The last decade or so, the American Psychological Association has been pushing for psychologists to get prescription privileges. Why? Follow the money. The American Psychiatric Association is against prescription privileges for psychologists. Why? Because their incomes would go down, with so many more qualified mental health professionals able to prescribe. The only possible good that I see that could come out of psychologists being able to prescribe is that then I'd be recognized by the mental health system as a medical professional who is qualified to help people get off of psychotropic medications if they so desired. Unfortunately, overall, I'm sure the number of people on psychiatric medications would rise dramatically as, one by one, psychologists stopped doing therapy, and turned to only prescribing meds to raise their incomes.
Take a look at this article that just came out in The New York Times, "Talk Doesn't Pay, So Psychiatry Turns to Drug Therapy." One of the psychiatrists interviewed even admitted, "...it's the relationship that gets people better."
The last decade or so, the American Psychological Association has been pushing for psychologists to get prescription privileges. Why? Follow the money. The American Psychiatric Association is against prescription privileges for psychologists. Why? Because their incomes would go down, with so many more qualified mental health professionals able to prescribe. The only possible good that I see that could come out of psychologists being able to prescribe is that then I'd be recognized by the mental health system as a medical professional who is qualified to help people get off of psychotropic medications if they so desired. Unfortunately, overall, I'm sure the number of people on psychiatric medications would rise dramatically as, one by one, psychologists stopped doing therapy, and turned to only prescribing meds to raise their incomes.
2 Comments
Craig Newnes
3/12/2011 02:28:59 am
People don't "get better" as generally those that see Psychiatrists or Psychologists are not ill. Relationships certainly change and shape people - for good or worse is in the` eye of the beholder. Either way, Big Pharma will soon bypass psychologists as subscribers - there are far more underpaid nurses out there who want to prescribe.
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3/23/2011 03:01:44 am
Drugs have there place but they are not the answer. In my practice, tension and discomfort literally drops away as people talk about their lives. Talking helps people to release... it's that simple. Drugs cannot replace a kind and empathetic ear. Be well.. Nancy T.
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AuthorSarah Edmonds, PhD is a licensed psychologist, a mom, an activist, and a lover of dance. Archives
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