by Kenneth Gregory Smith

Created on: June 21, 2009

These highly trained persons are all members of the healing profession. That is, they seek to assist persons to feel better and function better. They work in various settings. All of us at some time in our live will likely need to interact with a psychotherapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist.

So what are the differences among the three? The most obvious one is that a psychiatrist is a medical doctor, whereas the other two are not. Although there are psychiatrists who perform psychotherapy, the majority of them in this day and age focus exclusively on assessing patient's mental health diagnosis and prescribing medications to address the diagnosis. As researchers begin to pinpoint more specifically the bio-chemical contributions of conditions like depression and anxiety, it is crucial for a patient suffering from these conditions to have a psychiatrist determine if medication is necessary to treat the condition. Only a psychiatrist can make that determination and then prescribe the medication, if needed. Once a patient begins to take medication, the psychiatrist will then meet with the patient periodically to assess the patient's progress. Most psychiatrists will perform an initial evaluation of the patient that lasts roughly an hour, but after that the visits may be a short as 15 minutes.

A psychologist has a doctorate degree in psychology. Psychologists are trained in a variety of interventions. Some focus on performing psychotherapy. Some specialize in some type of psychological testing, such as personality testing or educational testing. For example, a parent concerned about a child's school struggles can enlist a psychologist to fully evaluate the child's learning styles, academic strengths and shortcomings, and intelligence. Psychologists are often hired by the court system to give feedback regarding custody disputes. The feedback is based on the both the psychologist's personal dealing with the individuals involved and formal testing that has been done on the individuals.

Psychotherapists have a wide variety of training and expertise. A master's degree is usually required, in addition to a post-graduate internship that leads to licensure. Among the graduate degrees a psychotherapist can have are: social work, counseling, educational counseling, and master of divintiy (for faith-based psychotherapists who receive training in integrating faith with secular apporaches).

When seeking the help of any of these professionals, always ask for their credentials and training. Ask them about their license and areas of expertise. Be wary of anyone who gives advice outside their expertise (for example, a counselor who gives feedback about medication).

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