The relationship between Psychotherapist and prescribing Psychiatrist: Some considerations

Abstract

The increasingly common arrangement of nonmedical psychotherapist and prescribing psychiatrist collaborating in the treatment of patients with psychiatric symptoms or disorders, prompted in good part by managed care's impact on the mental health field, poses several challenges. This paper examines practical considerations, clinical and legal risks, and transference and countertransference issues that are relevant to this arrangement. The economic ramifications of shrinking reimbursement and reduced patient availability, reflecting the direct influence of managed care on treatment, can also contribute to tensions in the relationship and are discussed.