Q: "My doctor told me I should see a therapist. What does he mean and is there a difference between a therapist, psychotherapist, psychologist, counsellor and a psychiatrist?"
NVC - Language of Life by Marshall Rosenber
A: In all the years that I have been a therapist and Victoria counsellor, this is probably the question that I have been asked more than any other. If you thought that the decision to seek therapy was difficult, deciding which type of therapist to see can be ridiculously confusing.
Whoever the therapist and whatever the type of therapy, NVC can be and is sometimes used by all of these therapists. NVC is an amazing communication tool - that all important communication with yourself and with others, including your spouse and kids. It will enrich your experience and make it even more usable and useful. I like therapies that you can continue with on your own after you stop seeing your therapist...
I will start with the basics. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in psychological disorders. A psychiatrist can prescribe medication and can also counsel. Typically most psychiatrists just prescribe medication and work as part of a team with a therapist or counsellor who provides the counselling. A psychologist is also a doctor but one who cannot prescribe medication. EMDR can be used (only, I believe) by specially trained psychologists.
A therapist or counsellor is not a medical doctor and they cannot prescribe medication. A therapist focuses on providing psychotherapy (talk - understanding one's own needs, thoughts and feelings -therapy) to their clients. The term “therapist” is used as an umbrella term as is “psychotherapist.” Under the umbrella of “therapist” falls many different titles and licenses of professionals who perform basically the same service: psychotherapy. A few examples are: psychologist, marriage and family therapist, relationship expert, social worker and licensed professional counselor. A therapist title and license type is determined by the state that they are licensed in and their training.
To make things a little more confusing, therapists or counsellors, regardless of their title or license, can specialize in different areas. There are hundreds of specializations but common ones include: couples, family, groups, eating disorders, anxiety, depression, stress management, domestic violence, grief & loss and life transitions.
There is a list and a description of some of the commonest types of therapy here so that you can learn what each therapist does and help choose the type of therapy that you would like.
Happy Choosing! Julie