What’s the difference between Psychiatry, Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy?
A psychiatrist first trains and qualifies as a medical doctor and then does a further specialist training in psychiatry. This enables psychiatrists to prescribe medication for psychological problems, something that neither psychologists nor counsellors/psychotherapists do.
Psychologists hold a degree in psychology. They are trained in the use of various tests (called psychometric tests) to help assess and diagnose psychological disorders, and they are also specifically trained in psychological research methods and statistical analyses. Certain psychologists specialise in working as therapists, but their training does not focus exclusively on the practise of therapy.
Counsellors and Psychotherapists. In the UK, Counsellors and Psychotherapists undergo a specialised training that focuses exclusively on working as a therapist. Generally a psychotherapy training takes 5-6 years, which is about two years longer than a counselling training. In Italy, psychotherapists hold a degree in either medicine or psychology. Whilst Counselling is not yet regulated under Italian law, organisations such as the 'Coordinamento Nazionale Counsellor Professionisti' (CNCP) work to ensure that their members' training and clinical practice adhere to their strict code of values, ethics and professional standards.
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