Psychopharmacology for Non-Prescribers: What Counselors Need to Know
Non-prescribing mental health professionals occupy a critical position in medication management — as collaborators with prescribers, as sources of information for clients navigating treatment decisions, and as clinicians who observe medication effects in ways that prescribers, seeing clients for fifteen minutes every six weeks, often cannot. This 3-hour continuing education course provides the pharmacological literacy that non-prescribers need to fill that role effectively: the major classes of psychiatric medications, their mechanisms of action, clinical indications, side effect profiles, and the clinical observations that should trigger communication with prescribers. The course addresses medication interactions, discontinuation syndromes, polypharmacy concerns in older adults, and the specific adaptations relevant to pediatric and geriatric populations. Evidence-based, non-prescriber focused, and directly applicable across clinical settings.
3
CE Hours
4
Modules
15
Quiz Questions
1
Est. Minutes
What you'll learn
- Explain fundamental neurotransmitter systems (dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, GABA, glutamate) and how psychiatric medications modulate them
- Identify the major classes of psychiatric medications — antidepressants, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, anxiolytics, stimulants, and sleep aids — and their primary clinical indications
- Recognize common and clinically significant side effects of SSRIs, SNRIs, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, and benzodiazepines, including discontinuation syndrome, EPS, tardive dyskinesia, lithium toxicity, and serotonin syndrome
- Apply scope-of-practice principles when supporting clients with medication questions, including when and how to consult with prescribers
- Incorporate cultural humility and psychoeducation strategies that support medication adherence within the therapeutic relationship
Who it's for
Licensed mental health professionals (LPCs, LCSWs, LMFTs, NCCs)
Approval & credit
CounselorReady is an NBCC-Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP #7760). This course awards 3 NBCC-approved CE hours; a certificate is issued on completion. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CounselorReady is solely responsible for all aspects of the program.