Therapy most used PMHNP

[Malenurse12345]

Hello all,

I am a student PMHNP. In my current class, we are to pick a type of therapy to do a presentation on. I am interested what types of therapy practicing PMHNPs use, or find beneficial to be informed about. Below are the options suggested by the professor:

Art therapy, Play therapy, music therapy, supportive therapy, equine therapy, animal therapy, reminiscent therapy, EMDR, psychoanalysis, rational emotive behavioral therapy, behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, internal family systems therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, or any type of family therapy.

[Jules A, MSN]

Psych NPs don't do therapy unless they own their own practice. It doesn't pay. They do med management only not that you can't provide a few snippets here and there in your 20 minute med check but it is in no way actual therapy.

[oceanblue52]

Second what Jules says, NPs don't typically have the time to do therapy. That being said, if I were you I would pick EMDR or DBT as those seem to be used quite a bit these days.

[DizzyJ DHSc PA-C]

Psych NPs don't do therapy unless they own their own practice. It doesn't pay. They do med management only not that you can't provide a few snippets here and there in your 20 minute med check but it is in no way actual therapy.

OP is asking what you use OR FIND BENEFICIAL. She is a student trying to complete an assignment. So, just responding Psych NPs don't do therapy isn't addressing their question nor beneficial to the student. They can't go back and say "oh I didn't do it because I was told Psych NPs don't need to know about that psychotherapy stuff".

I agree in outpatient practice that most NP/PA do medication management only. However, you can't get through the day not providing some "snippet" of therapy. On top of that, most patients should be in therapy and hopefully it is a therapist within your practice you are able to collaborate with. This would then allow you to answer the question of what therapy you find must beneficial depending on certain factors. For instance, in my office one of the therapist used sand box therapy and I found it fascinating to hear her describe what happened in the box and how she interpreted it. Now, I've had many patients (generally adult) so this is nonsense BS and they need help and playing in the sand is not therapy.

[Malenurse12345]

Thank you DizzyJon. You are right, I have to pick a topic for the assignment. I suspected I would not use therapy much in my future practice, so I was thinking I could look at the assignment as a way to familiarize myself with therapy my patience might receive from their therapist.

[Malenurse12345]

Second what Jules says, NPs don't typically have the time to do therapy. That being said, if I were you I would pick EMDR or DBT as those seem to be used quite a bit these days.

Thanks these two, were on my maybe list. The professor listed behavior therapy. I have heard of cognitive behavioral therapy in my research on Veterans with PTSD. This is the same thing right?

[shibaowner, MSN, RN, NP]

Thanks these two, were on my maybe list. The professor listed behavior therapy. I have heard of cognitive behavioral therapy in my research on Veterans with PTSD. This is the same thing right?

No, DBT and CBT are different. CBT is indeed used for PTSD among other things. Just pick one of these and go with it.

[Jules A, MSN]

OP is asking what you use OR FIND BENEFICIAL. She is a student trying to complete an assignment. So, just responding Psych NPs don't do therapy isn't addressing their question nor beneficial to the student. .

Thanks so much for your guidance! I wouldn't want to get kicked out of this group for answering in an inappropriate manner, lol.

[Jolie, BSN]

I'm not an NP, but work with a variety of mental health professionals in my current job. In our area, there is a great need for and serious lack of therapists trained in DBT. So much so that various professionals have come together to brainstorm ways of funding education for therapists willing to get the training and lead groups that would include each other's patients.

[Malenurse12345]

I'm not an NP, but work with a variety of mental health professionals in my current job. In our area, there is a great need for and serious lack of therapists trained in DBT. So much so that various professionals have come together to brainstorm ways of funding education for therapists willing to get the training and lead groups that would include each other's patients.

I did not realize there was such a shortage

[FolksBtrippin, BSN, RN]

Jules is not correct.

My psych clinical instructor was a psych np who did DBT on an inpatient unit, among other things.

The psych np on the unit I currently work did family therapy before the gig she has now.

The psych np I saw myself (private practice) did couples counseling and individual therapy in addition to med management.

To be a good psych np you need to have a very good understanding of various types of therapy.

Pick what interests you.

I would pick DBT or CBT.

[Jules A, MSN]

Jules is not correct.

Interesting, I've never seen NPs willing to work as a social worker or facilities being willing to pay us to as such except the NPs who enjoy therapy and own their own practice. Its a waste of facility resources if being done at a hospital and my guess is that NP is not working as an attending but instead as a nurse hybrid without her own patient load or admitting privileges, unfortunate if thats the case.

I was however correct in that therapy doesn't pay NPs. It would make no sense to pay me over $100 an hour to do therapy that a capable LCSWC or LCPC could do for $35 an hour.