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Many different formal qualifications include talking-therapy training, either as a dominant part of the course, or as an optional aspect.
Potential therapists include, but are not limited to:
* Clinical (rather than research) psychologists.
* Psychiatrists (most can, some prefer to stick to the diagnostic & neurochemical aspect of the job).
* Mental health nurses (some). AKA Psychiatric nurses, possibly AKA other things.
* Social workers (some).
* Occupational therapists (some).
* Counsellors (ideally all, but some 'counselling' courses .. fratch.)
* Also: many, but not all, religious personnel - priests, rabbis, imams, monks, nuns, etc. It comes under the 'pastoral care' aspect of their training; aka 'helping the congregation'.
Before mental health came under the practice of (western) medicine, it was the religious people who tended to the grief-stricken, the worried 'well', and the 'village idiot'.
That training is still part of their curriculum, and many (but not all) religions have also embraced modern techniques.
Be aware, if you choose to go this path, that a religious-based counsellor is going to have a religious bias; even if they make a conscious attempt not to influence you, its part of who they are.
However, if you yourself share a religion with that counsellor, it can be a GREAT way to get free counselling; or counselling in exchange for something you can afford to give or for charitable work.
Potential therapists include, but are not limited to:
* Clinical (rather than research) psychologists.
* Psychiatrists (most can, some prefer to stick to the diagnostic & neurochemical aspect of the job).
* Mental health nurses (some). AKA Psychiatric nurses, possibly AKA other things.
* Social workers (some).
* Occupational therapists (some).
* Counsellors (ideally all, but some 'counselling' courses .. fratch.)
* Also: many, but not all, religious personnel - priests, rabbis, imams, monks, nuns, etc. It comes under the 'pastoral care' aspect of their training; aka 'helping the congregation'.
Before mental health came under the practice of (western) medicine, it was the religious people who tended to the grief-stricken, the worried 'well', and the 'village idiot'.
That training is still part of their curriculum, and many (but not all) religions have also embraced modern techniques.
Be aware, if you choose to go this path, that a religious-based counsellor is going to have a religious bias; even if they make a conscious attempt not to influence you, its part of who they are.
However, if you yourself share a religion with that counsellor, it can be a GREAT way to get free counselling; or counselling in exchange for something you can afford to give or for charitable work.
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