Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is a Psychologist?What Is a Therapist?What Is a Counselor?Which Is Right for Me?
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Is a Psychologist?
What Is a Therapist?
What Is a Counselor?
Which Is Right for Me?
Some people use the terms “psychologist,” “therapist.” and “counselor” interchangeably, but each has different training and different approaches to how they provide care.
From the broadest perspective, psychologists, therapists, and counselors all deal with mental, emotional, and behavioral health and often use similar methods.
However, psychologists receive extensive training in the theory and practice of abnormal psychology and are more likely to work with people with seriousmental health disorders. By contrast, counselors and some therapists are more focused on helping people address emotional, social, and physical stresses to function better in their lives.
This article describes the differences between psychologists, therapists, and counselors, including the focus of their practices, their education and training, and the types of licensure and subspecialties they may pursue.
Specialty Areas in Psychology
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Apsychologistis a mental health professional trained in one or more branches of psychology who holds a doctoral degree from an accredited university or professional school. Depending on what specialty or field of practice they decide to pursue, the doctorate may be in psychology (PsyD), philosophy (PhD), or education (EdD).
Psychologists are deeply involved in the science, theory, and practice of psychology. Because of their extensive training, they are likely to treat severe mental illnesses likebipolar disorderandpsychoses. They are also trained to conduct psychological andneuropsychological testing.
Accredited doctoral programs are offered in:
Doctorate programs usually involve 5 to 7 years of training after attaining a relevant bachelor’s degree. Licensure can take an additional one to two years, with some states requiring a one-year postdoctoral residency. Subspecialties like child psychology or neuropsychology require additional training.
In the United States, full membership in the American Psychological Association (APA)—the country’s largest professional organization of psychologists—requires doctoral training.
Despite the word “clinical,” clinical psychologists are not medical doctors. They don’t hold a medical degree (like anMD or DO) and usually can’t order medical tests or prescribe medications.
What Is Developmental Psychology?
A therapist, also known as apsychotherapist, is a general term that can be applied to individuals who have been trained in and practice one or more types ofpsychotherapy (talk therapy).While it most often refers to people with master’s degrees, some psychologists with doctorate degrees also refer to themselves as therapists or psychological therapists.
As with psychologists, master’s level therapists are trained in different psychotherapy techniques—likecognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)anddialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)—but generally have less training in psychological assessment, theory, and research. As such, they tend to be focused more on treatment and often within a specific area of practice.
There are many types of master’s degrees in psychotherapy, some of the most common of which include:
Master’s level therapists often need licenses to practice and will only see patients that fall under their specific area of expertise.
Acounselorgenerally refers to a mental health professional trained in a specific area of practice who delivers shorter-term, goal-oriented care to overcome specific life challenges. Depending on the area of practice (and the state in which they practice), a counselor may or not require a license.
Bachelor’s level counselors may attain degrees in fields such as:
For some areas of practice, like grief counseling, mental health counseling, or rehabilitation counseling, you may only be able to practice as a counseling aide until you attain a master’s degree.
The choice of the"right" mental health professionalultimately depends on your individual needs and circumstances.
From the broadest perspective:
But there are no hard and fixed rules. There is a lot of overlap between what a psychologist, therapist, and counselor can help you with, and the “right” choice may ultimately be based on who you can work with in an open, honest, and cooperative manner.
If you don’t have insurance, speak with different providers about payment options or if discounts or low-income subsidies are available. Group counseling is typically less expensive than one-on-one counseling.
How to Afford Counseling and Therapy
Summary
Psychologists, therapists, and counselors are three different types of mental health professionals. While there is a lot of overlap in the care they provide, they differ in their education, licensure, and scope of practice.
Counselors tend to work with life challenges on a more short-term basis, while therapists are more likely to treat mental health conditions on an ongoing basis. Psychologists are trained in the theory and practice of mental illness and are more likely to treat serious mental health disorders.
Insurance Coverage of Mental Health
9 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychological Association.Psychologist.American Psychological Association.APA accreditation.American Psychological Association.Clinical psychology.American Psychological Association.Counseling psychology.American Psychological Association.School psychology.American Psychological Association.APA membership information.American Psychological Association.Psychotherapy.American Psychological Association.Master’s-level psychological assessment competencies and training.Institute of Medicine.Requirements related to the practice of counseling.
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychological Association.Psychologist.American Psychological Association.APA accreditation.American Psychological Association.Clinical psychology.American Psychological Association.Counseling psychology.American Psychological Association.School psychology.American Psychological Association.APA membership information.American Psychological Association.Psychotherapy.American Psychological Association.Master’s-level psychological assessment competencies and training.Institute of Medicine.Requirements related to the practice of counseling.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Psychological Association.Psychologist.American Psychological Association.APA accreditation.American Psychological Association.Clinical psychology.American Psychological Association.Counseling psychology.American Psychological Association.School psychology.American Psychological Association.APA membership information.American Psychological Association.Psychotherapy.American Psychological Association.Master’s-level psychological assessment competencies and training.Institute of Medicine.Requirements related to the practice of counseling.
American Psychological Association.Psychologist.
American Psychological Association.APA accreditation.
American Psychological Association.Clinical psychology.
American Psychological Association.Counseling psychology.
American Psychological Association.School psychology.
American Psychological Association.APA membership information.
American Psychological Association.Psychotherapy.
American Psychological Association.Master’s-level psychological assessment competencies and training.
Institute of Medicine.Requirements related to the practice of counseling.
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