[marincounty]

I'm glad you found a workable solution. I have found no difference between a Psychologist with a Masters, or PhD though--at least here in America. At my age, I would question the motives of any Therapist who felt they needed to get the PhD? Motives--meaning a PhD in Psychology is kind of a joke. Personally, I think they like to use the "Doctor" thing, and charge more. I can guarantee one thing, and there's probally a double blind study floating around, there's no difference in quality of Therapy with going with a PhD, as compared to a MS in Psychology. (One of the funniest stories I heard is the guy who wrote, "Men are from Mars, and women are from Venus" got his PhD from Columbia College in San Rafael, Ca.--yes it's true.) As to medication, I'm on you side. Patients and Doctors have been lied too requarding the efficacy of medications. That said, if you have crippling anxiety, and killing yourself with Alcohol; There are better alternatives. Anyone reading this with who feels terrible, I can honestly state that you will feel better with time.(And no I not a health professional, information is antidotal, blah, etc.) If anyone reads this knows someone who is going through some type of mental illness; you will never know just how bad they feel--be supportive.

[wdewind]

> At my age, I would question the motives of any Therapist who felt they needed to get the PhD?

As someone who doesn't have a degree believe me I am sympathetic to that view, but the PsyD (PhD) who helped me was pretty great. I don't think it's the degree alone that did that, but it's certainly not worth treating a degree as a negative signal.