Psychologist, psychotherapist, psychiatrist, psychoanalyst: what is the difference between these people? Are these all doctors?
There is confusion in concepts here, and the reader will have to understand a number of nuances.
There is only one doctor on this list - a psychiatrist. This person graduated from a medical school, but can work as a psychiatrist, or can be called a psychotherapist. He makes a medical diagnosis, prescribes medications, decides on hospitalization and behaves like any other doctor.
But a psychotherapist can also be a psychologist, which means that he or she works with people to help them solve personal, emotional or mental problems.
A psychoanalyst is a particular example of such a psychologist. Psychoanalysis is a branch of psychology founded by Sigmund Freud.
A psychologist is a specialist in the field of the psyche and behavior of people. This could be a military psychologist, an educational psychologist, an engineering psychologist (they are the ones who came up with the eight-hour working day, say hello), a social psychologist, a sports psychologist and many others, including the same psychologist to whom they come to talk about painful issues.
Who is a psychotherapist and what does he treat?
A psychotherapist is a specialist with a higher medical or humanitarian education who treats borderline mental disorders using psychotherapeutic methods for this purpose. Borderline disorders are mild symptoms of mental disorder that occur in medically healthy people.
A psychotherapist, depending on his basic education, can be a psychiatrist. Thanks to his higher medical education and specialization in psychiatry, this doctor has the right to treat patients with any mental disorders, make a diagnosis and prescribe medications. This physician has clinical experience and must be licensed to practice as a psychotherapist.
Pathologies that a psychotherapist works with include:
- depression;
- panic attacks and anxiety;
- addictions – alcohol, gaming;
- post-traumatic disorders;
- psychosomatic diseases.
The area in which a psychotherapist works is determined by his specialization. Thus, specialists in cognitive therapy most often work with neuroses and post-traumatic disorders, psychoanalysts - with psychosomatic diseases.
Psychotherapy in combination with well-chosen medications gives the best results. Some psychotherapists are proficient in hypnosis and use it to help patients.
How do I know who I need to make an appointment with?
Depends on the goal. A consulting psychologist is the most universal option if we are talking about a problem that has arisen recently, is associated with clearly defined conditions and has not yet led to significant changes.
If we take a psychiatrist who is engaged in the medical part, then it is important to note that psychiatric diagnoses do not arise on their own, out of nowhere. They have a long history and specific manifestations. Let's take clinical depression. This cannot be called “bad at heart” - a person with such a diagnosis simply cannot get out of bed. The perception of the real world in such a patient is so impaired that it is very difficult for him to work with it.
A psychologist's client is someone who thinks like this: “I have a problem. This problem is not me and not the world. It's a matter of my distorted perception." When a dragon flies at a schizophrenic, for him it is part of the “real” world. And therefore it is very difficult to negotiate with him on this topic. Why? Because he does not have the resource, he cannot do without medications that will work and help him bypassing his consciousness. This means that only a psychiatrist can deal with this matter.
A psychotherapist also has the right to prescribe medications, but to do this he must have a medical education.
An analyst is a special case of a psychologist, usually with a non-medical education. When we hear “my psychoanalyst” in films, there is a consulting psychologist hiding behind him.
How to choose a psychotherapist?
- Select one request
First of all, decide on the problem you want to work on. If there are several, indicate the most relevant one at the moment. - Choose the right direction
There are many methods in modern psychotherapy: from psychoanalysis, Gestalt and cognitive behavioral therapy to psychodrama and art therapy. It's important to find what works best for you. A shy introvert is unlikely to agree to drama therapy, while an extrovert may nod off during sand therapy. Or maybe you are a supporter of everything strict, academic, classical and therefore are initially biased towards certain techniques like psychodrama. - Pay attention to education.
A distinctive feature of a good specialist is that he not only graduated from a specialized educational institution and took the necessary courses. A psychotherapist is constantly learning and aware of new trends in her field. The latest educational document must be received no later than 5 years ago. - Supervision is required.
