Fact brief: Can psychiatrists offer talk therapy in Texas?

Psychiatrists can offer talk therapy to patients as a form of mental health treatment. 

Unlike psychologists, psychiatrists prescribe psychiatric medication, but are also licensed to provide talk therapy. However, it is increasingly uncommon: a Columbia University study found that only about 1 in 5 psychiatry visits involved psychotherapy in 2016.

Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, includes a range of treatments to help a person identify and change emotions, thoughts and behaviors.

Psychiatrists are doctors who went to medical school and completed a psychiatry residency. They are trained in various modalities of therapy, like cognitive-behavioral therapy and interpersonal therapy.

Psychiatrists use a holistic approach in treatment that considers biological, psychological and social factors. When providing both medication management and therapy, they can monitor how it affects a patient’s mood and thought processes.

As doctors, psychiatrists often understand how physical health can impact mental health and vice versa.