What is the difference between a counselor, a psychotherapist, a psychologist, a psychiatrist and a psychoanalyst?
This is one of the most commonly asked questions about the mental health profession along with, Do you prescribe medications? Some of these categories do overlap which makes things even more confusing. First of all, a counselor or psychotherapist could also belong to any of the other categories because psychologists, psychiatrists and psychoanalysts do at times act as counselors and psychotherapists. Usually, however, a counselor or psychotherapist has training at a Masters; level and is most often licensed as a social worker, a mental health counselor or a marriage and family therapist (some states also allow registered nurse practitioners to practice psychotherapy). Psychologists have doctoral degrees and provide diagnostic assessment and psychological testing as well as psychotherapy and other forms of treatment. Psychiatrists hold medical degrees (M.D or D.O.) and have completed a residency in clinical psychiatry. Psychiatrists today are typically trained most extensively in the vi
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