Good psychotherapists always work on themselves. Before helping others, they are required to undergo personal psychotherapy sessions - at least 200 hours. Work with a supervisor should continue as long as the psychotherapist is practicing. Otherwise, the specialist will not be able to help effectively, as he will project his own problems onto the client. You have the right to ask the doctor whether he is undergoing supervision and how many hours of psychotherapy he has under his belt.
It is not always possible to find a psychotherapist who is right for you the first time. If you feel that the treatment is not effective or if you feel uncomfortable during the sessions, it makes sense to look for another doctor. The main thing is not to despair and not give up treatment.
In what cases can you not do without a psychologist?
Psychologists are concerned with two main processes: problem solving and development.
Solving problems is changing those personality traits that bring suffering to the person himself. For example, excessive temper can interfere with building relationships in your personal life and in business, and also does not contribute to making informed decisions.
Development assumes that a person successfully realizes himself in his personal life, creativity and business, but he has a need for something more, going beyond ordinary well-being. He wants to better understand himself and the world around him, he has a need to get out of his comfort zone.
In both cases, a psychologist can be helpful. Many things cannot be read in a book or heard at a lecture; they become clear only in the process of working together with another person, when he can see something that you do not notice. Or he has already passed the stage of development that lies ahead of you, and can show the way. A book, lecture and good intelligence will not help where another person will help.
Need for change
If you doubt whether you should go to a psychologist, try to assess your condition from the point of view of the need to acquire a new skill. The need for change can be the starting point for taking action for your own good. A visit to a psychological office will be the necessary element that will push for pronounced changes. It is likely that after a conversation with a specialist you will want to learn a foreign language, go on a trip or read a certain book. These are important steps on the path to individual wholeness. Moving forward is impossible without self-development. Sometimes, in order to let go of the past, you have to talk through existing fears and grievances for a long time. This can help in building an individual picture of the world and forming a vision of new prospects.
Thus, a psychologist is an important and valuable specialist who is especially needed by people in our difficult times. It is worth using his services if you are in a difficult situation and do not know what to do. After all, without having an idea of the problem as a whole, it is impossible to move forward. It is recommended to contact the community of psychologists and rehabilitation specialists of Irakli Pozharisky. They will help you regain your peace of mind and decide on your next steps in life.
The thought of going to a psychologist makes me afraid - should I really be afraid of something?
Psychologists have their own memes, one of which is “All results are from the customer’s materials.” You will not find anything more terrible than yourself, and at the same time nothing more beautiful. A psychologist will not change your life for you, so all the results achieved, which sometimes take your breath away, are your merit. But all the unpleasant moments that may arise during the work are also yours. Yes, you can be envious, greedy, sometimes manipulative, want everything to be solved on its own, blame others for your problems, and take it out on your loved ones. We are all like that.
Regarding the general distrust of people, which often prevents you from deciding on psychotherapy: it is important to remember that a psychologist is, first of all, a person who initially undertakes to help you. This means that there is absolutely no need for him to deliberately harm you, because a) this is his job, b) this is his reputation.
Who needs the help of a psychologist and why?
To think, imagine, think about something - a person has been delighted with such abilities since childhood. And they often bring considerable difficulties. When a person faces external problems, he suffers internally - these problems are called psychological. But not everyone, when faced with such situations, realizes that they need the help of a psychologist.
Today there are many stereotypes about the work of psychologists, but you should not take them into account, as they are far from the truth. Many people confuse a psychologist and a psychiatrist. These are completely different specialties. After all, a psychologist provides assistance to absolutely healthy people, helping them solve this or that problem. This is the kind of friend, colleague, relative to whom you can share all your worries. Also, don’t think that this is just a “paid vest”. A good psychologist will not only listen to you, but also, judging by your conversation, will find out the root of the problem itself and help you cope with it.
