A teenager struggling with panic attacks. A new mother overwhelmed by postpartum depression. An adult trying to break free from alcohol dependence. A senior navigating grief after losing a spouse. Each may need mental health support, but they probably don't need the same kind.
Different approaches to mental health support rely on professionals with different training and expertise working together to meet people where they are.
At Montage Health, those professionals include psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, creative arts therapists, substance use specialists, and many others working across outpatient and inpatient services. They all share a common goal of providing care that matches a patient’s individual needs.
"Every person who comes to us is experiencing something unique,” says Alexandra Keller, MSN, Montage Health’s administrative director of behavioral health services. “Each clinician’s expertise is valuable in ensuring patients receive personalized care.”
What’s the difference between a psychiatrist and psychologist?
Psychiatrists are doctors who diagnose mental health conditions, prescribe medication, and manage treatment plans. They typically help patients experiencing conditions like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and post-traumatic stress disorder, coordinating all aspects of a patient's mental health treatment into a comprehensive care plan.
Psychologists hold doctoral degrees and specialize in psychological assessment, testing, diagnosis, and therapy.
Unlike psychiatrists, psychologists don’t prescribe medication. They often focus on understanding how thoughts, emotions, behaviors, learning patterns, and life experiences affect mental health. Psychologists may conduct:
- Psychological evaluations
- Cognitive testing
- Individual and/or family therapy
- Evidence-based treatments for trauma, grief, and more
For patients seeking answers about learning challenges, memory concerns, or complex mental health symptoms, psychologists can provide valuable insight.
Psychiatric nurse practitioners
Psychiatric nurse practitioners can also diagnose mental health conditions, provide therapy, and prescribe medications.
These advanced practice providers bring a nursing perspective that often emphasizes the connection between physical and mental health. They help patients manage medications, monitor symptoms, and build practical strategies for improving daily functioning.
As demand for mental health services rises, psychiatric nurse practitioners have become an increasingly important part of expanding access to care.
Psychiatric nurses
Psychiatric nurses are frequently on the front lines of mental health treatment in hospital settings. They conduct mental health assessments, administer medications and other treatments, coordinate care with the broader team, and support patients in moving through hospitalization and recovery.
What are some of the different types of therapists?
When someone says they're "seeing a therapist," they may be working with a marriage and family therapist, clinical social worker, or occupational therapist. These clinicians diagnose mental health conditions and provide therapy but don’t prescribe medication. Therapists help people:
- Navigate relationship challenges
- Process grief and loss
- Recover from trauma
- Improve communication skills
- Build healthy coping strategies
For many people, therapy becomes a place to untangle difficult emotions, practice new skills, and gain perspective.
Clinical social workers
Housing, finances, family relationships, transportation, and employment can all affect mental and emotional well-being. Clinical social workers help patients navigate those challenges while also providing therapy, crisis intervention, and other mental health treatments.
They often serve as bridges between healthcare systems and community resources, helping patients access support that extends beyond the therapy office.
Occupational therapists
Mental health conditions can make it difficult to maintain routines, attend school, hold a job, manage daily responsibilities, or participate in social activities. Occupational therapists help people rebuild those skills. They may work on:
- Daily routines
- Time management
- Sensory regulation
- Stress management
- Social skills
- Executive functioning
Their goal is to help people participate more fully in the activities that matter most to them.
Music and art therapists
At programs like Ohana, Montage Health's youth and family mental health service, creative therapies can provide additional ways for people to express emotions, process experiences, and build resilience.
Music therapists use songwriting, listening, lyric analysis, singing, and instruments to support emotional and cognitive growth, while art therapists use drawing, painting, sculpting, and other creative activities to help people explore feelings that may be difficult to put into words.
Do I need a psychiatrist or therapist?
Therapists help people work through emotional challenges, build coping skills, and make lasting behavioral changes, while psychiatrists diagnose mental health conditions, prescribe medications, and manage treatment plans. Many people benefit from both, and a mental health assessment can help determine the best place to start.
Behavioral specialists and substance use counselors
Behavioral specialists focus on education and skill development, often in group settings where patients learn and practice tools to manage mental health challenges. Their work emphasizes practical strategies that can be applied in everyday situations, from coping with stress to improving emotional regulation.
Substance use disorder counselors support individuals working through addiction by combining counseling with structured treatment planning. They help patients with relapse prevention, build recovery strategies, and connect with ongoing support systems that extend beyond formal treatment.
A continuum of mental health treatment
“Our mental health services are designed as a continuum,” Keller says, “so people can move between care levels as their needs change. We're here to help people find the right setting at the right moment.”
Whether someone is seeking outpatient or inpatient treatment, addiction recovery services, crisis support, or something else, Montage Health offers a spectrum of care designed to meet people where they are and help them move toward where they want to be.
Learn about mental health services
