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To many people therapy involves a patient lying on a couch with a therapist sitting behind and
nodding sagely as the patient speaks. Though this approach to therapy (known
as psychoanalysis) is still practiced, it is in the minority. It is estimated that there are over 400
different kinds of therapy practiced by people in many fields, and the most important of these are
shown in Figure 13.2 "The Many Types of Therapy Practiced in the United States". The
therapists who provide these treatments include psychiatrists (who have a medical degree and
can prescribe drugs) and clinical psychologists, as well as social workers, psychiatric nurses, and
couples, marriage, and family therapists.
Figure 13.2 The Many Types of Therapy Practiced in the United States
These data show the proportion of psychotherapists who reported practicing each type of therapy.