July 23rd, 2024
When you’re seeking mental health services, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. “Psychiatrists” and “Psychologists“ are often used as interchangeable terms to refer to mental health providers. However, these terms refer to specific health care professionals with a different education, training, scope of practice, and treatment approaches.
In other words, these two terms should not be used interchangeably. It’s important to understand the difference between a psychiatrist vs psychologist, in order to obtain the proper treatment and care that best fits your needs.
There are various practitioners who treat mental illnesses, including psychologists and psychiatrists. Often, psychiatrists and psychologists work together to provide the most comprehensive care for their patients.
Keep reading to learn more about the difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist, hopefully giving you more clarity on which mental healthcare professional is right for you!
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor (MD or DO) who specializes in psychiatry. They are qualified to assess both the mental and physical aspects of psychological conditions. Their expertise extends to a wide range of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and many others.
They complete rigorous and extensive medical training such as medical school (4 years), a residency in psychiatry (4 years), and in most cases a fellowship after that (2 years or more depending on the fellowship). After all their training, psychiatrists must pass a board-certifying exam in order to practice.
Psychiatrists can prescribe medications, order lab work or other tests, and diagnose illnesses. Their treatment can include psychotherapy, but they typically focus more on medical management of patients with mental illnesses.
There are other psychiatric providers as well such as nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs). However, unlike physicians (MDs and DOs), nurse practitioners and physician assistants go through a more general medical training with clinical rotations in various medical specialties.
A psychologist is someone who holds a doctorate degree in psychology (Ph.D or Psy.D). Clinical psychologists have been specifically trained in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions. This typically involves supervised internships and postdoctoral fellowships in clinical settings. They also have to take a licensing exam in order to be able to practice clinical psychology.
A clinical psychologist can conduct psychological evaluations and use diagnostic tools to determine mental health disorders. Many psychologists also conduct research or teach at universities. Some psychologists are therapists, using techniques like psychodynamic therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and dialectic behavioral therapy (DBT), among others, to provide counseling services to patients.
Therapists can provide individual therapy, family therapy, or group therapy sessions to help patients overcome stressors, explore coping mechanisms, and build resilience. Not all therapists are psychologists; some are social workers (typically LSW or LCSW), licensed counselors (LPC), or marriage and family therapists (LMFT), among many others.
In order to help break down the differences a little further, let's also touch on what the two different fields themselves encompass.
Psychiatry is a branch of medicine that focuses on the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of emotional, behavioral, and mental disorders.
In addition to clinical practice, psychiatry encompasses research and education. Psychiatrists contribute to the advancement of mental health care through research on the causes and treatments of psychiatric disorders.
Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior. It explores various aspects of human experience, including thoughts, emotions, actions, and interactions. Psychologists aim to understand how people perceive, think, feel, and behave, both individually and within groups.
Clinical Psychology specifically focuses on diagnosing and treating mental health disorders, emotional disturbances, and abnormal behavior.
Hopefully by now you have a better understanding on what the difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist is. However, you still might find yourself wondering whether you should see a psychiatrist or a psychologist for your mental health condition. Let’s break it down!
If you’re looking to start counseling to address behavioral or emotional struggles, or to talk through current stressors, a psychologist (or another therapist) may be the best option for you.
Another reason you’d go to a psychologist is if you’re seeking psychological testing / psychological evaluations, for diagnostic clarification of emotional, cognitive, and/or personality symptoms. These professionals can use diagnostic tools and assessments to get a better understanding of underlying issues.
Psychologists take a non-medication approach to managing mental health concerns, which might be the right fit for you if you’re seeking individual “talk-therapy”, couples therapy, or group therapy.
Consider seeing a psychiatrist, NP in psychiatry, or PA in psychiatry if you’re considering medication management for your mental health struggles.
If you are dealing with a complex or severe mental health condition such as Clinical Depression, ADHD, Anxiety disorder, Bipolar Disorder, or Schizophrenia (just to name a few), this may require medical intervention with a psychiatrist.
Oftentimes, patients benefit from seeing both a psychologist and a psychiatrist, as these professionals work together to create a more holistic care plan.
Medication management alongside therapy sessions is often more effective at creating positive change than either intervention alone.
Here are a few of the more well known mental health disorders and conditions that both psychologists and psychiatrists can help treat:
If you have further questions about what would be the best option for you, consider reaching out to your primary care provider for some guidance.
You can also schedule an appointment with one of our psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, physicians assistants, or psychologist who could help discern what the next best step would be, while taking your personal circumstances into consideration.
The journey to mental well-being starts with finding the best psychologist or psychiatrist near you.
Are you ready to find the best psychologist and the best psychiatrist in Chicago? Clarity Clinic has got you covered. We are a mental health clinic that is proudly home to the best psychiatrists near you and psychologists near you.
Whether you are looking for an online psychiatrist, pediatric psychiatrist, or a psychiatrist for teens, we can help.
Our clinics are conveniently located throughout Chicago with locations in the Loop, River North, Lakeview Broadway, Evanston, and Arlington Heights. Clarity also offers online therapy and telehealth if you can’t make it to our clinics.
For the best psychologists, psychiatrists, and mental health care in Chicago, book a consultation at Clarity Clinic!
Find a Mental Health ProviderRelated Readings:
What does a psychiatrist do?
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in diagnosing, treating, and preventing mental health disorders. They can prescribe medication, provide psychotherapy, and create treatment plans for conditions like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. Psychiatrists work with patients to manage symptoms, improve mental health, and enhance overall well-being.
Is it better to see a psychiatrist or psychologist?
Whether it is better to see a psychiatrist or psychologist depends on your specific needs and circumstances. Psychiatrists are medical doctors who can prescribe medication, Psychologists, on the other hand, focus on psychotherapy and behavioral interventions. The best treatment course could be working with both a psychiatrist and a psychologist.
What is the main difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist?
The main difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist lies in their training and treatment approaches. Psychiatrists are medical doctors (MDs or DOs) who can prescribe medication and focus on the biological aspects of mental health disorders.
Psychologists, typically holding a doctoral degree (Ph.D. or Psy.D.), focus on psychotherapy and behavioral interventions. They are trained to diagnose mental health conditions and provide therapy, but they generally cannot prescribe medication.
What is the difference between psychiatry and clinical psychology?
Psychiatry and clinical psychology both aim to alleviate mental health issues. Psychiatry is a branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental health disorders through a combination of medication management, medical interventions, and sometimes psychotherapy. Psychiatrists are trained as medical doctors.
Clinical psychology, on the other hand, focuses on diagnosing and treating mental health issues through psychological methods, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), psychoanalysis, and other therapeutic techniques.
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