Psychologist or Psychiatrist? Coach or Counselor?
Well done YOU! Just by visiting this website and reading this article you are well on your way to getting help. It can be really difficult to ask for help when we need it, especially when it comes to our mental health. Psychologists, psychotherapists, social workers, counselors, psychiatrists, life coaches... it is great that there is so much help available but it can be really confusing figuring out what’s right for you.
The choice can be so overwhelming that some people avoid getting help altogether… but this isn’t you. You are here, on this website, reading this post, finding out what is available and making an informed decision about what YOU need. This means you’re interested in looking after yourself and that makes me SO HAPPY! I am absolutely thrilled to help you navigate through some of the different ways you can get help and how to find the mental health professional that is right for you. So let’s get to it.
What’s the difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist? A counselor, social worker and a life coach? First of all they can all help you, but the fundamental difference lies in their professional training. Psychiatrists are trained medical professionals who have chosen to specialise in mental health disorders and their treatment. They are able to prescribe medications which can be an important part of some people’s treatment plans, helping them to manage symptoms (usually more serious symptoms that significantly impact upon a person’s ability to function in daily activities or cause them great distress). Some psychiatrists may also provide psychotherapeutic interventions to compliment the medications they prescribe, but not all. It’s a good idea to check the combination of approaches used by your psychiatrist.
Psychologists are specialists in behavioural science with a minimum of six years education and training. They are trained in an array of evidence-based interventions, treatments, cognitive tricks, tips, exercises and ‘hacks’ to help you overcome the stress and distress of all sorts of mental health issues and challenges. Psychiatrists do this too only they have additional medical training to be able to prescribe medications. Clinical psychologists have chosen to undertake a further two years training in order to specialise in the assessment, diagnoses and treatment of clinical presentations of mental illness. This means they have additional experience and training in more complex presentations of mental illness, e.g. individuals with dual diagnoses among many other things. While psychologists provide important interventions which compliment the use of medications for the treatment of mental illness and can help you decide if medication is the right choice for you, they are not able to prescribe medications themselves. This is handy when you have found a psychiatrist you really like but perhaps doesn’t offer counselling and psychotherapy. Psychologists will often work closely with GP’s and psychiatrists to provide a treatment plan tailored to the individual, incorporating both medication and psychological therapy. Psychologists need to be registered with the Australian Health Practitioners Regulatory Authority (AHPRA) in order to practice in Australia and are bound by a strict code of ethics established by the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and monitored by the Psychology Board of Australia.
Social workers help people to face life’s challenges, improve general well being, link people to vital community services, and ensure people are treated fairly. They have undertaken a minimum of four years in education and training and generally counsel people during times of crisis such as family violence, homelessness, bereavement, and mental illness. They are not able to diagnose mental illness but may have undertaken further training to support and treat mental illnesses. Many social workers are accredited through the Australian Associated of Social Workers (AASW) who verify their qualifications and ensure they adhere to a strict ethical practice standards and meet ongoing continuing professional education requirements.
The terms ‘counselor’, ‘psychotherapist’, and ‘life coach’ are not strictly regulated in Australia which means individuals can call themselves these terms with varying degrees of education and training and in some cases no formal qualifications at all. That is not to say that individuals with these titles are not to be trusted, just that a little more investigating is needed in order to ensure they have the knowledge and experience to ensure you are in safe hands. Check to see if they are members of professional bodies such as The Australian Counselling Association (ACA), The Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA), and The Australian Register of Counselors and Psychotherapists (ARCAP). Qualified counselors are able to provide general counselling and support to a range of life challenges however, they may lack the skills and training to support mental illness. It is best to enquire what further training your counselor has received in this area. Life coaches are currently unregulated in Australia which means there is no monitoring body to ensure that they work ethically or follow professional norms or standards such as confidentiality and consent however most training institutions do incorporate education in ethical practice to some degree. However, anyone can call themselves a life coach without certification of any kind. They are not trained or required to investigate the mental health of their clients. Again, this is not to say there are not some great life coaches out there helping to improve the quality of life for many people, in fact I know people who believe they have benefited from having a life coach. However, I would caution seeing a life coach for issues around mental health. Life coaches are probably best engaged to support you to make changes in your life relating to fitness, nutrition, career and personal relationships when mental health and safety is not a concern.
Fees can vary between each as can the mode of delivery from face-to-face, online, email and even chat. To summarise, a psychiatrist is best if you think you may require medication (particularly long-term, medication in the short-term can usually and easily be managed by your GP), a psychologist is recommended to provide evidence-based behavioural and cognitive treatments for mental illness and/or associated life distress. Social workers, counselors, and psychotherapists are great for support with general life challenges and may be additionally qualified to provide treatment for mental illness. Life coaches are suitable if you need motivation to change aspects of your life when mental health and safety is not a concern.
But “Pen!”. I hear you say. “What if I don’t like my therapist?”. Check out my other post about Finding YOUR Therapist.
