Prism Healing Arts, LLC
Guide to Mental Health in Ohio
Chemical Dependency Counselor: licensed by state; Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC)
treatment and assessment
Counselor: licensed by the state: master’s level is a Professional Counselor (PC); clinical endorsement is
post-Masters, Professional Clinical Counselor (PCC); supervisory status adds an S (PCC/S)
diagnosis, treatment, assessment
Marriage and Family Therapist: licensed by the state, master or doctoral level Licensed Marriage and
Family Therapist (LMFT)
specialized in marriage and family treatment
Nurse: licensed by state; must have clinical endorsement, Registered Nurse/Clinical (RN/C)
treatment, assessment
Psychiatrist: licensed by the state, medical doctor (MD, DO)
diagnosis; medication evaluation and prescribing, treatment and monitoring; assessment
Psychologist: licensed by the state, doctoral level (Ed.D., Ph.D. or Psy.D.)
diagnosis, treatment, assessment
Social Worker: licensed by the state; BA level is a Licensed Social Worker (LSW); master or doctoral
level is a Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW)
LISW diagnosis, treatment, assessment
(Note: other physicians also prescribe and monitor psychotropic medications; Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants also have limited prescription rights under supervision)
Behavioral: focus is on actual behavior, working with stress/relaxation/body work
Bibliotherapy: use of written resources (books, pamphlets, articles, on-line)
Cognitive: focus on thought processes, especially faulty thinking
Cognitive/Behavioral: a combination that addresses thoughts, feelings and behaviors
E-Therapy: therapy through the Internet, may be real time or lapsed time
Expressive: use of movement, dance, art, and music to express feelings
Family: utilizes counseling with the entire family
Family Systems: addresses family dynamics, past and present, can be done with one person
Feminist: recognizes that gender, age, race, ethnic, and other factors play a part in mental health
Gestalt: a more existential approach, examining the whole
Group: small group of people with a common experience or concern
Marriage: addresses couples needs and issues, do not have to be married
Medication: use of drugs to alleviate symptoms, treat disorders
Psychoanalysis: lengthy intensive process to uncover childhood events leading to current situation
What are your qualifications?
What experience do you have in (area, issue, topic)?
What experience do you have working with (people like me, people with my concerns)?
What types of therapy do you offer? What do you offer for (your concern)?
How do you decide what needs to be done, and how do we evaluate my progress?
What code of ethics are you bound by?
Have you ever been sanctioned or lost your credentials due to a legal or ethical violation?
How long are sessions?
What are the fees, and your billing practices?
What happens if I miss a session?
What is your cancellation policy?
What should I do in an emergency/crisis?
What do you do if this doesn’t work out? Who do you normally refer people to?