What types of therapists offer grief therapy?

Searching for a therapist can be confusing as there are many different titles and specialties that it's hard to know which offer services for grief therapy. Psychotherapy is the most common type of therapy for treating grief as psychotherapists have specialized training and licensures in treating mental health. Psychotherapists use talk-therapy to help people find healthier ways to cope with stress, emotional issues, and overcome unwanted behaviors or thinking patterns. The most practical difference between psychotherapists is the framework they use for treating mental health. It is a good idea to know what type of framework a psychotherapist uses to make sure you know what to expect during treatment. This article outlines the differences in therapy, therapists and the frameworks commonly used to treat mental health.

What are the different types of therapy?

Therapy by definition is the attempted remediation of a health problem. Health problems can vary greatly and require vastly different methods of treatment. Below are a few examples of different types of therapies you may have heard of:

Psychotherapy

• Therapy through talking. Psychotherapy can be helpful for treating many mental health needs such as grief, trauma, depression, anxiety, phobias or mood and personality disorders. Therapists that use psychotherapy are called Psychotherapists.

Art Therapy

• Therapy through drawing, painting, coloring or other creative techniques. Art therapy can be helpful to interpret nonverbal messages, symbols and metaphors found in someone's art that can help give a better understanding of their feelings and behaviors.

Physical Therapy

• Therapy through physical movement. Physical therapy can be helpful to restore functional movements such as standing, walking or moving of different body parts as the result of injury, disability or other health problems.

What are the different types of therapists?

Mental health professionals, such as Social Workers, Mental Health Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists, Psychologists and Psychiatrists are all therapists. The main differences between these titles is the level of education achieved and the ability to prescribe medication. Mental health professionals will have a masters degree while Psychologists and Psychiatrists have doctoral degrees. Of all of these titles, Psychiatrists are the only ones that can prescribe medication as they are required to to attend medical school and complete a residency program. Below are some additional details on these types of therapists:

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

• Psychotherapists who have an LCSW have extensive professional training and expertise in mental health. They have a Masters of Social Work degree and have their clinical licensure. They provide psychotherapy, counseling, and talk-therapy to patients.

Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)

• These psychotherapists have a Masters of Counseling degree or Masters of Psychology degree. They utilize psychotherapy and individual interventions to help patients.

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)

• These types of psychotherapists have a Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy. They focus on treating mental health disorders as they relate to a person’s family and relationships.

Psychologist (PsyD or PhD)

• Psychotherapists with a Doctor of Psychology degree are trained in the scientific study of psychology and apply this to their practice.

Psychiatrist (MD)

• Psychiatrists are medical doctors specializing in diagnosing and treating mental illness. To become a psychiatrist, a person must attend medical school and complete a residency program.

The difference in degree does not mean psychologists or psychiatrists should be more highly desired when seeking therapy. In fact, mental health professionals may be more specialized on your specific therapeutic need than a psychologist or psychiatrist. Some psychologists and psychiatrists might not even offer therapy or may focus more on research than therapy. For many mental health disorders, you will likely need to see both a therapist and a psychiatrist in conjunction to receive therapy and medication as a part of your treatment.

Ultimately, the most important criteria to consider when looking for a therapist is to find someone you are comfortable with as that will allow you to be more open and honest about your personal, intimate details. If you're looking for a therapist that's a good fit, here are some questions you can ask.

What are the different frameworks psychotherapists use?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

• CBT examines the interconnected relationship between feelings, thoughts, and emotions. The overarching idea is that many people with anxiety or depression hold onto negative perspectives about themselves, other people, and the world. By examining and changing these thoughts, people can start to feel better and improve how they cope in life. As a result, they can have an improved sense of self and healthier relationships. Today, CBT is one of the most popular psychotherapy models worldwide. Practitioners use CBT to treat nearly every mental health issue.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)

• DBT is designed to rewire a person's mind when it comes to coping and reacting to stressful situations or psychological distress. This happens by teaching people how to accept that their behaviors and experiences are valid as well as how to change their behaviors to move forward in a positive way.

Humanistic Therapy

• Emphasizes the person and their ability to help themselves. There are three types of humanistic therapy:

  • Client-centered therapy emphasizes care, interest, and concern in a way that allows a person to make their own choices.

  • Gestalt therapy encourages a person to accept that they are responsible for themselves, and it emphasizes the awareness of being in the moment.

  • Existential therapy focuses heavily on self-determination, free will and finding meaning in one’s own life.

Psychodynamic Therapy

• Psychodynamic therapy focuses on how a person's past experiences affect their current behavior. It is designed to help a person look inward and gain self-awareness around their behavioral patterns. In this type of therapy, a person examines their past relationships and how they guide their current behaviors.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

• In this type of therapy, people learn to stop avoiding, denying, and struggling with their inner emotions. They learn to accept that these deeper feelings are appropriate responses to certain situations. With this understanding, a person can begin to accept their hardships and commit to making necessary changes in their behavior, regardless of what is going on in their lives and how they feel about it.

If you're new to grief and grief therapy, you should checkout our other grief articles.

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