LCSWs and psychologists are different professions. One is not “better” than the other. Both provide psychotherapy services and can assist patients with mental health diagnoses and treatment. When looking at the differences between licensed clinical social worker vs psychologist, the LCSW required a master’s degree, while the psychologist requires a doctoral degree. The LCSW tends to take a “person-in-environment” holistic approach to diagnosing mental health disorders, whereas a psychologist is more focused on cognitive and behavioral issues.