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Mental health professionals are experts who help diagnose and treat patients with mental health disorders. People who work in this field come from various backgrounds and have specialties in different aspects of mental health care.

Some mental health professionals specialize in treating specific disorders. Others may specialize in treating specific demographic groups (such as psychotherapists who work with children or with couples). Some professionals also help people find services in the community, such as financial aid, jobs and housing. In addition to these specializations, some mental health professionals may use specific types of therapy. These include group therapy, cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and play therapy.

All mental health professionals receive extensive training in their field. This usually involves education at the graduate level or beyond, as well as a period of supervised work experience that in some cases lasts for several years. States usually license mental health professionals, although the qualifications for achieving such licensure vary from state to state and depend on the type of mental health professional receiving licensure. Finally, mental health professionals often receive accreditation from national associations devoted to their field of treatment and research.

All reputable mental health professionals share the same vow to keep a patient’s information confidential. However, these therapists are bound by law to report certain behavior to the proper authorities, including patients’ threats to injure themselves or others, or some illegal acts (e.g., child abuse, pedophilia).

Acknowledging the need for mental health treatment is an important first step to improving one’s mental health. However, it is just the beginning of the process. Patients are urged to carefully consider the type of mental health professional who might serve their needs best. The more comfortable a patient is with a therapist, the more successful treatment is likely to be.