How would I go through college to get these degrees and are they ALL necessary to be a psychotherapist?

MrsDuran said on June 28th, 2010 at 5:58 pm

You would have to go to medical school and then specialize in Psychiatry. Only medical doctors (and Psychiatrists) can prescribe medications, unless you want to be a Nurse Practitioner (N.P.). They can prescribe meds, too.
Ũniνέгsäl Рдnтs™ said on June 29th, 2010 at 4:37 am

These days you’d need a doctoral level degree in psychology or counseling, or a master’s in clinical social work, and that would not include medication prescription.

That person has a psych degree, a nurse practitioner degree and a certification for prescribing medications.

Edit: You’d be looking at a lot of years of school to do that… six years for an MSW, then start nursing school. Here’s what I would recommend:

Start with nursing, but take lot’s of social work classes for your electives… become a nurse practitioner, and get the medications certification. The person whose credentials you cite had a midlife change of goals…