types of mental health professionals

Mental Health Professionals in India: A Quick Guide

Types of Mental Health Professionals in India – Counsellor – Clinical Psychologist – Rehabilitation Psychologist – Psychiatrist.

Table of Contents

are mental health professionals At the core, all Mental Health Professionals are trained to help their clients. However, the basic yet essential difference lies in their expertise. Henceforth, when choosing a therapist you need to consider several factors.
Let us understand the different types of professions in mental healthcare in India and how they can help you. 

You must have found yourself using the term “therapist” in a broader sense. Do you know why? It’s because the term “therapist” is used for a clinician who helps you with mental health concerns. 

However, Psychologists with doctorate degrees (PhD or PsyD) are called therapists too. 

There are no clear distinctions between the educational qualifications of a counsellor and a therapist. Registration under the Central Rehabilitation Register (CRR) requires a therapist to complete a master’s degree (MA/MSc) in psychology or an equivalent. They also need to pursue an RCI-recognised program. 

Counsellor 

Counsellors are clinicians trained to provide support to clients during challenging phases. Their focus is on helping you sail through the present situations/challenges. Hence, counselling is usually short-term, unlike therapy. 

 A counsellor is usually found engaging with educational institutes (schools and colleges), and community centres. However, India lacks a concrete definition of how a counsellor or a counselling psychologist can engage. Become a Counsellor in India:

Educational Qualifications  

  1. Graduating in Psychology, Counselling Psychology, Sports Psychology, or an equivalent discipline.
  2. Completing a master’s degree or a diploma course with the RCI’s (Rehabilitation Council of India) recognition. For example, you can do an Advanced Diploma in Child Guidance and Counselling (ADCGC) to work with children and adolescents. To be a Rehabilitation Counsellor, you must complete a Postgraduate Diploma in Rehabilitation Psychology (PGDRP).

Scope of Counselling in India  

  1. School and career counselling: School and career counsellors aim to help students with their day-to-day issues. They practice in academic settings like schools and universities. A counsellor conducts sessions either individually or in groups depending on the mode of therapy and their patient’s needs.
  1. Rehabilitation counselling: A rehabilitation counsellor helps people who have experienced adverse effects of disabilities. These disabilities can be caused by birth, illnesses, accidents, or other causes. Rehabilitation counsellors work in NGOs, clinics, and hospitals. They help their clients become self-sufficient by following a one-on-one approach.

Other common counselling services include marriage and family counselling, mental health counselling and addiction counselling.   

Clinical Psychologist 

A clinical psychologist are mental health professionals who uses their knowledge of science, theory, and practical experience to help people with their mental health. They assess, diagnose, and plan treatment for mental health disorders. They can also conduct psychological and neuropsychological tests to understand how the brain is working. 

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), clinical psychologists:  

  • Provide ongoing and extensive mental health treatment to their patient.  
  • Consult and work with agencies, communities, hospitals, and so on.  
  • Provide training, education, and supervision to other mental health trainees.  

 

Educational Qualifications  

S. No. Before *After 
  1.  
Completion of a 3-year bachelor’s degree preferably in Psychology or any other subject. Completion of master’s in psychology (MA/M.Sc.).  4-year (NHEQF 6) Bachelor’s (Hons) in Psychology with a minimum 60% average 

Or 

3-year bachelor’s with Psychology as a core/major subject + 2-year master’s in psychology (NHEQF 6.5) with minimum 60% average 

Or 

4-year Bachelor’s (Hons) in Psychology + 1-year Master’s (NHEQF 6.5) with minimum 60% average 

 

     2.Professional Diploma in Clinical Psychology (PDCP) (1 year) 

Or 

M.Phil. in Clinical Psychology (2 years) 

Or 

Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology (4 years) 

Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Psychology (1 year; NHEQF 6.5). It was formerly known as the Professional Diploma in Clinical Psychology (PDCP). 

