Psychiatrist vs therapist! whats the difference?

TickledPink · 10-17-2005, 03:42 PM

I am seeing a psych at the moment but he also wants me to see a therapist. what do they do?

TIA

10-17-2005, 06:00 PM

I think a therapist is what we would call a counseller here in the UK, someone who is trained to listen to you talk to your hearts consent! Where as a Psychiatrist is someone who is qulified like a Doctor, and is able to dish out meds for you....

choirmissy · 10-17-2005, 06:47 PM

A psychiatrist is generally there to find the medical reason for your problems and to prescribe medicine (or alternative treatments) to fix the medical problem such as the chemistry in your brain. A therapist is someone who you generally talk to and with who works with you to make behavioral changes. For instance, when DH's problems got really bad a few years ago, the psychiatrist started to try different medical combinations. His psychologist helped him role play and talk through his anxiety about starting a new job.

nicole47 · 10-17-2005, 09:05 PM

A psychiatrist is a therapist with an MD who can prescribe medications. Therapists come in a bunch of different flavors-- they can be PhD psychologists, MA in psychology, social work, or counseling, or have a number of other different credentials. They also can treat you with a number of different therapies, some of which will work for you and some of which may not, depending on your symptoms and your personality. You may need to shop around before finding someone who works well with you.

(For example, the first person I saw had an MA in social work, didn't believe me that graduate school was stressful, and liked to use the Socratic method, "What do YOU think YOU should do?"-- she did not work for me, but she referred me to an anxiety clinic using cognitive behavioral techniques that worked well with my specific anxiety where I was treated by a phd student who *knew* that grad school is stressful. Both of these women were therapists.)

Therapists who are not MDs generally have the big advantage that they're less expensive and they complement the chemical therapy your psychiatrist provides since their main job is to focus on your non-chemical issues (which may have caused or may be caused by the chemical problems).

yesimln · 10-17-2005, 09:30 PM

I agree. A few years ago when I first presented symptoms my PCP sent me to the mental health office associated with my HMO. I saw a therapist, who did some talk therapy and testing and came up with the "major depression" diagnosis. I left there STUNNED because I didn't think I was depressed, even though I had all the major symptoms (denial denial denial). Anyway, the therapist made me an appointment with the psychiatrist in the office who talked to me briefly but mostly went on Jim's advice, and he's the one who prescribed all my meds. I went to see him every few months to make sure I was tracking the right way and then that was it. Ultimately I switched therapists (for the better btw) when my insurance changed, and never saw the psychiatrist again. Now my PCP prescribes and monitors my meds and my therapist does the talk therapy. Hope this helps. E

TickledPink · 10-18-2005, 04:23 PM

thanx ladies!

I will be seeing both! thank god i'm in canada and it's all paid for!