Psychiatrist, psychologist, therapist: what is the difference between them and whom to go to?

The difference between a psychologist, psychiatrist, therapist and coach

Each has a different type of education or training, helps or heals in a different way, and also deals with different afflictions.

Who is a psychiatrist

A psychiatrist is a doctor with an M.D. degree from a medical school. Thus, he/she must have completed 5 years of practice and passed a certification exam in psychiatry. He or she may specialize in various subfields of psychiatry, such as child psychiatry or addiction treatment.

The psychiatrist makes the diagnosis, creates a treatment plan and is the only one who prescribes medication. Unlike a psychologist or psychotherapist, he does not treat with words, so you will not go to him for therapy (unless he has psychotherapy training on top of his education). He may, however, recommend therapy as part of your treatment plan. You would be seeing two specialists at the same time.

Specialist psychiatric examinations are now also available online in czech language. You can get help within a few days and join the examination from the safety of your home.

When to see a psychiatrist

Very simply, any time your suffering is so great that you feel you can’t cope without medication. A psychiatrist can help you with severe and chronic conditions such as severe depression and anxiety, severe sleep and mood disorders, eating disorders, severe addictions, loss of touch with reality, and many more.

Who is a psychologist

The psychologist has completed a single-subject master’s degree or a doctoral degree in addition. He or she may have a different focus and work, for example, as a school or prison psychologist.

A psychologist without additional training offers psychological counselling and psychodiagnostics. Unlike therapy, counselling is rather short-term, even one time. On the basis of the examination, the psychologist will recommend an appropriate course of care. For example, he or she may refer you for a specialist psychiatric examination or a certain type of therapy. Often, however, he or she also has psychotherapeutic training and offers therapy himself or herself.

When to seek a psychologist

You can never go wrong with seeing a counselling psychologist. He or she will recommend the ideal course of treatment and refer you to other specialists if necessary. They can help you with both minor and more serious problems. Simply put, a psychologist treats with words, while a psychiatrist treats with drugs.

Who is a psychotherapist

The psychotherapist has completed several years of accredited psychotherapeutic training culminating in an examination. They may have a variety of educational backgrounds, often graduates in psychology, psychiatry or social work. You can also tell the expertise and professionalism of a psychotherapist by their membership of a psychotherapy association such as the ČAP or EAP.

Psychotherapy heals by psychological means, i.e. by the word, and is long-term. It can take place online. You can meet with a therapist twice a week or once a month. Depending on how you feel. Find out more in the article What is psychotherapy and who is it for.

When to seek a psychotherapist

The range of topics a therapist can help you with is really wide. You can come to him with any kind of psychological pain, sadness, milder forms of depression and anxiety, relationship problems, stress and burnout, traumas, low self-esteem, loss of motivation and the desire for self-knowledge and self-development.

Who is the coach

A coach will help you set goals and get there. Unlike a psychotherapist, a coach focuses more on the present and especially the future. He works less with the past.

Coaching is not a method of treatment. Its techniques use well-targeted questions to guide you to your own judgement. They make you think hard. The coach will not tell you what to do, but will help you find your own answers.

The problem is that unfortunately anyone can call themselves a coach. They don’t have to have any specialized training. You can tell a professional by the fact that he or she has completed coaching training accredited by an official institution such as the MŠMT. Ideally, he or she should also be certified or a member of the international coaching institutions EMCC or IFC.

When to find a coach

Common coaching topics include motivation or decision-making, in conjunction with work, relationships, finances and other topics. A coach will help you find your own vision, find out what you really want for yourself and move from that place.

Still not sure who to go to? We will be happy to help you choose the right specialist. Just write us in the chat box in the bottom right corner what you’re struggling with and we’ll recommend the best person to contact.

Don’t fall for fake experts

Unfortunately, people who do not have the necessary education are increasingly offering psychological help. And this can have serious consequences for a person going through a difficult time. In the media, they have come to be called “pseudoexperts”.

So before you book a session anywhere, make sure it’s a real professional with a degree or training.

At Hedepy, we work with more than 100 certified therapists, and we have carefully vetted each one. So you can make an appointment with us for online therapy and, now, a professional psychiatric evaluation online in czech.

At Hedepy, you can find:

• psychologists,
• now also psychiatrists,
• therapists in training or with completed training who meet the criteria of professional organizations  (ČAP, ČPtS, EAP, JEP),
• therapists who are members of professional organizations  (ČAP, ČPtS, EAP, JEP).

Each of them has their own profile, where you can find their certificates, diplomas, specialization, their own performance and video introduction. So you can be sure that you will be working with a real expert.