of PPD Practitioners

If your physical symptoms have not yet been thoroughly evaluated by medical clinician(s) in the relevant specialties, then your best choice in the Directory would be an M.D. or D.O. who is a primary care physician or who is a specialist in the organ or body structure that is experiencing symptoms. Unfortunately, there are few of these so if there is no one who is geographically convenient you should work with your regular doctor to be sure there is no organ disease or structural/biochemical abnormality to explain your illness.

Once organ/structure problems are ruled out then addressing stress and mental health issues is a logical next step. One way to do this is with  materials listed on this website or with the smartphone app Curable (described elsewhere on this site or at Curablehealth.com). 

Another option is to choose a mental health professional in the Directory. These clinicians vary by their professional qualifications and approach. All are members of a regulated profession. This ensures professional standards, competency and a code of ethics that protects both clients and practitioners.

There are important differences among mental health professionals. In very brief, general terms:

  1. A Psychoanalyst has been trained as a mental health professional and then had intensive additional training approved by the American Psychoanalytic Association. 

  2. A Clinical Psychologist has a doctoral degree (PhD, PsyD, DBH) but not a medical degree so they provide psychotherapy but do not prescribe medication.

  3. A Psychiatrist has a medical degree (MD, DO) and is able to prescribe medication to help patients.

  4. Clinical Social Workers (LCSW, LMSW) and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT) have a master’s degree, have passed a licensing examination and have had extensive supervised experience with clients. 

  5. Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC, known in some U.S. States as a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor or Licensed Mental Health Counselor) have a master’s or doctoral degree in a mental health field, have passed a licensing examination and have had extensive supervised experience with clients.

Finding a mental health professional (MHP) who is a good fit for your needs can take time. Here are some ideas to facilitate the process.

  1. Begin by explaining why you would like the MHP’s help and then ask about their training and experience with those issues.

  2. Ask how the MHP treats the concerns that brought you to them. See how comfortable you are with the person’s overall approach and personality.

  3. Ask about how long treatment sessions last, their cost and their frequency, and an estimate of how many might be needed.

  4. Under what circumstances does the MHP consider recommending medication for mental health treatment and how is that provided?

  5. If at some point during treatment you believe you are no longer making progress or, of even more importance, no longer being heard, then be sure to clarify this for the MHP. If this situation does not improve significantly then you should consider changing your MHP.