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Who is qualified to treat myself or my loved one for postpartum depression or related disorders?
Licensed Clinical Social Workers LCSW - (which is only conferred at the Master's level of completed education) deliver most of the individual mental health services sought by consumers today. The advanced license is conferred only after after rigorous exams and thousands of supervisory hours of clinical practice. The license is maintained through additional annual educational requirements and continuing training in their chosen area of specialty.
Clinical social workers maintain group or independent private practices, are accepted by insurance companies, do not need a physicians oversight to determine diagnosis and treatment, and some are now able to also prescribe medication. They are among the most respected mental health practitioners for women, families and children with a special appreciation for the biopsychosocial perspective.
Clinical Psychologists must have a PhD or a Psy.D (which is a doctorate in psychology) and a state license in order to practice or offer mental health services independently outside an agency or hospital setting. Clinical psychologists are valuable practitioners for their clinical skills and specialized evaluative abilities. They do not prescribe medication, but may refer clients to psychiatrists with whom they work.
Nurse Practitioners - Advanced nurse practitioners (APN's) are licensed to assessed, treat and in some cases prescribe medication for the clients they see. A rapidly developing field of private practice, nurse practitioners are highly trained clinicians whose medical background and experience gives them great professional understanding of the perinatal period.
Psychiatrist - Is an MD who has chosen to use his dedicate his practice to the field of psychiatry. Psychiatrists assess, evaluate and treat clients and may prescribe medication or admit clients to an inpatient program where they may remain under their care. Psychiatrists may offer therapy themselves or make therapy referrals to social workers, nurse practitioners or psychologists.
Always ask what specific training your provider has had in perinatal mood disorders regardless of their degrees/licensure to ensure the best possible match between your needs and his/her professional expertise. A mental health provider with this specialty should be able to see you within 48 hours of referral, sooner if there is an emergency.
Blue Skye Consulting LLC, has helped thousands of women and families in northern NJ (Bergen, Hudson, Essex, Passaic) and the New York City metro area recover from mental health issues. We frequently receive out of state referrals who come here to consult on PPD issues, receive education and training or initiate assessment and treatment. Blue Skye Consulting is able to offer discounted rates at two area hotels for those who come to our faclity for training, case consultation or initial assessment.
It is very important that your therapist or mental health provider have received specialty training in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of perinatal mood disorders. If you are outside Blue Skye's cachement area,
Please visit the MedEdPPD website for listings of providers who have completed online training courses in this specialty. The MedEdPPD website was originally funded by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health and offers training modules and webcasts/audiocasts - presented by nationally recognized experts - on many crucial areas associated with treating this population
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