Psychologist's help includes:
- personal problems. This could be a feeling of depression, low self-esteem, depression, resentment. Depth therapy and Jungian analysis are used here;
- if there are any conflicts or troubles in the family, then the effective method of family constellations by Bert Hellinger is used;
- You should approach the child’s still unformed fragile psyche very responsibly. Sand therapy and fairy tale therapy would be appropriate here. This will help the child be more free. I would like to note that some of the methods here are also applicable to adults;
- Today many people are dissatisfied with their jobs. Such dissatisfaction can lead to depression and also bring feelings of self-doubt. The help of a psychologist will help you resolve the issue of changing your profession.
We will touch on the last point a little, work. It is very rare to meet a person who would be happy with his work and at the same time make a good living. Most often, this is just a way to earn food. Many people have the opportunity to change their profession, but only a few decide to do so. Yes, this is a really difficult decision that requires not only incentive, but also the support of a professional psychologist. Work takes up a large part of our lives, sometimes we have to spend more time at work than at home. Therefore, a psychologist will help you not only decide to change your profession, but will also help you choose the best option where you can work.
What to expect from your first appointment? How is everything going?
You come to a session with a person you don’t know yet, and he also doesn’t know what to expect from you. The first session is about getting to know each other. The psychotherapist observes, diagnoses and establishes contact. You, in turn, look at how comfortable you are with this specialist and whether you would like to continue working with him or not.
If we talk about specifics, the room in which the reception takes place should be quiet and secluded. A consultation in a noisy cafe is not an option, and if this is offered to you, it should alert you. Mental work is not about sitting down for coffee. Today there are a large number of psychological centers where you can rent an office for a few hours.
There are no special requirements for the office environment. In classical “orthodox” psychoanalysis the person must lie on a couch. But in most cases, the therapist and patient simply sit opposite each other and talk.
No Skype
- I do not have Skype
... you can buy a webcam for your computer, the price is 1000 rubles. For example, the Logitech c270 webcam (can even be ordered via the Internet) provides sound and video image quality that is quite acceptable for conducting a full-fledged consultation with a psychotherapist. At first, a Skype consultation, even on the phone, will be enough. Skype can be installed on modern phones within 10 minutes (only secure the phone during the consultation so as not to hold it in your hands, you can use a special tripod for the phone).
How often do you need to visit a psychologist for this to make sense?
The most common format is once a week. If you don't know how much you need and don't have any special requests, this rhythm will probably suit you. But in some areas of psychology it is customary to meet much more often; for example, in psychoanalysis you can see an analyst five times a week.
It happens that a person comes very rarely and you can see how he has changed. And sometimes change happens slowly. It depends on your own speed and resource. You can only find out how many sessions you need specifically through practice. Don't rely on other people's reviews. You are you.
Are there unspoken signs that the consultation was a success or a failure?
It all depends on the degree of complexity and statute of limitations of the problem, as well as on the patient’s current resource, because we cannot work for a long time at great depth and with a high degree of intensity. After all, the psyche is closely connected with the body, and if you overdo it, you will start to get sick. Our psyche always strives for balance.
I do transactional analysis and EMDR therapy: the acronym stands for Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. This is one of two types of psychotherapy with proven effectiveness, officially recommended by the World Health Organization. It looks pretty funny. The psychologist makes movements with his hand right in front of the person’s face, and the person carefully watches his fingers. EMDR is fast and deep, but also wastes a lot of the patient’s mental energy. As a rule, after a couple of sessions you need to take a break or switch to conversational consultations. It is extremely important to give a person time to recover. There is also the concept of “change of transference” in therapy. Transference is the client's relationship to the therapist. At first it is neutral. Then he becomes biased, since the patient projects onto the psychologist the desires, expectations, fears and dreams that he had as a child, and are now brought into therapeutic work. And at first the transference is always positive (my therapist is just super!). But then there comes a moment when the transference changes and the “good parent” becomes bad (ruined my whole life). It's not bad. This means that therapy has come to an important, turning point, when a person is ready to get rid of illusions and is ripe to express his less secure feelings in contact with the therapist. For example, showing sympathy means that we are in a safe field in which we can and should remain in order for a resource to appear. But if we stay in it longer than necessary, this will inevitably block development.
How long does it take to see a psychologist?
There is another joke here: “How many psychologists does it take to change a light bulb? One is enough if the light bulb is ready to change.”
