Just Psychotherapy??

[stigmata]

I find it more than a little weird that many students, interns and even practicing psychologists think that psychological clinical work is mostly or all psychotherapy? In a recent post in the advanced practice psychology thread, some asked me "if you don't do psychotherapy, what do you do" in response to me posting about integrating psychopharmacology into clinical practice. Of course as an RxP trained psychologist I do quite a lot of medication consultation assessments, but I have always done quite a lot of diagnostic assessments and those 2 forms of clinical assessment make up most of my practice. Am I the only one doing this?? I don't think so. When I say assessment I am not talking about a full psych eval, but good old fashioned clinical interviewing. Note to students, it is much more profitable to do clinical assessments, meds or no meds and make referrals to appropriate services than doing psychotherapy as a majoe part of your practice.

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[erg923]

so you can prescribe and do med assessments in Wyoming?

 

[stigmata]

No/yes, and Yes

 

[erg923]

Can you expand on that please...

 

[stigmata]

I am not sure what you want me to expand upon? I spend most of my clinical time doing medication consultations.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I can't imagine doing "psychotherapy only". It would be a poor cost/benefit choice for most anyone who pursues a Ph.D. or Psy.D. to only do therapy. If I had my druthers I'd spend 0% of my time doing therapy.

 

[DrGero]

I currently do a very approximate 25-25-25 percent split of my time doing research-related activities, advising and consulting with clinical staff, and doing psychological assessment. About 10 percent of my remaining time is administrative stuff, and with that final chunk remaining I do psychotherapy with patients (typically brief therapy).

I understand the VA is going to be hiring MFTs at some point in the future. LCSWs and MFTs are really the ones to look to when it comes to doing therapy stuff. As people have already said, it doesn't seem to be the best use (particularly exclusively) of a psychologist's time.

However, I mostly enjoy the therapy work, so I may add back in a therapy group to my clinical program in the future - particularly once I regain my practicum students next year to help me out (I couldn't have them this year due to family leave issues).

 

[stigmata]

I could prescribe quite easily in Wyoming at FE Warren AFB or with the IHS. Instead I have found it more profitable, with less liability to simply serve as a consultant to primary care providers. They send me their patients, I assess them and tell the medical provider what to Rx or order (labwork etc..) and they do it. I have done the same thing in California and Colorado, and there has always been much more demand than I can supply.

 

[erg923]

Thats whyat I meant by expand your response. How/when did you do the Rx thing? Post-doc psychopharm cert or PA or NP degree?

 

[stigmata]

I did the PPR thing 10 years ago, and completed a post-doc MS a few years ago at Alliant. I have worked in primary care for over 10 years as well.