Therearemanydifferentdisciplinesthatfallunderthecategoryoftherapy,includingbutnotlimitedtothefollowing:
Inaddition,othertherapistsmayhavevariouslicensuretitles,including:
Regardlessofthedisciplineacounselor,therapist,orpsychologistworksin,whethertheyhaveanundergraduatedegreeoradoctoraldegree,theymustallhavepassedtheirstatelicensureexamtobelicensedwithintheirstatetopracticetherapy.Eachoneofthesemayhavetheirownspecialtyinhumanbehavior,regardlessoftheirofficialdesignation.Thetypicalareasofconcernaddressedbyatherapistorpsychologistinclude:
Aquicknote:lifecoachesoffersupportforanumberoflifechallenges,buttheyarenotlicensedtherapists.Whilesomepeoplefindtheirservicesuseful,thisprofessiondoesnothavethesameeducationalandprofessionalrequirementsatherapistorcounselorreceives.Alicensedtherapistmayofferlifecoachingbutbecarefultocheckthequalificationsofanyoneusingthistitle.
Themostsignificantdifferencebetweenatherapistandapsychologistinvolvesthecareeroptionsforeach.Theword"therapist"isoftenusedasanumbrellatermtodiscussanymentalhealthprofessionalwhoworksinatherapeuticcounselingsetting,suchascounselors,clinicalsocialworkers,andmarriageandfamilytherapists.Psychologistscanalsoworkastherapistsinclinicalpractice.
However,theeducationalrequirementsfortherapistsandpsychologistsjobcandiffer,andsomeonewhocallsthemselvesapsychologistmaynotbeatherapist.PsychologistshaveaPsyDoraPh.D.Intheseprograms,theycanfocusonresearch,practice,oracombinationofthetwo.Someofthesepsychologistsmayworkinresearch,goontobeprofessorsatauniversity,becomeauthors,orworkinahospitalsetting.Therapistswithoutthiseducationalbackgroundmaynothavethesamecareerpossibilities,althoughboththerapistsandpsychologistsmustundergosimilartrainingandclinicalsupervisiontopracticetherapy.
Therearemanytypesoftherapists,allofwhichcovervariousareasofmentalhealth.Understandingthedifferencebetweeneachtypeoftherapistcanfurtherguideyouinchoosingyourproviderandfindingatherapistwhocanmeetyourspecificneeds.
Whetheryouchooseonlinetherapyorin-persontherapy,lookforaproviderthatmeetsyourneeds.Bothpsychologistsandtherapistscanofferhigh-qualitymentalhealthservicesandguidance.Considercontactingaprofessionalforfurtherinformationandtosetupaconsultation.