It all depends on the depth of the request - that is, how serious the changes the client wants to receive. I will say right away that it is not necessary to walk for years - sometimes even deep processes pass quite quickly. But in general, the more local the problem, the faster the therapy is completed.
The average period is five to six months. But if the patient has planned global internal work, therapy can last several years.
Is a personal psychologist always very expensive?
As with all professions, psychology has niches for every income level. There are free psychological assistance services in difficult situations, and there are specialists whose cost per hour is higher than the average salary. If you wish, you can find a specialist regardless of your financial situation. Another question is, what value does a person attach to psychotherapy? If working with one’s inner world is important for a person, he will be ready to pay for it, even if he squeezes in something else a little. If not, then the minimum price will be unaffordable. A dear psychologist does not always mean a good one. A good one is the one who suits you personally.
I'd rather consult with a friend
- Well, why would I pay money to some unknown psychotherapist. I’d rather buy a bottle of whiskey, or have a heart-to-heart talk with my boyfriend/girlfriend at a bar, and everything will be normal, as it was before
... it won't. If alcoholism solved mental problems, then alcoholics would be the happiest people on the planet. A heart-to-heart conversation with a friend/girlfriend, as a rule, is associated with a number of other problems, including the so-called secondary (indirect) negative benefits of the friend/girlfriend. Starting from envy and hypocrisy and ending with the fact that an alcoholic outpouring of soul can end in bed with that same friend with all that it entails. A psychotherapist is a specialist to understand and reveal: the internal causes that led to the problem; both indirect benefits and hidden motives; and the most important thing is to find the most effective and environmentally friendly ways to solve the problem that are suitable specifically for you in the current situation.
What should I do if I don’t want to bring up the past and it causes me pain and discomfort?
The problem and its solution are always associated with discomfort. The problem causes suffering, but so does the solution, since it requires change and confrontation with traumatic experiences. This issue is decided on a scale: on one side is the level of suffering from the unresolved problem, and on the other is from the solution process. If the scale of suffering associated with the past weighs heavily, the person will not discuss it and some of the problems will remain unresolved. If the scale of current suffering weighs heavily, then the person will go through all his traumas, if only it would be over.
There are types of psychotherapy that do not seem to work with the past. I say “as if,” because they allow you to solve specific problems without getting into “the affairs of bygone days.” But if the task is to carry out deep study, even if we deliberately avoid the topic of the past in conversation, it will still begin to emerge in one way or another in a person’s consciousness. Or, for example, he will start to dream. You can't run away from the past. And this is good, because in order to make a new decision on an emotional level, and not just understand its necessity with the mind, it is important for us to remember something and connect some experiences and thoughts with the specific event that caused them. Otherwise, emotional experiences may begin to surface in other situations.
For example, a person was at war and came under fire. The memory has been repressed, and now any clap causes panic, as it did then at the time of the shooting. Therefore, it is extremely important to remember this traumatic episode and associate the emotion with the memory.
No time
- No time, no money, everything is bad, I have problems, and here you are telling me about some kind of psychotherapy
... so maybe it’s time to figure it out: why there is neither time nor money? Of course, you can continue to complain about the government, about corruption, about officials, about relatives, about your husband/wife, about your children, but it might be better to try to understand yourself. After all, this is why psychotherapists exist - specialists who are specially trained - to understand personal problems and help others with this.
Will I have to take antidepressants, tranquilizers and other pills?
Antidepressants are taken for depression, as the name suggests, but not always. If your boss is annoying you, you're experiencing burnout, a divorce, a promotion, or increased stress levels, you definitely don't need antidepressants.
Tranquilizers - or psychotropic drugs - are prescribed when we know for sure that the problem is caused by an imbalance of certain hormones or neurotransmitters. The second option is that they are prescribed if a person has been depressed for a long time and this depression is of psychological origin. For example, depression of abandonment after a breakup. If a person has been in this destructive state for five years, and during a consultation we ask him to live through some feelings, he may want to do it, but he won’t be able to, because he doesn’t have enough resources. He has been lying there like a rag for five years and all the internal forces of his body have been exhausted. And then he needs a light dope - vitamins for the brain. Then psychotherapy with him will go better, faster and more effectively. If I see a need for this, I always suggest this to the client and say that with medications our work will last “x” hours, but you can do without them and you will still manage, but it will take “2 x” time. There is always a choice.
