Setbacks, rejection, personal loss, and financial challenges are some of the reasons you may experience mood swings, stress, anxiety, and other kinds of emotional issues. Sometimes when these things happen, you can easily come back from the negative episode and keep living your life like you don’t care. Other times, you may need someone to help you out. in this article, you will get to know why Should I See a Psychologist or a Therapist?
In some cases, you can tell when the anxiety is no longer momentary; especially if you notice patterns and constant feelings of negative emotions. Yet, there are cases when the signs of emotional or mental distress may be difficult to identify.
Irrespective of what the case may be, mental health professionals can help you through the process. These professionals are typically trained to help people improve their mental and emotional health.
Therapists and psychologists are two of such mental health professionals you may want to consider. However, people tend to confuse these two professions. And without the right information about the differences and similarities between them, it may be difficult to decide on which one will be right for you.
In this article, we explain the difference and similarities between a psychologist and a therapist so that you can decide on the appropriate professional to visit or make a call to. If you are asking when you should see a psychologist or therapist, then keep reading to learn more.
Table of Contents
Similarities
One basic similarity between a psychologist and a therapist is that they are trained to improve your mental and emotional wellbeing. These two professionals often have a wealth of knowledge on the basic principles of mental health and wellbeing.
They actively listen to their clients when the clients speak and may also have regular meetings to inquire about daily progress and ultimately help the client overcome their struggles. They are also legally bound to respect the client’s privacy and confidentiality.
These professionals are also expected to be properly licensed by their regulatory board and they must ensure that their licenses are up to date and unencumbered.
With that being said, neither of these two mental health professionals is allowed to prescribe any medication to clients in most of the states in the U.S. This aspect of mental healthcare is often reserved for psychiatrists, doctors, and nurses.
Visit https://www.verywellmind.com/clinical-psychologist-2510503 to learn more about the roles and responsibilities of a clinical psychologist.
Differences
Psychologists often have a degree in psychology and may advance their education as far as doctorate levels. The role of a psychologist is to diagnose a patient or a client and determine the kind of treatment that will be suitable for their mental health challenge. They often work in teams and in close contact with psychiatrists who are doctors that can prescribe necessary medication to the client. Psychologists can also conduct research that will be a worthy contribution to both the clinical and academic aspects of the profession.
Therapist, on the other hand, is an umbrella term for several professionals that are trained to provide different treatments for people. A therapist may be a psychoanalyst, marriage counsellor, social worker, or a life coach. Their role is to help the client or patient to set positive goals, make decisions and clear their feelings to get over and find solutions to their mental health struggles.
A therapist will often inquire about the reason you chose to visit and any concerns or symptoms you may have. They may also ask you to fill questionnaires to learn more about you, your childhood, past and current relationships, education, and work history.
Therapy sessions can be done in a group setting, for a family or a couple, or an individual.
However, before you choose a therapist, ensure that they have the right educational background, necessary licenses as well as professional credentials that show that they are qualified to practice as a therapist.
Click here to learn about the different types of psychotherapy for mental illness.
Conclusion
Therapists and psychologists are mental health professionals who employ cognitive-behavioral methods to help their clients deal with their mental health struggles and achieve positive outcomes in recommended treatments.
However, the roles of these professionals are quite different in some regard. Should you need the help of a mental health professional, knowing the differences between these two professions will help you figure out which one of them you need to see – a psychologist or a therapist.
Now that you know the differences between these professions, you can decide on which one of them will be suitable for you.
