Understanding Your Options
PMHNP vs. Psychiatrist: What’s the Difference?
By Dr. Stacey Forbes, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC
Key Takeaways
- A psychiatrist is a physician (MD/DO); a PMHNP is an advanced-practice registered nurse who specializes in psychiatric care.
- Both diagnose mental health conditions, prescribe and manage medication, and provide psychiatric care.
- A DNP is a doctoral degree — the highest clinical degree in nursing.
- PMHNPs are a well-established, board-certified part of the mental health workforce and often the most accessible providers.
When you’re choosing a mental health provider, the alphabet soup of credentials can be confusing. Here’s a clear, honest breakdown of how a PMHNP compares to a psychiatrist.
What a psychiatrist is
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor (MD or DO) who completed medical school and a psychiatry residency. They diagnose mental health conditions, prescribe medication, and, in some settings, provide therapy.
What a PMHNP is
A Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) is an advanced-practice registered nurse who completed graduate nursing education specializing in psychiatric care and passed national board certification (PMHNP-BC). PMHNPs diagnose mental health conditions, prescribe and manage medication, and provide psychiatric care.
What a DNP means
A Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is the highest clinical degree in nursing — a doctoral-level credential focused on advanced practice. Dr. Stacey Forbes holds a DNP and is a board-certified PMHNP (PMHNP-BC), with nearly two decades of clinical experience. She is a nurse practitioner, not a physician.
What this means for your care
For most people seeking evaluation and medication management, a board-certified PMHNP provides the same core services as a psychiatrist — often with more availability and, in an integrative practice, longer appointments and a whole-person approach.
Common Questions
Can a PMHNP prescribe medication?
Yes. PMHNPs diagnose mental health conditions and prescribe and manage psychiatric medication.
Is a PMHNP the same as a psychiatrist?
Not identical — a psychiatrist is a physician (MD/DO) and a PMHNP is a doctoral- or master’s-level advanced-practice nurse — but both diagnose, prescribe, and provide psychiatric care.
What credentials does Dr. Forbes hold?
Dr. Stacey Forbes holds a DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice) and is a board-certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC).
Sources & Further Reading
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Dr. Stacey Forbes, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC
Board-certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and founder of Willow & Stone Integrative Mental Health. Nearly two decades of clinical experience; integrative, root-cause psychiatry via telehealth. Licensed in Texas & New Mexico.
About Dr. Forbes →