There is another group of drugs - neuroleptics or antipsychotics. These are drugs for the treatment of psychotic spectrum disorders: delirium, schizophrenia, and the like. If a person is depressed and is prescribed antipsychotics (which, unfortunately, happens quite often), but is not prescribed antidepressants, most likely, you should forget about this psychiatrist. In our country, old-school specialists, alas, still strive to treat most problems with antipsychotics. This is fraught with complications.
What is trance and hypnosis? Why are they needed and is it dangerous?
Trance and hypnosis are altered states of consciousness. We have our usual state - in it we understand well who we are, where we are, what is around us, what we want, what day it is. In altered states, our perception of ourselves as individuals changes, the sensations of the boundaries of the body, the surrounding world, motives, feelings, thoughts may change. When used safely, this is very useful - the brain switches to another mode and rests and recovers.
Every day we find ourselves in altered states a hundred times: we drank coffee, didn’t get enough sleep, experienced stress, were carried away with our thoughts or remembered something, drive to and from work the same way (this causes sensory deprivation - a lack of new sensory experiences). stimuli) - and now we find ourselves in an altered state. But we don’t notice this because we are not used to paying attention to it. We continue to interpret this as an ordinary state of consciousness, and the difference is erased. That is, we spend most of the day every day in altered states.
Trance and hypnosis are simply methods that consciously use the resource and potential of these states to help you.
What specific mental problems can a psychologist solve, and where is he already powerless?
A psychologist will not solve problems caused by organic damage to the brain - for example, as a result of an accident, impaired fetal development, etc. Or problems caused by the internal state of the body - hormonal levels, the balance of neurotransmitters, vitamins, iron and many other microelements affect our physical and mental state. Among the popular facts, a lack of vitamin D can cause conditions similar to depression; An imbalance in iron levels can trigger conditions similar to anxiety. In such cases, the help of other specialists is necessary, and a psychologist can only assist. Before starting psychotherapy, it makes sense to take tests on key points in order to exclude the presence of the above-described “breakdowns” in the body.
But at the same time, there are a number of psychosomatic problems, that is, related to physical health, but caused by our psychological stress, which will be difficult to solve without a psychologist, because they arise again and again until a person’s psychological problem is solved.
A professional psychologist is useful, but is a psychologist necessary?
Sometimes events happen in life that you just can’t cope with alone, and heart-to-heart conversations with a friend do not relieve internal tension. How to get out of this situation, who will help heal the “mental wound” or cut the “Gordian knot”? The answer is clear and comes without delay: the help of a psychologist is, in fact, the only way out of a life crisis.
A professional psychologist is a person who has received a special education that provides not only psychological support, but also a respectful, attentive attitude towards the client. Working with a psychologist, you begin to understand the origins of problems, the personal characteristics that led to difficulties, which means that there is a real opportunity to relieve accumulated tension, understand yourself more deeply, change your behavior and attitude towards current circumstances.
It is important to remember that a healthy lifestyle is not only about healthy eating and body care, but also about your psychological state. Our negative and positive emotions sometimes affect our health more than external physical influences. Therefore, if you want your life to be fulfilling, to have harmony with yourself and others, do not neglect taking care of your mental health.
What, more specifically, is psychological help? Firstly, this is an individually constructed plan for working with a client depending on the existing problem. A psychologist shares his knowledge and experience with you, helps you understand yourself, skillfully builds a dialogue, leading you to an independent understanding and solution to the problem that has arisen. And although no one can give a 100% guarantee that everything will be resolved in the best possible way, the fact that you begin to change (to what extent depends on you) is already a lot. Secondly, it is also not possible to give you advice for all occasions. This is the help of a psychologist, so that you can understand yourself and your experiences, understand what you really want, what you lack to achieve your goals and make the right decisions. A psychologist can give recommendations on whether it is necessary to talk about something secret and if “yes,” then how best to do it or what to do in a given situation.
