FaQ
WHAT IS A PSYCHOLOGIST?
Psychologists are professionals who receive extensive education, usually over 10 year of university. There are two things that set psychologists apart from other mental health professionals.
- Psychologists' training focuses on research as well as practice. This helps psychologists to base their practice on the most recent and best science.
- Psychologists receive extensive training in using different tools to assess personality and intellectual functioning. This gives them the latest, most proven technology for understanding the most difficult issues mental health professionals face.
Psychologists are trained to treat and facilitate understanding of all types of mental health difficulties, but they are specially trained to treat the complex cases and those problems that weren’t helped by other treatment options.
SUMMARY
- Extensive education (usually 7 years or more)
- Able to read and conduct research
- Competent to conduct therapy with complex and severe problems
- Trained to use latest assessment technology
- Services often covered by insurance
WHAT IS A PSYCHIATRIST?
Psychiatrists also receive extensive training, first having to receive their medical degree and then specializing in mental health. What sets psychiatrists apart from other professionals is their prescription privileges. General practitioners will often prescribe basic antidepressants, but will usually avoid prescribing medication for more complicated mental health issues. For this reason, psychiatrists, who have more training in these medications, often treat more severe mental health difficulties. Although some provide therapy services, most focus instead on providing a diagnosis through a clinical interview and then providing a prescription. Psychiatric services are covered by general medical coverage.
SUMMARY
- Extensive education (medical specialist)
- Able to prescribe medication
- Usually treats severe mental illness
- Services covered in Canada
WHAT IS A COUNSELLOR?
Counsellors come from a wide variety of educational backgrounds including social work, occupational therapy, nursing, and counselling programs. Generally speaking, counsellors receive 1 to 3 years of education focused on providing therapy. There are many counsellors in Winnipeg, so it might be easier to access a counsellor quickly. The services of a counsellor are usually less expensive, but it is less likely that they will be covered by insurance. Counselling services are usually helpful with less serious problems.
Unlike the titles psychologist and psychiatrist, the term counsellor is unregulated (at least in Canada). This means that anyone can legally call themselves a counsellor and start charging fees. Consumers should always be careful to check credentials, but perhaps a bit more so with counsellors for this reason. There are professional associations that counsellors can belong to that provide regulatory oversight, but being a member of these organizations is optional.
SUMMARY
- Normally 1-3 year education (no education necessary)
- Varied types of education (social work, occupational therapy, nursing, and counselling programs)
- Services often less expensive, but may not be covered by insurance
- Trained to conduct therapy with less serious problems.
- Professional regulation is optional
DOES THERAPY WORK?
Does Therapy Help with Symptoms?
In 2012, a review of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) was published looking at how effective this therapy was with a variety of disorders. The study found support for CBT being used with…
- Mood Disorders (i.e., Depression, Dysthymia, Bipolar)
- Anxiety Disorders (i.e., Social Anxiety, Panic Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD))
- Bulimia
- Sleep Problems
- Anger
- Stress Management
- Addictions
- Psychotic Disorders (e.g., Schizophrenia)
Overall, this study showed how CBT is an effective therapy for a wide variety of issues. CBT is not the only form of therapy that is effective. Other therapies, (e.g., Interpersonal Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Emotion Focused Therapy) have gained wide acceptance as being effective for certain types of problems.
Are Clients Satisfied?
In 1994, Consumer Reports joined some researchers to test how well therapy worked in the real world. This study looked at therapy from a consumer’s point of view. That is, are customers satisfied? They found that approximately 90% found that it was helpful.
Conclusion
Yes, therapy works. Studies consistently show that well trained therapists delivering well constructed therapies are effective. The focus of the field has actually shifted away from whether therapy is effective and moved to discovering which type of therapy is the most effective for which type of problem.
REFERENCE
Hofmann, S. G., Asnaani, A., & Fang, A. (2012). The efficacy of Cognitive Behavior Therapy; A review of meta-analyses. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 36, 427-440
MEDICATION VS. THERAPY
Effectiveness Comparison
For depression, therapy and medication have about the same effectiveness, with some research suggesting that therapy is more effective. There are a number of factors that should be considered when comparing medication and therapy.
Medication Benefits
The benefits for medication are that they are readily available, do not require any time investment, and do not require any self-exploration or life changes. The main drawbacks of medication are side effects, cost, and the fact that they sometimes don’t work.
Mental health medications often have some side effects. These side effects vary and they sometimes subside after a period of time, but in some cases they persist. Medications can also sometimes cost more than therapy, especially considering that people often stay on medications for longer periods of time. If cost is a consideration, you may want to ask your doctor if they would consider prescribing a more affordable medication.
Therapy Benefits
The main benefit of therapy is that it resolves underlying problems. Medication can relieve symptoms, but the problem that caused the issue may persist which can end up causing more difficulties down the road. With this in mind, it is not surprising that research suggests that therapy is more effective in the long-term than medication.
The second benefit of therapy is that it often costs less than medication for two reasons. The first is that therapy with a psychologist is sometimes covered by insurance reducing the cost. The second reason is that therapy often costs less in the long-term because treatment takes less time.
The third benefit of therapy is that it is still effective when medication fails. Therapy has been found to be just as effective for people who have tried medication without success.
Conclusion
Overall, both medication and therapy are legitimate options for managing emotional difficulties, and sometimes it is best to use both together.