By Malynn Kuangparichat, Psy.D., J.D.

One of the biggest challenges we’ve faced as a practice at CCWB over the past decade, and one that has been present for much longer, is finding psychiatrists with openings for clients. The demand for psych meds is high, but the resources, such as available psychiatrists, are often low. Psychiatrists are typically “swamped” or have waiting lists that extend for many months.

Allowing appropriately trained psychologists to prescribe medications (something we’ve been working on here in Pennsylvania) would directly address this issue by increasing client access to vital psychotropic medications. 

This means you would have more convenient and closer locations to access medication management, which increases our community’s access to quality mental health services. 

This expansion of access is especially crucial for marginalized and underserved communities, as research indicates that prescription privileges for psychologists have led to significant success and improved access to therapy for clients across a range of socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds.

As we navigate a growing mental health crisis nationwide, finding comprehensive mental health services can be a significant challenge. Psychopharmacology, which involves the use of psychotropic medications, or psych meds, that can be prescribed by psychologists (besides psychiatrists) is so important to creating the right-fit treatment plan for you.

Here at CCWB, we believe you can choose peace, joy, and fulfillment. This blog post will explore how integrating psychopharmacology with therapy can significantly benefit your journey to well-being, whether you’re feeling hopeless, anxious, stressed, or overwhelmed.

Why Use Psych Meds With Talk Therapy

Sometimes talk therapy, such as DBT and CBT, isn’t enough to address your mental illness, like depression and anxiety, and you may benefit from also using psychotropic medications – such as antidepressants, anti-anxiety, or mood stabilizers.

Just because you need psych meds doesn’t mean you’re beyond hope. Many of our clients come to us feeling the worst about themselves. Please be kind to yourself and approach your mental health as a journey. You’re here, at this moment, and that’s what counts.

Prescribing psychologists (which we’re continually advocating for and working towards here in Pennsylvania) are uniquely positioned to provide an integrated treatment approach. This means they can effectively combine the use of medication with talk therapy, ensuring that neither is favored over the other, and reinforcing the importance of seeking therapy at the same time as medication to help get you back on your feet.

This more holistic method helps you tackle your personal challenges with guidance from an expert therapist and leads to overall improvement in your daily interactions, whether that’s feeling a sense of hopefulness, managing stress at work, or managing ADHD.

Generally speaking, prescribing psychologists are able to strengthen their overall practice of psychology, and enables them to manage more complex client caseloads.

This expansion of prescriptive privileges can further enhance quality of care for local and wider communities, and for you, as well.

A Bit of History…and Current Progress of Prescribing Psychologists

The idea of psychologists prescribing medication is not a new concept. In fact, psychologists have been safely and effectively prescribing medications for nearly 30 years.

The movement for prescription privileges began in 1985 with efforts from Senator Daniel K. Inouye and the Hawaii Psychological Association. In 1989, the American Psychological Association (APA) Board of Professional Affairs endorsed a study on the feasibility of psychopharmacology for psychologists.

By 1995, the APA’s Council of Representatives formally endorsed prescriptive privileges for psychologists, along with the development of training programs and model legislation.

This progress led to the territory of Guam becoming the first jurisdiction to pass legislation in 1998. Following that, in 2002, New Mexico became the first U.S. state to pass a law, and since then, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, and Louisiana have all passed laws in their states for prescription privileges, as have the military and Indian Reservations.

Results from these areas have consistently shown positive outcomes, including improvements in both access to care and the quality of care provided.

Here in Pennsylvania, big things are shaking!

Representative Wendy Thomas sponsored a bill, H.B. 1000, that would allow psychologists to prescribe psychotropic medication, though the legislation hasn’t gone through.

In the meanwhile, psychologists in Pennsylvania continue to advocate and work towards legislation that allows them to prescribe medication.

As of mid-2024, psychologists with prescriptive authority can practice in:

• New Mexico
  
• Louisiana
  
• Illinois
  
• Iowa
  
• Idaho
  
• Colorado
  
• Oregon
  
• Utah
  
• Virginia
  
• Guam
  
• The Public Health Service, Indian Health Service, and U.S. Military (DoD psychologists)

To sum it up, the prescription privileges initiative is driven by the pressing need for increased access to psychiatric services and improving access to quality mental health care, not by financial gain for psychologists.

What You Need to Know About Prescribing Psychologists

It’s important to understand that not all psychologists would be allowed to prescribe medication. Only appropriately trained psychologists will qualify. This specialty requires extensive further education beyond a doctorate, typically involving:

Earning a postdoctoral master’s degree with an emphasis in psychopharmacology and the biological basis of behavior.

• Passing a national exam.
• Completing a specified number of supervised practice hours.

This additional training, often a couple of years beyond the initial five or six years of doctoral training, ensures that psychologists are well-trained and can prescribe safely

Furthermore, prescribing psychologists would not be prescribing independently. They would be required to collaborate with a patient’s primary care provider to ensure safety. This collaborative care model prioritizes the client’s overall well-being. 

It is also important to note that psychologists would not be prescribing narcotics or marijuana, and they have not received funding from the pharmaceutical industry for this initiative.

6 Benefits of Medication in Tandem with Talk Therapy

Using psychotropic medication in tandem with talk therapy, often called combination treatment, is widely supported in mental health care because it can provide more comprehensive, faster, and longer-lasting relief for many psychiatric conditions than either approach alone.

