Researching Psychologists

May 13, 2004 6:00 PM

What are good ways to find out if a psychologist is for real, or an unlicensed quack? What resources are out there on the Web?
posted by inksyndicate to Computers & Internet (6 answers total)

Every state should have a Board of Psychology, or something along those lines. Your profile says you are in California, so here's California's, and here's a search engine they have where you can look up individual practitioners.
posted by kickingtheground at 6:09 PM on May 13, 2004

Response by poster: Oh, very nice, thanks.
posted by inksyndicate at 6:23 PM on May 13, 2004

Response by poster: What if it says they're inactive, and only able to practice under a certain supervisor? What does that really mean?
posted by inksyndicate at 6:25 PM on May 13, 2004

I think that means "stay away". Call the Cali Board of Psych, or the supervisor to find out for sure.
posted by daver at 8:42 PM on May 13, 2004

If they are inactive, that means they have decided not to renew their license, for whatever reason. They should not be practicing, or offering their services as a psychologist.

In the licensure process, there is a stage (in California) in which people are able to practice under supervision - pre-licensure. They can be called registered psychologists or psychological assistants. It means that they will be (or should be) discussing their cases with a supervisor.

This is not necessarily a bad thing. Many pre-licensed psychologists offer great services, and are often a lot cheaper than the licensed kind (they're just starting out typically). But ethical and legal guidelines mean that they should be clear with you about their licensure status, and about what it means for their services with you.
posted by jasper411 at 3:50 PM on May 14, 2004

You can call mental health agencies and ask for recommendations. Or ask your insurance company. Some companies have Employee Assistance programs that have referrals. Do a phone interview, make sure they'll take your insurance. Ask for level of education - where did they get the education, ask about certifications and licenses. Ask what sort of therapy they do. Talk for a couple of minutes, and see if they sound reasonable. If they won't do a phone interview, I'd move on.
posted by theora55 at 4:03 PM on May 14, 2004