subject: The Differences Between A Psychologist, Counselor And Therapist [print this page] The differences between a psychologist, a counselor and a therapist might seem minuscule to some people, but there are actually some major differences between these professional titles. While all mental health professionals talk to people and help them through various problems in their lives, the education they get and the way they are trained can differ greatly. There are different academic and licensure standards for each profession and different roles they can fulfill.
Psychologists often have doctoral degrees, while counselors and therapists typically have masters degrees. All of these mental health professionals can help their clients, but psychologists may also be involved with research projects. Counselors range from childrens counselors in school settings, to drug and alcohol abuse counselors, to marriage and family counselors. Therapists may perform a variety of therapeutic services, some more alternative and some more traditional for clients who come to them voluntarily. They cannot necessarily prescribe drugs, though only psychiatrists with their medical training are able to do this.
The terms counseling and therapy might seem interchangeable, but the two types of professionals who provide these services both have masters level training differing from each other as much as they differ from psychologists. Counseling often tends to be more short term. Counselors help people through specific issues during specific times in their lives. Someone might see a therapist for a very long time, though, and a much more in-depth approach is typically taken here. A therapist may act as more of a psychotherapist, which is where the term is actually derived from. They can analyze your problems and help you cope with and heal from traumas or just provide a safe space to talk about whatever is on your mind.
There are many differences between a psychologist, counselor and a therapist. While they are all mental health professionals who help people to deal with their problems, they have different educations, different styles of training and different roles they can fill. They are all equally important to the mental health community, though.