Thus, it becomes clear that mentally healthy people turn to a psychologist. Mentally ill people are treated by a psychiatrist. Don't be afraid to decide to visit a psychologist's office. Professionals are always happy and ready to help you even if the issue does not require deep study.
The reason why we turn to a psychologist is simple and obvious: we want our life to change for the better, we want to start the life of a happy person, in whose soul there is a feeling of psychological comfort. Sometimes in a difficult situation, simply talking with a loved one who you trust or using advice from psychology literature helps.
But time passes, and the life situation does not change and becomes even more difficult. And then, in search of real help, we go to a psychologist. This decision is made not because we cannot cope with our problems ourselves, we do not have enough intelligence or willpower, no. Any person with a certain level of intelligence understands that the psychological roots of our problems are in the depths of the subconscious, and only a professional psychologist can see and help us get rid of the problem completely, and not “heal with a kind word.”
A person who has decided to turn to a psychologist already has a developed sphere of emotions, the ability to empathize, doubts that he is right, a need for self-improvement, and therefore a desire to achieve more in life. This is where internal conflict arises, being at the same time the driving force of personality development. Thus, the joint task of the psychologist and the client is to work on transitioning the conflict into a creative beginning. In the process of work, the psychologist uses information received from the client. Sometimes careless use of this information can cause harm to both an individual and an entire family, team, or the authority of psychology itself. That is why a professional psychologist, strictly observing the rules of psychological ethics, develops proposals and recommendations on an individual basis.
When starting work, the specialist conducts psychodiagnostics and then decides on one of the types of psychological assistance. Types of psychological assistance include psychotherapy, psychological correction, psychological rehabilitation, psychological counseling, psychological training and education, as well as psychological prevention and mental hygiene. By contacting a professional psychologist, you can be sure that one of the types of psychological assistance will be chosen specifically for you, which means that after working with a psychotherapist you will not only be able to solve your problems, but also have a desire for spiritual and personal growth.
There are often problems in life that cannot be solved without the help of another person and his objective assessment of the situation. But even if this other person is your significant other, a relative or another person close to you, he will most likely not intentionally, but simply out of ignorance, give you advice that will only aggravate and not solve the current problem.
In complex life problems that you cannot solve on your own, you will need the help of a psychologist.
A good psychologist has encountered a life situation like yours, so he roughly knows what the best decision will be. But sometimes it is important not to solve a problem, but to understand it. Understand where it came from, for what reason. If you analyze the problem correctly, then in 90% of cases the solution will come by itself. But usually, when you need the help of a psychologist, the problem is so serious that a person simply cannot cope with himself, and, therefore, analyze the problem and look at it objectively. A psychologist will help you analyze your problem, “put everything into pieces,” so to speak, and look at the problem objectively. This will help you find the right solution to the problem.
From all that has been written above, it follows that the help of a psychologist is not a ready-made solution to your problem, but help in finding a solution. But naturally, if a psychologist has already encountered a similar problem, he will tell you how to resolve the current situation. But usually any problem has a large number of solutions, but often only one, the most correct and suitable solution can help, which a person is not able to find on his own.
Also, if the psychologist was unable to solve your problem, it will be possible to make amends for the moral injury, if any. Many people, when trying to solve a problem on their own, aggravate it so much that it is no longer possible to solve it. Even in this case, you need to seek the help of a psychologist, because he will tell you where you did wrong. He will help you avoid the same situation in the future and will simply have a heart-to-heart talk with you so that you calm down a little, since for many, severe moral trauma causes thoughts of trying to commit suicide. The psychologist will prevent this.
If you are not sure that you can solve your life problem on your own, then it is better to seek the help of a psychologist. He will help you solve it and understand it. After all, if you take on the solution to the problem yourself, you will most likely only ruin everything, otherwise there will be at least some chance, at least some hope for a solution.
