Question by Nurani Illahi: Psycho-this and Psycho-that…?
Can someone explain to me in thoroughly, accurately, and in clear detail what the difference between
Psychologist
Psychiatrist
Psychotherapist
Psychoanalyst is?

Best answer:

Answer by Dr. K
This is a very common question on here and very common question I get a lot.

Ok, first, let’s get the psychiatrist out of the equation. They are a medical doctor and have an M.D. (medical doctorate) degree. They go to medical school and take courses in mental health and psychology but their primary concern is prescribing medication. Think of your general doctor you go to when you are not feeling well. Psychiatrists are similar to them, but they have a lot of training in psychology and dealing with mental disorders. They generally see patients for as long as your medical doctor would see their patients; about 5-10 minutes, find out how their meds are doing and then go to the next patient. They do not do group therapy, they don’t “counsel” patients/clients on their condition and help them find ways to help themselves other than meds. They do make a hell of a lot more money because they do dabble with medications and that is a very dangerous thing to give to people. They would not be hired over a psychologist, as these are 2 totally different professionals.

A psychologist also has a doctorate degree, either a Ph.D. or a Psy.D. A Ph.D. usually means the person has gone an extra year in graduate school and as more of an emphasis on research and possibly teaching, although a lot of Psy.D. graduates teach, too. They are becoming very similar degrees these days. A Psy.D. generally means you have taken more clinical courses and are more experienced in working WITH patients in a clinical setting. A psychologist can: teach, do group therapy, do research, consult with agencies, work at mental health clinics/hospitals, work for prisons, work for the government, pretty much a wide variety of things. They can be specialized in certain areas such as anxiety, forensics, assessment, adolescents, etc. There are a few types of psychologists, and they are forensic, clinical, neuro, counseling and school. For private practice and just generally speaking, clinical psychologists are the most widely trained and can work just about anywhere (excluding neuropsychology- that is VERY specific). Also, in order to be called a psychologist, the person must have BOTH received a doctoral degree AND be licensed to practice psychology in their state they live in.

Psychotherapist: This person can be an unlicensed psychology graduate. Like I mentioned above, a psychologist must have those 2 criteria met. So, a psychotherapist could be someone with a doctorate degree but has not been licensed yet. They could also have “just” a masters degree. You would have to ask the person what their qualifications are. Sometimes, to be even more confusing, some psychologists refer to themselves as therapists. The reason why we add “psycho” in front of the work therapist is to make sure people understand we are not massage or sports therapists. Haha. “psycho” is refering to the field of psychology. You may hear someone say therapist, counselor, or psychotherapist…all the same.

The term psychoanalyst is not used too often, but it is a form of therapy used in psychology. Someone who is a psychoanalyst is practicing Freudian therapy- like the lying on the couch thing you see on tv. They rarely talk during session and expect the patient to unravel their issues on their own. It’s kind of difficult to explain this, but I guess the easiest concept is to know they are a therapist, or psychologist, and they practice psychoanalysis as their type of therapy.

Hope that helps!

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