Psychologist. Psychiatrist. Counsellor. Mental health professional...So many terms, but what do they all mean? Is there a difference between them? Can a Psychiatrist do what a Psychologist can and vice versa? How do I know if I need a Counselor or someone else from the helping profession? Can Psychologists provide medical prescriptions?

These are some of the many types of questions and queries that can come to one’s mind, especially when they decide to seek guidance and support. It is important to have a clear understanding and awareness about the different types of professionals who are out there, who can provide just that. This article attempts to clarify the difference between these terminologies, which will ultimately provide the correct information to the readers so that they can choose the person who they think can help them best.

            First, we will look at the term ‘Counselor’. There are career counsellors, legal counsellors, financial counsellors and so on.  A counsellor can also be someone who guides us and even gives us advice at times. However, in the context of mental health support, this term is used interchangeably with the term Psychologist.  Typically, in such cases, this refers to a Clinical or Counselling Psychologist.

   A Psychologist is someone who is trained to provide their clients with adequate mental health support, using various frameworks of therapies (such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Humanistic Therapy, and so on). Psychologists ensure that confidentiality is maintained when a client has a session with them and provides a safe space for them to share and explore their thoughts and feelings, without fear of judgment or any biases or prejudices. Anyone who feels that there is a particular skill they need to develop or a particular concern they need to work on, they can approach a Psychologist. The relationship established between a client and a Psychologist is an equal one, where they can dive deep into the clients’ past experiences and their thought processes to identify the underlying concern and come up with ways to work on them effectively.  

 Finally, we will be looking at the term Psychiatrist. A Psychiatrist is also trained in psychotherapy, but along with that, they can also provide medical prescriptions, since they have a doctoral degree (an M.B.B.S., for instance). People with severe mental health conditions, such as Schizophrenia or Acute Depression or Anxiety, can consult with a Psychiatrist to receive medical help along with psychological support. 

 Now that we have this information, you can use it to ascertain the type of professional you need guidance from, and approach them without hesitation.