Operational Stress Injury Clinic

Understanding the health care professions

There are many different professional groups represented at the OSI Clinic, and each plays a unique role. However, these differences are not always clear to the general public. This is why some people who use health services are puzzled by the number of different professionals they are asked to see. This section gives a brief overview of those professions and what they do.

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor (MD) who has taken an additional 4 – 5 years of training in mental health. Psychiatrists provide psychotherapy, medication therapy, and consultation, but their exclusive or unique service is the use of medication. A consult with a psychiatrist would be recommended to assess your overall medical history, your specific OSI concerns, and to discuss whether or not medication would be helpful.

A psychologist is a professional who has earned PhD or PsyD (a doctorate, hence their use of “Doctor”) in psychology and qualified as a Clinical Psychologist. Psychologists provide psychological assessments, psychotherapy, and consultation. Their exclusive or unique area of practice is standardized assessment. You would see a psychologist for detailed testing, usually completed on paper, and for ongoing therapy.

A clinical social worker is a professional who has earned a Masters of Social Work degree. Most clinical social workers have focused their training on working with couples and families, and in their work they emphasize the impact of relationships on health. Social workers may also provide individual therapy. Many clients at the clinic make use of our couples therapy services, since it helps support overall effectiveness in treatment.

A nurse therapist is a professional who has earned a nursing degree and qualified as a Registered Nurse in the province, and has acquired additional experience in the assessment and treatment of mental health problems. They provide overall health assessments, continuity of care in between medical appointments, and health education on matters such as depression, anxiety, the effects of medication, and other topics.

During the time you receive services here, you may be asked to see more than one of these clinicians. This is because each has unique areas of expertise and skill, and because the best treatment for OSIs involves an expert team rather than an individual clinician. If you have questions about what each person has to offer you, we encourage you to ask them directly so you can better understand your services.