What follows is a simplistic and very general outline of how I understand the difference between psychiatrists, psychologists, counsellors and psychotherapists. There are, of course, exceptions to the rule. What I identify are general patterns exhibited in the field.
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a qualified medical doctor who has specialized in a medical understanding of mental health. As a result, Psychiatrists primarily focus on the biological/neurological facets of psychological distress which involve the use of various ‘chemical imbalance’ theories of mental illness. Psychiatric treatments, therefore, primarily involve prescribing medication. Psychiatrists are able to diagnose and are often used to conduct formal mental health assessments. Mostly psychiatrists do not provide counselling.
Psychologist
Psychologist
A psychologist is someone who has completed a Psychology degree and the requisite qualifications/supervision to belong to a psychology registration board. Psychologists are primarily trained in a medical model of managing psychological distress which focuses on symptom reduction. The most common psychological approach utilized by psychologists is CBT, (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) which focuses on changing behaviour and thinking styles and developing improved strategies for dealing with problematic situations. Many psychologists, though, have trained in other, non-CBT, ways of working. Psychologists work mostly short term with clients.
Counsellor
Counsellors train in the traditions of what is known as the “talking therapies”. The counselling profession is broader, compared to the psychological profession, in its approach to emotional distress and psychological growth. A great variety of counselling approaches, with long traditions of practice and efficacy, can be found practiced by counsellors. Whereas psychiatrists focus on medication and the biological/neurological facets of psychological distress, and psychologists primarily focus on teaching cognitive and behavioural strategies of change, counsellors often work integratively: utilizing various counselling approaches according to client need. Counsellors work mostly short term with clients.
Psychotherapist
The word psychotherapist is often used to imply 3 things (i) practitioner who has undertaken extensive training in working with clients from an emotional and perspective, (ii) this training involving the practitioner undergoing their own therapy as a requisite to working with clients deeply, (iii) and that the focus of the work is longer term. Psychotherapists often focus on working on developmental deficits of clients, including enduring personality characteristics, that are not amenable to change through short term counselling/psychological strategies. An important area of focus of psychotherapeutic work is on the therapeutic relationship between client and therapist; this being an important space for creating change.
Leave a Reply