It is very common that when you present yourself in a social environment as a psychologist, people make a comment such as: "Oh! I'm sure you've been psychoanalyzing me all this time." Currently, it is customary to use the term psychologist and psychoanalyst interchangeably to refer to the therapist who helps you improve your well-being when you go to therapy.
Even so, the truth is that, despite having several points in common and a clear connection between these two terms and their functions, they are not exactly the same. If you want to know more about the difference between a psychologist and a psychotherapist, keep reading! In this Psychology-Online article we will explain how exactly they differ.
Index
- what is a psychologist
- Areas in which a psychologist can work
- What is a psychotherapist
- Differences between a psychologist and a psychotherapist
What is a psychologist.
psychology is a core science, since it touches each and every one of the aspects of human reality. Professional psychologists work in a wide variety of settings, including clinical, educational, organizational and legal, in order to respond to the questions of life everyday and
Although the education and training of psychologists professionals varies from one European country to another, especially in its structure and in the name of its degree, there are sufficient similarities in content and skills, as well as in the expected outcomes of education and training training.
There is agreement that a period of six years is required for adequate preparation for independent professional practice as a psychologist and that, of these, five years they must be of academic training that provides the basic foundations of theoretical psychology and a substantial basis for research and application of psychology. Another year must be a supervised internship or internship.
According to the definition of the International Labor Organization (ILO), a psychologist studies the mental processes and behavior of human beings, individually or as members of groups or societies. This knowledge is then applied to promote the development of people, both individual and social, educational, individual or professional.
Areas in which a psychologist can work.
The fundamental role of the professional psychologist has been defined as being able to develop and apply psychological principles, knowledge, models and methods in an ethical and scientific manner with the end of promote the development, well-being and effectiveness of individuals, groups, organizations and society. This can be done in two different areas that we will show you below.
Sanitary
On the one hand, psychologists can work on the following health institutions:
- Mental health centers for children and adolescents.
- Mental health health centers for adults.
- Acute hospital units.
- Neuropsychology.
- palliative cures.
- Social health centers for chronic diseases.
- Public health agencies.
- Social services of public administrations.
- Day centers.
- Drug treatment centers.
- Social and health services for disabled people.
- Centers for the elderly.
- Other toilets.
Not Sanitary
On the other hand, a psychologist can also work in non-health fields such as the following:
- Human resources and work psychology.
- Counseling and psychological evaluation in the educational field.
- Psychological assistance in prisons or social reintegration centers.
- Forensic psychology and judicial expertise.
- Sports psychology.
- Road safety.
- Social revitalization.
- Attention to disadvantaged groups.
- Advertising and marketing.
- Teaching and scientific research.
- Emergency psychology.
- Others.
What is a psychotherapist.
A psychotherapist is a person qualified to do psychotherapy, that is, he performs the treatment that aims to change thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The practice of psychoanalysis is carried out by a professional with the training and skills necessary to facilitate psychological change and treats patients who require help to relieve the symptoms that they produce suffering.
In itself, psychotherapy is a space for reflection with a professional in which day-to-day problems are faced. The patient goes to the therapist to reflect together and find out what is happening, what is often unconscious, that is, it is outside our consciousness.
Duties of a psychotherapist
Psychotherapy promotes changes consistent with the objectives that the patient wants to achieve. Specifically, the main functions of a psychotherapist are:
- provide order to chaos, facilitating the understanding of ideas and actions that had been confused.
- Train the person to face fears and tensions that disturb it.
- Offers tools to learn different ways of thinking, feeling and acting.
- Promotes personal security, since it causes the sensation of discomfort to progressively give way to that of dominance and personal control.
Psychotherapists say that finding out what we have forgotten, or what we are not aware of, will solve the problem. The main driver of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, affirmed that it was necessary to relive the trauma in the sessions in order to resolve it. From a cognitive behavioral perspective, it is known that in order to solve a problem certain behaviors must be modified, and that if this is not done, the problem will not be solved.
Differences between a psychologist and a psychotherapist.
As we have seen previously, a psychologist has different fields of action. We are going to need to know the differences between a psychoanalyst and a psychologist when we are in the field of clinical or health psychology.
1. therapeutic approach
The main difference between a psychologist and a psychoanalyst is the approach to the treatments they offer. On the one hand, a psychologist may use different approaches and treatments depending on the case, or on the approach or theories with which they most identify: first generation, second generation, cognitive, behavioral, cognitive-behavioral, integrative, etc.
However, when a health or clinical psychologist uses a dynamic approach or the base of its action and treatment is psychoanalysisSo that's when we talk about psychoanalyst.
2. Goals of therapy
The goal of the psychologist is increase people's well-being as individuals, in groups and in social systems. Instead, the goal of psychoanalytic therapy is to change those thoughts and behaviors that cause the patient suffering and enable him to face her fears and concerns.
3. scope of therapy
In general, the term psychotherapy and psychotherapist has been applied more in scope of dynamic guidance (psychoanalysis, humanistic therapy,...) within psychology. While clinical psychology has been applied by cognitive behavioral psychologists to their therapeutic work. However, psychotherapy has been considered as a part of clinical psychology. Therefore, a psychotherapist would be a psychologist working in the health field with a dynamic orientation.
4. Therapy Results
The main difference between psychology and psychotherapy is the results that the patient obtains during the therapy. On the one hand, the psychologist promotes more generic results such as the social, educational, individual or professional development of people. On the other hand, treating a psychotherapist favors more concrete aspects how to empower individuals to face their fears and strengthen their personal security.
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to Difference between a psychologist and a psychotherapist, we recommend that you enter our category of Clinical psychology.
Bibliography
- Official College of Psychology of Madrid, 2022. Psychology and school. Recovered from: psychology-school (copmadrid.org)
- General Council of Official Colleges of Psychologists, 2003. A framework proposal for the education and training of psychologists in Europe. Infocop magazine, 86 (1). Retrieved from: Selected Article Papers of the Psychologist (cop.es)
- Garcia, J., 2010. Psychotherapy and clinical psychology. Psychotherapists. Retrieved from: PSYCHOTHERAPY AND CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY - Psychotherapists
- Soledad, M., 2003, Center for psychotherapy and psychological counseling. COP. Retrieved from: PSYCHOTHERAPY AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ADVICE CENTER (cop.es)
