Deciding to seek professional support for your mental well-being is a huge investment in yourself. But it can be a bit intimidating if it is your first time looking for therapy services. The jargon and terminology used can make it confusing to choose the right provider to help you attain your goals. You may come across titles such as therapist, psychologist, social worker, or psychiatrist [1]. Understanding how each of these professionals’ roles differ can help you make an informed choice about the right type of support for your needs.
At Global Online Therapy, we believe that access to care should be transparent, simple, and personalized for your specific goals. Our providers are highly trained and licensed to deliver quality therapy targeted in the areas you are concerned about. While therapists and psychologists are both licensed professionals, with graduate degrees and supervised clinical training, their scopes of professional practice differ. We can help you explore the differences between a therapist and psychologist to assist you in deciding the right provider for you.
The Role of a Therapist
A therapist is a trained professional who will help you to explore patterns of thinking, behaving, and feeling to help you improve your emotional health. The term “therapist” can be used to describe individuals with different types of clinical training, such as social work, psychology, or working with marriages and family matters. Therapists have at least a master’s degree, with training that focuses primarily on treatment.
Therapists use evidence-based practices, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and solution-focused therapy to help you learn skills to manage stress, counter symptoms of depression or anxiety, or respond to relationship challenges in a healthy way.
When you begin working with a therapist, you focus on your personal story, how that might impact you now, what is currently happening in your life, how you are coping with it, and what you would like to change. Sessions are designed to help you discover patterns in thinking and behaving, uncover emotions, and practice new ways of responding. A therapist will ask you to actively engage, taking what you learn in your session and apply it to your life to test how that new skill is working for you. You and your therapist will then explore how that new approach to the problems is impacting your problem.
The Role of a Psychologist
A psychologist’s role is similar to that of a therapist, as a helping professional that assists people with their emotional and mental health. Their role, however, extends into assessment, diagnosis, and sometimes even research. Psychologists typically hold a doctorate degree and are trained and licensed to administer psychological tests, analyze data, and provide treatment for a wide range of mental health and developmental conditions.
Many psychologists also provide therapy in a similar format to sessions with a therapist, however, may incorporate more formal evaluations or scientific assessments. For example, when you seek services from a psychologist they may administer a personality test, cognitive test, or diagnostic interview to help identify specific treatment needs such as ADHD, learning disability, or mental health diagnosis such as depression.
Psychologists are not medical doctors and are not able to prescribe medications. Psychiatrists, who possess a medical doctorate, oversee medication management when needed.
Which Professional is Right for You?
The best professional fit depends on your needs, goals, and preferences around treatment. Here are a few examples that might help you to decide the right fit for you:
- If you are seeking treatment for marital or relationship issues, either for yourself or as a couple, a therapist is likely the best fit. Seeking services from a marriage and family counselor or a sex therapist would ensure that the professional you are working with has the training and expertise you need.
- If you are experiencing depression and anxiety due to life stressors or transitions, a therapist with training in clinical psychology would be a good fit. Research what formal training they have in evidence-based practice such as CBT to ensure their approach will be a good fit for you.
- If you are dealing with trauma, you would want to find a therapist with training in a trauma-informed approach to care, such as treatment modalities like EMDR.
- If you need testing or a psychological assessment, a psychologist can perform formal evaluations to understand issues such as a learning disability, ADHD, or autism.
- If you are uncertain where to start, talking with your general practitioner may offer you some referral information to point you in the right direction.
Choose the Right Therapist or Psychologist
What matters most when you are facing considerable life challenges is that you are making efforts to address them. Each step along the way will take you closer to your goals and healing.
The difference between a therapist and a psychologist lies mostly in training and scope of practice. But forming a healthy therapeutic connection with a professional who listens to you and helps you make progress toward your goals is the most important aspect of that partnership.
Our team consists of verious therapists and psychologischt, eacht with their own specialities. Get in contact with us, your intake session at Global Online Therapy is free of charge.
References:
[1] Psychology Today Editorial Staff. (n.d.). What are the differences between psychologists, therapists and counselors? Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/therapy/psychologist-vs-therapist-vs-counselor