What is the difference between a Psychologist, Counsellor, Coach, Psychotherapist and Psychiatrist?
Psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
- Medically trained doctor with extensive extra training leading to a specialisation.
- Specialises in diagnosing, treating and preventing mental illness.
- Often work in forensic settings or specialist areas.
- Are able to prescribe medications.
- Registered and governed through a regulatory body in the country of practice.
- University educated health professional who has completed a 4 year undergraduate degree + 2 further years.
- There are general psychologist and clinical psychologists.
- Clinical Psychologists have completed a Masters or PhD in Clinical Psychology.
- Research driven and clients come from a medical model - if sent by GP.
- Registered and governed through a regulatory body in the country of practice.
- Usually, but not always, has an undergraduate degree
- Generally have undergone their own personal psychotherapy
- Specilisation that works in depth, over a long period of time, with people.
- Generally has a psychoanalysis focus.
- There are several organisations that psychotherapists can join
- Qualifications can range from a short course to masters degree.
- Often more person centred and many counsellors work from a holistic perspective.
- Self regulated industry in many countries around the world.
- Many are members of organisations all of whom have a code of ethics and recommend ongoing personal and professional development.
- Qualfications may be formal or informal.
- Practice from a person-centred humanistic perspective - the client knows themselves.
- May blend ideas from neuroscience, psychology, linguistics, quantum physics and human behaviour.
- Draws on not only training but also intuition and storytelling.
- Allowing the participant to learn from their own experience and in their own way.
- Focusses on beliefs, behaviours and competencies.