The difference between a psychologist, psychoanalyst and psychotherapist

A common doubt: What are the differences between different mental health professionals?

There is a long list of doubts about the differences between different mental health professionals. Many people wonder what the main difference is between a psychologist, a psychotherapist and a psychoanalyst. The answer is not simple, since everyone's goal is the same: to try and achieve improvements in people's mental health.

What differentiates the different mental health professionals?

However, although they all share the same goal, yes, there are important differences that allow us to distinguish them. One of them is the focus, that is, the set of studies and methods with which they address the human psyche and which therefore also marks the basis of therapeutic orientation. But there are other variables to take into account. In any case, it should be taken into account that each country has its own legislation that regulates the activity of these professionals, with which this text should only be taken as an introduction general.

By the way, we have not included psychiatrists in this post, since the differences between psychologists and psychiatrists have already been explained in another article. You can check it:

• "What is the difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist?"

Psychologist

A psychologist has studied the university degree in psychology Y tries to approach psychological needs or difficulties from a vast understanding of human behavior as well as mental processes.

Not all psychologists give therapy

It should be clarified that not all psychologists are dedicated to the individualized treatment of their patients. For example, educational psychologists They are part of the organizational chart of educational institutions (schools, institutes) and, in addition to dealing with those students who may present problems, they also perform functions such as the adaptation of certain school curricula to the needs of some students, manage group needs, advise teachers to improve some pedagogical keys, and so on.

In addition to educational psychologists, we can also find organizational psychologists, social psychologists, psychologists who are dedicated to research... All of them perform tasks that go beyond the diagnosis and individualized treatment of their clients.

It is not easy to define a psychologist since there are many specializations

As we see, It is not easy to define a psychologist since there are complex branches and specializations that are different from each other.. What's more. many psychologists use eclectic approaches and methods. What we can affirm is that the psychologist handles certain aspects of human behavior, such as thought, behavior and relationships interpersonal skills to help another person better understand themselves and resolve psychological and relational needs so that they can enjoy a greater psychological well-being.

Licensed or graduate psychologists are qualified to offer psychotherapy, perform psychometric tests and carry out treatments to improve psychological problems of other people, although in some countries like Spain it will be necessary, in addition to being a graduate or graduate, to study specific Master's degrees that enable them to practice psychotherapy. One of the aspects that differentiates a psychologist from a psychiatrist is that, as we saw in the post dedicated to it, the former do not have the power to prescribe drugs to their patients. Yes, it may be the case that psychologists and psychiatrists work together to treat the same patient, but It will always be the psychiatrist who, if he deems it necessary, provides drugs to patients to regulate some type from metal disorder, while the psychologist will exercise psychotherapy or another type of treatment appropriate to the needs of the case.

• More information: "10 tips to choose a good psychologist"

Psychotherapist

It is very important to make it clear that a psychotherapist must have a specialization in psychotherapy from a private institute, but that not everyone who presents himself as a psychotherapist has necessarily completed the career of psychology. For this reason, it must be emphasized that the psychotherapist who is not a psychologist does not adhere to any regulation or protection legal, unlike psychologists and psychiatrists, who must comply with strict legal rules and conventions and deontological.

An ambiguous term

The psychotherapy it is the body of knowledge, techniques and methods psychotherapists use to help their patients discover themselves, and to start a process of cognitive and habit restructuring to improve their quality of life and interpersonal relationships. In fact, there are many licensed psychologists and even psychiatrists who present themselves as psychotherapists, probably to make explicit that their task is focused on therapy individualized.

Psychotherapists may have received training in various therapeutic approaches, such as Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP), the Narrative Therapy, the hypnosis… As a general rule, this type of therapy by non-psychologist psychotherapists has a more directive style than those used by psychologists, which are based more on self-discovery, endowing the patient with a greater leadership.

• Another issue you should be careful about is weekend coaches: "Differences between Psychology and Coaching"

Psychoanalyst

The psychoanalyst is not necessarily a graduate or graduate in psychology, although the usual thing is that they have studies in psychiatry, psychology or even philosophy. The practice of psychoanalysis is also not regulated by any law or official body.

The psychoanalyst carries out his studies within institutes or under the teaching of one or more experienced specialists. To be a psychoanalyst, the apprentice must carry out a personal analysis of his own person for several years, before being able to practice.

The importance of the unconscious

The technical and methodological approach used by the psychoanalyst is the analysis, usually with the patient lying on the couch or in an armchair facing the therapist. The main difference with the other therapeutic approaches is that psychoanalysis works with theunconsciousof the individual.

Therefore, one of its theoretical foundations is that human beings do not have a conscious control over many of our memories and thoughts, with which eIt is essential that we carry out a rigorous and deep analysis of our unconscious if we want to solve current psychological problems.

Treatment based on psychoanalysis investigates the relationship between these unconscious aspects that influence our interpersonal relationships and thought patterns, as well as our behavior and our feelings. In any case, it will always be preferable to have a degree in psychology with a specialization in psychoanalysis when entrusting our emotional well-being to him.

• Don't miss this post about the father of psychoanalysis: "Sigmund Freud: life and work of the famous psychoanalyst"