Here are the key benefits of this integrated approach:

#1: Targeting Both Biological and Psychological Factors

• Medications help regulate brain chemistry (e.g., serotonin, dopamine), easing symptoms like depression, anxiety, or mood instability.
  
• Talk therapy (like CBT, psychodynamic therapy, or DBT) helps individuals process emotions, develop coping skills, and change maladaptive thought patterns.
  
• The combination treats both the symptoms and the root causes (e.g., trauma, maladaptive beliefs).
  

#2: Faster Symptom Relief

• Medication can reduce acute symptoms (e.g., panic attacks, severe depression) more quickly, helping patients become stable enough to fully participate in therapy.
  
• This creates a positive feedback loop: as therapy becomes more effective, patients may need less medication or can taper under supervision.
  

#3:  Better Long-Term Outcomes

• Studies show that relapse rates are lower when both treatments are used together, especially for:
  
  • Major depressive disorder
    
  • Bipolar disorder
    
  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder
    
  • PTSD and anxiety disorders
    
• Therapy helps maintain gains made with medication and equips individuals with skills to manage future stressors.
  

#4: Individualized Care

• Combination treatment allows for more personalized and flexible plans:
  
  • Medications can be adjusted based on progress in therapy.
    
  • Therapy can address issues like medication adherence, side effect anxiety, or stigma.
    

#5: Enhanced Engagement and Insight

• When medications reduce distress, people often become more open to insight-oriented or skills-based therapy.
  
• Therapy, in turn, helps patients understand their diagnosis, build self-efficacy, and integrate emotional growth with symptom management.
  

#6: Safety and Monitoring

• When used together, providers can cross-monitor for side effects, psychosocial stressors, and therapeutic progress.
  
• This integrated model lowers the risk of treatment dropout and increases compliance.
  

When Is Combination Treatment Especially Recommended?

• Moderate to severe depression
  
• Bipolar disorder
  
• Treatment-resistant anxiety
  
• Chronic PTSD
  
• ADHD in adults or children with emotional dysregulation

What Potential Medications You Can Use With Therapy and a Prescribing Psychologist

Currently, one of the biggest challenges to the legislation is which psych meds psychologists are allowed to prescribe.When it comes to therapy and medication, prescribing psychologists are generally limited to psychotropic medications, such as those used to treat depression, anxiety, AD/HD, stress, etc.

Here are possible medication classes:

• Antidepressants
  
  • e.g., SSRIs (fluoxetine, sertraline), SNRIs (venlafaxine)
    
• Anxiolytics
  
  • e.g., buspirone, certain benzodiazepines (with limitations)
    
• Mood stabilizers
  
  • e.g., lithium, lamotrigine
    
• Antipsychotics
  
  • e.g., aripiprazole, risperidone (especially atypical antipsychotics)
    
• Stimulants
  
  • e.g., methylphenidate, amphetamine salts (for ADHD)
    
• Sleep aids
  
  • e.g., trazodone, zolpidem

Your Next Steps For Quality Therapy

While we continue to advocate for psychopharmacology privileges for trained psychologists, we’re here to offer you quality therapy services. Our compassionate, caring, and expert clinicians at CCWB are here for you.

This crucial step aims to address the mental health crisis and ensure more comprehensive and effective support for individuals and communities, allowing more people to empower their well-being journey.

More Articles

The Psychiatry Access Crisis in Pennsylvania and How RxP Could Improve Access to Care  

Beyond the Scores: Are Psychological Evals Worth It For Your Therapy Treatment Plan?

So, How Exactly Does Therapy Work? A Simple Guide to Empower Your Path to Well-Being

7 Insightful Tips When Choosing a Therapy Practice

How to Improve Your Relationships and Emotional Well-Being With This Proven Therapy Treatment

Boost Your Confidence and Trust Yourself Through Client-Centered Therapy

5 Mindfulness Techniques For ADHD Entrepreneurs to Improve Focus and Reduce Stress

*Disclaimer: The contents of this blog does not constitute a clinical relationship or replace the need for professional services.

Contact Us

Here at CCWB, we value our clients and acknowledge the courage it takes to seek professional mental health support.

Chester County Well-Being (CCWB) provides a range of mental health services to ensure we meet our community’s needs. We serve individuals, couples, and families in the Chester County area. Reach out to us here.

Our specializations include:

• AD/HD
• Therapy for Depression and Anxiety
• Stress Management
• Work and Career issues
• Grief Counseling
• Couples Counseling
• Family Counseling
• Conflict Resolution
• Addiction & Recovery
• Parenting Support

Get Teletherapy

All our clinicians provide safe and secure teletherapy sessions to anyone residing in PA. Additionally, we provide telehealth options for residents of other states, depending on the clinician. Simply head to our About Us page, and click each clinician’s “read more” tab for telehealth details.

Telepsychology services are provided by Dr. Kuangparichat and Dr. Stern to clients who reside in a state that participates in PSYPACT. Find out if your state is on the list of participating states HERE.

Empower Your Facebook and Instagram Feeds

You can learn more about self-care, self-compassion, and mental health insights by following us on Facebook and Instagram.

About the Author

Malynn Kuangparichat, Psy.D., J.D. is founder and psychologist at Chester County Well-Being.  

She has a collaborative approach that results in highly tailored evaluations intended to meet her clients’ unique needs. She focuses on an individual’s strengths, which are integrated in the practical, personalized recommendations identified by the findings of an evaluation. 

In her free time, she enjoys running, spending time with family and friends, and getting ice cream or doughnuts from the local shops.