Transcript Collaboration between Psychiatrists, Psychologists and Counselors

Collaboration between
Psychiatrists, Psychologists and
Counselors
Kimani Githongo J.
June 15th 2013
overlapping professions
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Psychiatry, psychology and Counseling are overlapping professions.
Practitioners in both – psychiatrists, psychologists and Counselors
-- are mental health professionals. Their area of expertise is the
mind -- and the way it affects behavior and well-being.They often
work together to prevent, diagnose, and treat mental illness. And
both are committed to helping people stay mentally well.
But there are differences between psychiatry, psychology and
Counseling. Clients seeking help in mental health issues sometimes
find those differences confusing. To make matters even more
confusing, psychiatrists and psychologists aren't the only mental
health professionals you can choose from. There are mental health
counselors, social workers, nurses, and others who deal with issues
of mental health. The multiple approaches to treatment, ranging
from counseling to various forms of psychotherapy, also confuses
not only our clients but also other professionals and sometimes
policy makers to the detriment of the whole mental health system.
differences
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But there are differences between psychiatry, psychology and
Counseling.
Trainings and professional level are not the same.
Clients seeking help in mental health issues sometimes find those
differences confusing.
To make matters even more confusing, psychiatrists and
psychologists aren't the only mental health professionals you can
choose from.
There are mental health counselors, social workers, nurses, and
others who deal with issues of mental health.
The multiple approaches to treatment, ranging from counseling to
various forms of psychotherapy, also confuses not only our clients
but also other professionals and sometimes policy makers to the
detriment of the whole mental health system.
Nevertheless collaboration is practical
Collaboration
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I am here to humbly request this general assembly of more
collaboration, cooperation, and mutuality in all areas that we
can be able to work together and notably:Mutual consultations on mental assessments, diagnosis and
referrals
A two way update on the regime of care and management
of patients between the Counselor Psychologist and the
Psychiatrist
Holding Conferences Workshops and Seminars jointly
Exchange of ideas and updates on emerging issues
Explore a way of establishing a Mental Health Coalition
(MHC)for advocacy on Mental Health issues from a
common front
Bottlenecks
I am aware that some bottlenecks existed in the past
and may still exist towards such a collaboration. Some
arguments may have been credible whilst others may
have been based on a failure to appreciate each other
professions boundaries. But both of these arise out of
the limited academic and professional qualifications in
some of these professionals
 Whilst Psychiatrists sweat out competing with the
best brains to enter the Faculty of Medicine, later
specialization after an amount of time and hard work,
some of The Psychologists, Counselors And
Sociologists can only boast of a Diploma at the most.
Most of the Associations were also headed by such
persons whose ego was totally misplaced making
meaningful discourse and engagement difficult.
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New dispensation
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I want to assure this meeting that all this is changing tremendously.
Currently there are many the Psychologists, Counselors and Sociologists
who are at the level of PhD and quite a number at Masters Level. Our
local Universities have also introduced Doctoral Studies in Clinical
Psychology (University of Nairobi, USIU and Daystar) and Counseling
Psychology (Kenyatta University). I have had a look at their Catalogues and
Course Outlines and am impressed by the contents. Some of you have
also been engaged to facilitate some units as well as supervise the
students.
The leadership of the associations too is now in the hands of qualified and
competent officials, who are humble and can engage meaningfully and
intellectually at any level.
More than any other time the door for Collaboration is now wide open
without any suspicions or crossing of each other profession’s boundaries.
It is in this regard that time is now ripe to think of forming a Mental
Health Coalition (MHC)between these distinct service providers in this
area
Mental Health Coalition (MHC)
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In Europe, America and Australia a Mental
Health Coalition is a peak agency that
provides vital advocacy, representational and
capacity building roles for the community
managed mental health sector.
This sector covers the range of nongovernment organizations that offer
recovery, early intervention, prevention,
health promotion and community support
services for people with mental illness.
Mental Health Coalition
(MHC) in Kenya
In the Kenyan set up allow me to mention some of the
objectives of the proposed coalition as:1.
Lobby for increased budgetary allocation for Mental Health
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Initiate reform in the Mental Health Sector
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Formulate Laws, Policies and Guidelines for the sector that
will be followed by service providers in the sector rather
than the individual approaches practiced by some of the
service providers sometimes to the detriment of the
profession
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Reclaim the rightful place for the Mental Health profession
rather than surrender their place to nefarious nondescript
bodies going by tags like human rights activists
Such a body can be set up by the various officials of the
Associations in the Mental Health Profession as the first step
towards the envisaged collaboration
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Honorable great members of this
assembly, I beg to rest my case.
God bless the mental health profession
God bless you all
Thank you