What is the difference between a psychologist, psychotherapist and a psychiatrist?

Psychologist vs psychotherapist

The mind and psyche are a complex and difficult area to understand. Everything that goes into your mind is yours alone, and no one has the ability to look at it, or even see it. Furthermore, trying to know what we think, how we look at life, and our own motivations and ideals are not easy to do. We need someone who is trained to talk, to listen, and to advise. With that, we go into the field of Psychology and its related areas.

The field of Psychology is a wide and very interesting branch of science. This is because it does not rely more on objective cues but rather tries to understand an individual’s mental function, insights, and behavior. I believe that those of you who have gone to a psychologist are asked more to talk about your problems. This is basically the essence of this field of science. This is because they tackle more on the mind and what occurs inside your head.

There are individuals trained to give advice, to help promote or uplift your feelings, and to listen to your problems when dealing with your individual lives. These individuals may or may not be licensed or experts in dealing with the situations. They may even just be regular individuals trained to talk, such as social workers. Still, there are also those individuals who have studied in-depth about how our mind works. These individuals may be psychologists or psychotherapists.

A psychologists are professional individuals who have studied extensively in the field of psychology. They spend a number of years to earn their degree and title with appropriate field of specialization. . A psychologist therefore listens, understands, and tries to unravel what is going on inside the mind of an individual through one-on-one interactions. Furthermore, a psychologist may also explain or interpret behaviors based on an individual’s own personality and understanding. Lastly, a psychologist can also be a psychotherapist.

On the other hand, a psychotherapist involves himself into the world of a patient in order to promote a better outlook in life. A psychotherapist may not necessarily be a psychologist, but can be a social worker or even a trauma expert. This is the main difference. These experts establish interpersonal relationships with the patient to help out in their problems. They talk and assist the patient, depending on their method of therapy.

Psychologist vs psychiatrist

Although the terms ‘psychologist’ and ‘psychiatrist’ are used interchangeably to describe qualified individuals who provide the therapy services, the meanings varies on whether you are a student of psychology or a buyer looking for a mental healthcare provider.

Generally, both psychologists and psychiatrists conduct psychotherapy and research, but there are few major differences exist between the two professions.

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor and a psychologist is not a doctor. Therefore the educational background is the most apparent difference between these two.

A psychologist receives graduate training in psychology and has credentials either a Ph.D. or Doctor in psychology or licence title / a master degree. They have expertise in clinical or counseling psychology. Their doctorate programs usually 5-7 years with additional 1-2 years internship in order to gain licensure.

The title of ‘psychologist’ mostly used by qualified individuals who have completed the education, training, and state license (www.psychologencomissie.be ) . Sometimes there are other informal titles such as “counselor” or “therapist” can also refer to psychologists. However, other mental health care professionals such as licensed social workers can also call themselves as therapists or counselors.

On the other hand, psychiatrists are physicians who are trained for assessment, diagnosis, treatment and preventions of psychological problems. They attend to medical school and achieve an M.D. They complete medical training and 4 years of residency in mental health. There are other specific areas can also be considered by psychiatrists including geriatric psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry and other addiction and mental health areas.

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