When people think about mental health management, all too often their focus narrows to therapy. While this is an important element of the process, a sister consideration is medication management.
This aspect of ongoing care is typically guided not by counselors themselves, but by pharmacists. Pharmacists and mental health counselors approach the same goal. They just do it from different angles. One works with brain chemistry. The other works with behavioral patterns. Together, they provide support that results in a unified outcome.
In this article, we take a look at how both professions shape mental health care.
The Pharmacist’s Role in Mental Health
Pharmacists, naturally enough, are not frequently thought of in the grand mental health picture. Maybe this is because the expertise they lend to mental health management is the same sort of support they provide to people dealing with chronic pain or other medical symptoms.
In any case, their role is important.
In the context of mental health care, medication therapy management is one of the most important responsibilities in the process. It involves reviewing all of the medications that a patient takes to catch interactions and minimize side effects. Pharmacists also optimize doses and may even deprescribe medications that are no longer needed or are causing harm.
They’ll also often be the ones monitoring for adverse effects, including metabolic changes that are common with antipsychotics. They’re also often the most invisible resource available when it comes to answering patient questions or simply providing emotional support.
Where Pharmacists Work
Pharmacists in this role may work in hospital psychiatric units, outpatient psychiatric clinics, or even community pharmacies.
While many people experience pharmacists as little more than extremely well-paid clerks, they actually lend an enormous amount of ongoing care to anyone with chronic conditions.
Another way to think about it is this: You may see your psychiatric nurse practitioner or counselor a few times a year. You could see your pharmacist weekly, depending on what kind of medications you’re on. That relationship becomes an important aspect of the care process.
How to Become a Pharmacist
Becoming a pharmacist is difficult in that it requires a Doctor of Pharmacy degree. These educational programs take four years of postgraduate study.
The pharmacist will then need to become board certified, which requires external examinations and practice hours.
To further complicate things, there are also specialized training programs and certifications that pharmacists can complete to deepen their understanding. In this case, for example, pharmacists can complete psychiatric pharmacy residency programs to further their expertise.
The Mental Health Counselor’s Role in Mental Health Care
Naturally, it’s easier to imagine what mental health counselors do for managing psychiatric symptoms.
This position typically requires a master’s degree in counseling, clinical psychology, social work, or marriage and family therapy. The specific licensure will depend on the title. For example, common credentials include LPC, LMHC, or LCSW.
In any case, a significant number of supervised clinical hours are required after graduation. While this number can vary by state, it can total as many as 4,000 hours before full licensure is granted.
Once a counselor is fully licensed, they’ll use a variety of methods to diagnose and manage symptoms. One of the most common and well-known methods is talk therapy. During talk therapy, a licensed counselor will use a variety of modalities, including cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and psychodynamic therapy.
Within this framework, diagnoses are rendered and conditions are treated. Medication is only one part of the treatment plan. Typically, if medication is used at all, it will be incorporated alongside goal setting, progress tracking, and continuous communication and collaboration between the patient and the provider.
Crisis intervention may also be an important part of their work, depending on the needs of the patient. For example, if a patient is going through a difficult period of time or even having a particularly difficult day emotionally, it is the counselor’s role to help see them through it and provide the immediate support they require.
Where the Two Roles Intersect
In an integrated care model, professionals from every aspect of the healthcare community come together to provide their expertise. If someone’s knowledge is relevant to a patient’s treatment, an integrated care model would have them working directly with the mental health team to provide the most robust support possible.
Naturally, in this case, that means counselors working alongside pharmacists in the ways described above. Counselors do have an understanding of medication, but it is not nearly as robust as that of a pharmacist. This collaboration goes a long way toward keeping patients safe in the long term.
Why This Coordination Matters
In modern healthcare, synchronicity is a more important consideration than ever before. Professionals across disciplines work together to deliver better and more complete support for their patients.
It’s good for the system in that it makes American healthcare stronger and more robust. It’s very good for patients because they are seen more completely by the professionals who are meant to care for them.
It’s also good for job candidates. If you’ve long been interested in healthcare but have never been sure exactly what capacity you would like to apply your talents in, it’s helpful to know that there are more options than may have originally been obvious to you.
Many people don’t first think of pharmacology when they imagine a career in psychiatric health services. But, as you can hopefully see by now, it’s a genuinely impactful and relevant skill set that is shaping patient outcomes.
There are so many ways to participate in healthcare. Find the one that works for you.