Counseling/ Psychotherapy
Psychologists
Psychiatrists
Counsellors
and Psychotherapists?
I am a Psychiatrist. I am a medically trained Doctor who then specialised in treating mental disorders. I am qualified to prescribe medication.
I have undergone training in therapy and have covered a lot of ground similar to that undergone by counsellors and psychologists.
To see more about Psychiatry see the Royal College of Psychiatry website just click here to view information about counseling and other useful information about mental health.
Psychologists have obtained a 3 or 4 year "basic" or "undergraduate" university psychology degree. Psychologists who go on to train in mental disorders are known as Clinical Psychologists or Counselling Psychologists.
Clinical Psychologists go through an extra 3 year post graduaate training which usually qualifies them up to Doctorate level.
Consfusingly some Clinical Psychologists are therefore called "Doctor". They are Doctors of Psychology, not medicine.
To see more about Psychology see the British Psychological society website here; just click here
Counsellors usually have trained within one particular form of therapy. They will have been trained in Counselling skills and possess a counselling qualification.
"Psychotherapy" refers the treatment of mental disorders and emotional and behavioural problems by psychological means, rather than by drugs or surgery.
Put simply "Psychotherapy" means "talking treatment".
"Psychotherapists" are simply experts in psychotherapy. So the term "psychotherapist" is a very general one. Any of the three types of worker above, counsellor, psychologist or psychiatrist can work as a psychotherapist.
"Counseling" also means talking treatment. Counseling usually has a more specific focus. One can have counseling for example before receiving a test for HIV. Psychotherapy tends to be more general in its aims.
