Therapist Vs. Psychologist Vs. Psychiatrist: What’s the Difference?

We often get confused between mental health doctor titles; psychologist, psychiatrist, and therapist.

Are they interchangeable? Well, medical designations, though confusing, have different interpretations. These mental health professionals may work together to treat cases involving individuals with mild or severe mental health issues. Study these diverse medical profession terms and find the right one for your mental health

Requirements:

Psychologist

A psychologist is a certified professional who specializes in evaluating human behavior and related mental health. Psychology is a collective study of the cognitive abilities and emotional behavior of an individual.

People visit psychologists in Dubai for guidance and advice concerning their mental health problems. They may also seek psychological services for handling adverse personal issues and other life problems. The primary duty of a verified psychologist is to diagnose and treat various mental disorders, behavioral abnormalities, and learning disabilities. The popular treatment procedure adopted by psychologists involves psychotherapy sessions or talk therapy. Psychological guidance can help patients manage mental illnesses, break addictive habits, and control their emotions during stressful situations. Psychological counseling and treatment are advised to handle traumatic life experiences. The significant feature that sets apart psychologists and psychiatrists is that psychologists do not qualify as medical doctors. They are not entitled to a medical degree nor trained in general medicine. They cannot prescribe medications.

Psychologist Qualifications

Psychologists require a master's degree or a doctorate in psychology along with a two-year internship to earn the designated title as Ph.D. or PsyD.

Psychiatrist

Trained psychiatrists focus on the diagnostic study, prevention, and treatment of overall mental health issues that covers emotional well being, behavioral pattern, and brain developmental stages. Psychiatrists can detect the chemical imbalances found in the brain. They try to assess the physical symptoms as well as the mental signs of a mental disorder. Unlike psychologists, specialists certified as psychiatrists are fully qualified medical doctors with a medical degree. To earn the title of a psychiatrist, they must complete their undergraduate course and get a medical degree. They also have to complete a 4-year residency in psychiatry. After that, they may pursue a fellowship course in any specific sub-specialty. As trained medical physicians, psychiatrists in Dubai can give prescription medications to patients and also provide counseling. Many psychiatrists refer patients to a reputed psychologist or an experienced therapist for therapy or counseling. Therapist As mental health practitioners, professional therapists are qualified with masters' degrees and licensed certificates. You may find certified counselors, marriage therapists, family therapists, clinical social workers, and child therapists under this category. Therapists provide mental health diagnoses and design treatment strategies for their patients. A reputed therapist may recommend child play therapy, cognitive therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, humanistic therapy, psychodynamic therapy, or other treatment measures that suit your mental health treatment.

Top-rated therapists in Dubai can suggest evaluation tests, therapies, oral medications, or other forms of treatment for people afflicted with mental health disorders. A therapy session may be long or short term depending on the mental issue, diagnosis, and treatment plan. Therapy can be given at offline physical locations or via online platforms. Similarly, therapy could involve individual,
the couple, family, or group sessions.

To sum it up, psychologists, psychiatrists, and professional therapists have diverse roles in clinical society. However, they may work together as a professional team to provide the best diagnostic care and treatment for many types of behavioral symptoms and mental disorders.