- 15th November 2024
The other day, I was chatting with our friendly reception team here at Cova Psychology about the types of questions they often receive from clients who are reaching out for support. One of the most common questions they hear is, “Do I need a therapist or a psychologist?” and “What’s the difference?” These are completely understandable questions, especially when there are so many terms in mental health care. With titles like “therapist,” “counsellor,” “psychologist,” and “psychiatrist” often used interchangeably, it’s easy to see how this gets confusing. To add to this, there’s often overlap between these roles—one professional can sometimes fit into multiple categories!
So, let’s break down what each of these roles actually entails and explore how understanding the differences between them might help you make the best choice for your mental health journey.
Table of Contents
What is a Mental Health Professional?
A mental health professional is a trained and qualified person who specialises in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental health issues and disorders. They work with individuals, couples, families and groups to address a wide range of mental health problems including anxiety, depression, trauma and relationship issues. Mental health professionals work in private practice, hospitals, clinics, schools and community organisations and provide services such as talk therapy, counselling and medication management. Their aim is to help people to improve their mental wellbeing and live healthier, happier lives.
Therapist
Definition: “Therapist” is a general term for anyone who treats mental or emotional issues, often through talk based methods.
Role: Therapists work with clients to explore emotions, manage stress, improve communication and develop coping strategies for behavioural health issues. They may specialise in areas such as family therapy, art therapy or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
Common Settings: Private practice, hospitals, clinics, schools.
Education & Training: Therapists usually have a master’s or doctoral degree in a mental health field but the term is broad and can apply to various levels of training and specialisation.
Counsellor
Definition: A counsellor is a professional trained to give guidance, advice and support for life’s challenges such as relationship issues, stress and career changes.
Role: Counsellors help individuals develop skills to manage life stressors and improve wellbeing. They may provide short term support and focus on current issues rather than deep rooted psychological patterns.
Common Settings: Schools, workplaces, community organisations, private practice.
Education & Training: A counsellor usually has a bachelor’s or master’s degree in counselling or a related field and often completes supervised training.
Psychologist
Definition: A psychologist is a professional with advanced training in psychology, often specialising in mental health assessments and treatment of psychological disorders.
Role: Psychologists assess, diagnose and treat a range of mental health issues, provide mental health diagnosis and evidence based therapies like CBT and DBT. Clinical psychologists for example treat anxiety, depression, trauma and complex mental health disorders.
Common Settings: Private practice, hospitals, schools, research institutions.
Education & Training: Psychologists usually have a doctoral degree (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) and are licensed after completing supervised practice and passing national exams.
Psychotherapist
Definition: “Psychotherapist” is a term for professionals who conduct in-depth talk therapy, addressing emotional and psychological issues through various therapeutic approaches.
Role: Psychotherapists work with clients to explore past experiences, relationships and emotional patterns, address their mental health needs through various therapeutic approaches. They may use psychoanalysis, CBT or other techniques, focus on long term personal growth and healing.
Common Settings: Private practice, mental health clinics, hospitals.
Education & Training: Psychotherapists often have a master’s or doctoral degree in psychology, counselling or social work and have specialist training in psychotherapy methods.
Psychoanalyst
Definition: Psychoanalysts are professionals trained in psychoanalysis, a therapeutic approach developed by Sigmund Freud that focuses on uncovering unconscious thoughts and past experiences.
Role: Using techniques like free association, dream analysis and interpretation, psychoanalysts help clients explore deep seated conflicts and patterns. Treatment is usually long term to bring unconscious thoughts to conscious awareness.
Common Settings: Private practice, psychoanalytic institutes.
Education & Training: Psychoanalysts are often psychologists, psychiatrists or social workers who complete additional specialist training and certification in psychoanalysis.
Psychiatrist: Prescribe Medications
Definition: A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specialises in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental health disorders and has the authority to prescribe medication.
Role: Psychiatrists are trained to assess and treat complex mental health conditions, especially when medication is needed and can diagnose and treat mental illness. They may also offer psychotherapy but often work alongside other mental health professionals to provide a comprehensive treatment plan.
Common Settings: Hospitals, private practice, mental health clinics.
Education & Training: Psychiatrists complete medical school and then a residency in psychiatry. They are licensed to practice medicine and prescribe psychiatric medication.
Mental Health Professional
Definition: This term refers to any licensed professional who provides mental health care, includes therapists, counsellors, psychologists, social workers and psychiatrists.
Role: Mental health professionals support people with emotional, psychological or behavioural concerns but their role varies widely depending on their specific training and qualifications.
Common Settings: Any setting that provides mental health services.
Education & Training: Mental health professionals have relevant degrees, licenses and certifications according to their specific discipline and role.
Clinician
Definition: “Clinician” is an umbrella term for any healthcare professional who works directly with patients, often in a clinical setting.
Role: In mental health, clinicians can include psychologists, social workers or counsellors who work directly with clients to assess, diagnose and treat mental health concerns. Clinicians provide both short and long term therapy and may specialise in specific types of care.
Common Settings: Hospitals, clinics, private practice.
Education & Training: Clinicians have varied training but all must be licensed or certified in their particular field to practice.
Who to see
When looking for mental health support, knowing what each role does can help you find the right one. Here are a few questions to ask:
What kind of support do you need? For therapy that focuses on coping strategies for specific life challenges a counsellor or therapist may be suitable. If you have complex mental health issues or need a formal diagnosis, consider a psychologist or psychiatrist.
Do you need medication? Only psychiatrists and some medical professionals can prescribe medication.
What kind of therapy do you like? Some people prefer practical, short term approaches while others prefer in-depth, long term exploration.
Each mental health professional has different skills, knowledge and areas of focus. From therapists and counsellors who offer emotional support to psychiatrists who manage complex mental health conditions. Knowing what each professional does can make all the difference in getting the right help for you.
Dr. Chris Coleiro
Chris is Clinical Psychologist and a co-director of Cova Psychology, located in the Melbourne CBD, where he provides supervision to psychologists whilst cultivating a supportive culture within the Cova team. Chris has worked extensively in the assessment and treatment of trauma, PTSD, and Borderline Personality Disorder. He combines a range of therapies in his approach including CBT, Schema Therapy, EMDR and IFS. Chris is a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS), the APS college of Clinical Psychology, and of the Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing Australian Association (EMDRAA).
