What is the difference between Counselling and Psychotherapy?
In my opinion the difference is mainly historical. Psychotherapists mainly worked within the mental health field. Psychotherapy training was generally longer (4 year’s minimum) and specialised in working with people with mental health difficulties. It was seen as being interventive. Counselling was seen as a talking therapy – the counsellor mainly listening and perhaps offered advice. Today, however, much of the training for counselling and psychotherapy is similar in length and many psychotherapists describe themselves as counsellors. The identities of the professionals have become overlapping and both are now described as offering a talking therapy.
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