What is counselling and how does it differ from therapy or psychiatry?
Counselling is a form of mental health treatment that involves talking to a trained professional to address a specific problem or concern. The goal of counselling is to help the individual better understand and manage their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. Counselling can take place in an individual or group setting, and it can be short-term or long-term.
Therapy is a broader term that can include counselling, as well as other forms of mental health treatment such as psychotherapy or psychoanalysis. Therapy generally has the same aim as counselling - to help the individual better understand and manage their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours - but it can be also approached using different techniques and tools.
Psychiatry is a branch of medicine that deals specifically with mental health. Psychiatrists are medical doctors who have completed additional training in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions. They are licensed to prescribe medication and may use a combination of medications and talk therapy to treat mental health conditions.
The main difference between counselling, therapy and psychiatry is the qualifications and training of the practitioner. There are recognised benchmarks for counsellor practitioner training set by professional bodies and awarding organisations. The current minimum qualification requirement is a Level 4 Diploma in Counselling. However, some counsellors have higher level qualifications ranging from a Level 5 Diploma to BA (Hons) Degree. While psychiatrists are medical doctors with specialised training in psychiatry. Additionally, while counselling and therapy tend to focus on talk therapy and emotional support, psychiatry also includes the management of mental health conditions with medication and other treatments.
It is important to note that those terms are not mutually exclusive: a counsellor or therapist can also be a psychotherapist, and the same professional can be trained in different modalities of therapy, or even be a psychiatrist.
In summary, counselling, therapy, and psychiatry are all forms of mental health treatment that can help individuals to address specific problems or concerns related to their thoughts, feelings and behaviours. The main difference is in the qualifications and training of the practitioner, and their approach to treatment.