Or 

M.A. or M.Psy in Clinical Psychology (2 years; NHEQF 7). It is similar to the present M.Phil. course. 

Or 

Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology (4 years; NHEQF 8) 

* RCI has introduced the “Professional Track for Education and Training in Clinical Psychology.” It has considered the suggestions by NITI Aayog and UGC. These changes are effective from the academic session of 2024-25. 

After the completion of education, you can obtain registration in the CRR. 

Scope of Clinical Psychology in India 

  1. After one year of the PDCP, you can become a “Clinical Psychologist (Associate)” under CRR. You can work in various service settings (non-teaching) as specialists. 
  2. After two years of MA/M Psych. (formerly M.Phil.), you can work both as a faculty and a mental health practitioner. You can provide mental health services in schools, hospitals, rehabilitation centres, and other mental health settings. You can also start your private practice.
  3. Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology emphasises clinical practice and applied research. It acquaints you as a trainee with therapeutic and practical skills. After Psy.D., you can take up the senior roles of consultant, researcher, supervisor, and trainer in clinical psychology. 

Rehabilitation Psychologist 

Rehabilitation psychologists are mental health professionals who help people with disabilities to overcome challenges in their social and physical surroundings. They differ from clinical psychologists as the latter focus more on individual mental health. 

Educational Qualifications 

The educational qualifications of a Rehabilitation psychologist are the same as a Clinical psychologist until the master’s degree. After this, you complete your M. Phil. In Rehabilitation Psychology (2 years). 

Scope of Rehabilitation Psychology in India 

Rehabilitation psychologists most commonly work in diverse settings including: 

  1. Acute care hospitals and healthcare centres 
  2. Inpatient and outpatient physical rehabilitation units/centres 
  3. Assisted living and long-term care facilities 
  4. Specialty clinics (e.g., pain centres, sports injury centres, cardiac rehabilitation facilities) 
  5. Community agencies serving people with specific disabilities or chronic health conditions 
  6. Drug rehabilitation centres to help people with long-term substance abuse 
  7. NGOs, private organisations, and government facilities 

Psychiatrist 

Psychiatrists are doctors specialising in physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R). They diagnose their patients, treat them with a treatment plan, and prevent mental, emotional, and behavioural disorders. They do this through a combination of psychiatric medicine, physical exams and lab tests. 

Educational Qualifications 

  1. Completing 12th Grade in Science Stream (mandatory subjects: Physics, Chemistry and Biology). 
  2. Clearing National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) to get admission to MBBS programs.  
  3. Pursuing MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) of 5.5 years including 1 year of internship. 
  4. Clearing NEET PG to get admission to the MD (Doctor of Medicine) Psychiatry program. 
  5. Completing MD in Psychiatry of 3 years.  
  6. Registering with the Medical Council of India (MCI) and State Medical Council to get a medical license.

After this, you can start practising as a psychiatrist. 

Scope of psychiatry in India 

A psychiatrist can work as the following after completing MD psychiatry: 

  1. Child and adolescent psychiatrist 
  2. Forensic psychiatrist 
  3. Clinical psychiatrist 
  4. Neuropsychiatrist 
  5. Prison psychiatrist 

Psychiatrists can work in hospitals, private clinics government hospitals, social care units, and more. 

Conclusion  

The guidelines to become Mental Health Professional in India have been changing. Hence, it becomes equally important for you to know what sets one MHP apart from the other. This way you can make informed decisions about making a career in this field. It also makes you an aware individual. 

It is important to note that no Mental Health Professional holds a superior position or is better than the other. Each of them specialises in following different approaches suitable for a certain kind of population. The right Mental Health Professional also knows when to refer their clients to another professional when a case is out of their expertise. 

 

Note: This blog is not medical advice or a substitute for any type of healthcare advice given under the care of a qualified Mental Health Professional. The content is only for informational purposes. If you are struggling and need help, contact the emergency helpline number in your country. 

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