What's the difference between a Psychiatrist and a Psychologist?

This is one of the more commonly asked questions. There are a lot of different people who work in the mental health area, each with different training and qualifications. There is often a lot of overlap between them. A list of their titles and a little bit about them follows below:

Title Training

PSYCHIATRIST These are medically trained Doctors who have chosen to specialise in treating mental disorders. The only ones qualified to prescribe medication. Some psychiatrists have undergone extra training in therapy and offer similar things to psychologists or psychotherapists.

PSYCHOLOGIST Anyone who has obtained a Psychology degree is entitled to call themselves a Psychologist. However, there are many different kinds of Psychologist, and the people who are qualified to offer therapy are usually called Clinical Psychologists or Counselling Psychologists. These people undergo an extra 3 year training which usually qualifies them up to a Doctorate level. This can be a little confusing as they are Doctors of Psychology, not medicine. They are usually trained in a variety of different therapies and are in a good position to assess you for the type of therapy you might need, and often are able to provide it.

PSYCHOTHERAPIST Psychotherpists are usually highly trained in one particular type of therapy. They have an in depth knowledge of that therapy (eg Psychodynamic), but are often not overly familiar with other forms.

COUNSELLOR These people are usually trained within one particular form of therapy. That is usually Client Centred (Humanistic) Therapy, but not always. They will have been trained in Counselling skills and will possess a counselling qualification.

NURSE SPECIALIST Nurse Specialists are people who have trained as nurses and have then gone on to further training or gained specialist experience in a particular type of mental health work. Examples include Behaviour Nurse Specialists who are trained in Behavioural Therapy techniques.

SOCIAL WORKER SPECIALIST Like Nurse Specialists, Social Worker Specialists are fully trained Social Workers who have obtained extra training or experience in a certain form of psychological treatment.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST These people are trained to help people learn skills that will help them recover. These can include practical household or work skills, or things such as anxiety management and relaxation skills. They are commonly seen attached to hospitals or community teams.

SPEECH & LANGUAGE THERAPIST As the name suggests, these people concentrate on problems associated with communication (e.g. talking, reading etc). They have undergone a specialist training in this area.

Title	Training
PSYCHIATRIST	These are medically trained Doctors who have chosen to specialise in treating mental disorders. The only ones qualified to prescribe medication. Some psychiatrists have undergone extra training in therapy and offer similar things to psychologists or psychotherapists.
PSYCHOLOGIST	Anyone who has obtained a Psychology degree is entitled to call themselves a Psychologist. However, there are many different kinds of Psychologist, and the people who are qualified to offer therapy are usually called Clinical Psychologists or Counselling Psychologists. These people undergo an extra 3 year training which usually qualifies them up to a Doctorate level. This can be a little confusing as they are Doctors of Psychology, not medicine. They are usually trained in a variety of different therapies and are in a good position to assess you for the type of therapy you might need, and often are able to provide it.
PSYCHOTHERAPIST	Psychotherpists are usually highly trained in one particular type of therapy. They have an in depth knowledge of that therapy (eg Psychodynamic), but are often not overly familiar with other forms.
COUNSELLOR	These people are usually trained within one particular form of therapy. That is usually Client Centred (Humanistic) Therapy, but not always. They will have been trained in Counselling skills and will possess a counselling qualification.
NURSE SPECIALIST	Nurse Specialists are people who have trained as nurses and have then gone on to further training or gained specialist experience in a particular type of mental health work. Examples include Behaviour Nurse Specialists who are trained in Behavioural Therapy techniques.
SOCIAL WORKER SPECIALIST	Like Nurse Specialists, Social Worker Specialists are fully trained Social Workers who have obtained extra training or experience in a certain form of psychological treatment.
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST	These people are trained to help people learn skills that will help them recover. These can include practical household or work skills, or things such as anxiety management and relaxation skills. They are commonly seen attached to hospitals or community teams.
SPEECH & LANGUAGE THERAPIST	As the name suggests, these people concentrate on problems associated with communication (e.g. talking, reading etc). They have undergone a specialist training in this area.

The list above does not include everyone (e.g. hypnotherapists, Art therapists etc). So please don't read it as such, but it does cover the main people involved.

Please remember that there are a lot of people out there who claim to be therapists. Check their qualifications, because the UK law, at least, allows anyone to set up as a psychologist, even without any training. That's not to say these people aren't any good, but the extra guarantee of a well trained person, responsible to a professional organisation will give you some idea that at least the person isn't a complete hoax. Of course, in truth, it also doesn't guarantee that they are any good. But like most professions (e.g plumbers, builders, accountants etc), you get some that are better than others. That's just a fact of life!

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