Psychologist? Psychotherapist? Psychiatrist? What's the difference?
All these ‘psychs’ are confusing!
When you’re looking for help for yourself, or a loved one, it may feel like mental health services have their own language. All the different terms for therapies, professional designations and various agencies/centres can be frustrating and discouraging.
I am here to set the record straight. I am going to provide you with some insight into each of these professions, with a combination of facts as well as my experience working with each of these healthcare practitioners.
Psychiatrist
Emphasis on the t r i s t. These folks went to medical school. They are doctors, in the medical ‘M.D.’ sense of the word. It’s what we all generally think of when we hear the word ‘doctor’. They specialize in mental illness the same way an oncologist specializes in cancer, or a gynaecologist specializes in the female reproductive system. They are the ones giving out diagnoses and medication prescriptions.
In my experience, Psychiatry is a much-needed specialization in the Canadian Healthcare System, which makes it a shame that it is also the least paying of all specializations. Most psychiatrists work out of hospitals, caring for the most complex individuals. Their modality is based in the biomedical model, hence their work is primarily prescribing medications. I've rarely heard of a psychiatrist engaging in therapy sessions, or one-to-one with a client on a weekly basis, focusing on specific modalities and strategies.
Psychologist
These folks are doctors, but not in the typical way most of us think of when we hear ‘doctor’. They are doctors of the PHD variety. In order for someone to become a psychologist, they need to obtain a doctorate degree in psychology. This degree does not have to be obtained via medical school. So, this means they do not prescribe any medications.
In my experience, these are the folks who use modalities of a more holistic approach. Their practices tend to focus on therapy, whether with individuals, couples, families or communities. You will find them working in hospitals, prisons, school boards, amongst many others. Some psychologists have private practices, as well.
Psychotherapist
This is my category. Psychotherapy may only be practiced by those meeting specific educational requirements, making this a ‘regulated profession’. Therefore, not just anyone can refer to themselves as a psychotherapist. We are the ones providing that face-to-face, one to one therapeutic intervention based on the therapy in which we are trained, for example, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, amongst others. We cannot diagnose. We cannot prescribe medications.
In my experience: People use ‘counsellor’ and ‘therapist’ interchangeably. However, I would caution that they are not the same. For example, an ‘addictions counsellor’ is not a regulated term in Ontario. Therefore, it can be used as a job title, without a regulatory college/body. Why does this matter? Because there isn’t anyone holding the individual to any educational and ethical standards.
I hope that helped clarify the difference between the different ‘psych’ terms.
If you have any further questions - reach out to me and I’ll be happy to answer them!
