What is the difference between psychotherapist, psychologist and psychiatrist?
Psychotherapy focuses on helping people to understand aspects of themselves. A psychotherapist will assist you to explore what have shaped you into the person you are today. Psychotherapy is an evidence-based way of working, that draws on interpersonal and relational models of working with people. It can be useful to people in all walks of life.
Psychotherapists do not utilise medications to assist patients. Rather, psychotherapy focuses on fostering trust and understanding between the practitioner and the client and working through issues using different therapeutic modalities.
Psychology is concerned with the functions of the mind and the ways that people think and act. Many people will study psychology but not go on to work directly with patients in a clinical setting. A psychologist can help and support your journey of developing a better mind space for yourself.
Psychiatry is the branch of medicine concerned with the study, diagnosis, and treatment of mental illness. Psychiatrists are therefore medically-trained and address the pathology of mental health conditions. Psychiatrists can prescribe medication to assist with managing mental illnesses.