Therapist vs. Psychiatrist: What’s the Difference and Which Should You See?
With so many types of mental health professionals out there, it can be hard to understand what each offers. One of the biggest confusions we see is in differentiating between a therapist and psychiatrist. Although they may work together, therapists and psychiatrists have very different practices and specialties.
We’ll cover the main differences between therapists and psychiatrists below, their training, what they provide, and how to find the right support.
Therapist vs. Psychiatrist at a Glance
To put it most simply, therapists primarily provide psychotherapy. There are many types of individual therapy, and sessions may look different depending on the type of therapy. Psychiatrists, on the other hand, are medical doctors who primarily diagnose mental health conditions and prescribe medications.
| Therapist | Psychiatrist | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary role | Psychotherapy and emotional/behavioral support | Medical treatment of mental health conditions |
| Training | Varies by profession; often master's or doctoral level | Medical degree plus psychiatry residency |
| Can prescribe medication? | Generally no | Yes |
| Provides psychotherapy? | Yes | Sometimes |
| Can diagnose mental health conditions? | Some licensed therapists can | Yes |
| Approach | Talk therapy, behavioral strategies, coping skills, and emotional processing | Medication, medical assessment, and sometimes psychotherapy |
| Typical appointments | Often regular and ongoing | Often focused on evaluation and medication management |
| Can you see both? | Yes | Yes |
What is a Therapist?
Therapy really is a broad umbrella term. It covers many different trainings, practices, and individuals. Therapists generally have a minimum of a master’s degree, and are licensed as social workers (LCSW), professional counselors (LPC), mental health counselors (LMHC), or marriage and family therapists (LMFT).
Generally, a therapist is someone who offers a form of psychotherapy such as EMDR therapy, CBT, DBT, ACT, psychodynamic therapy, mindfulness-based therapy, or couples therapy. Therapeutic work focuses on helping individuals understand thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. You may develop coping skills, address patterns that cause distress, cultivate healthy relationships, or deal with a specific difficulty like anxiety, stress, grief, trauma, or depression.
What is a Psychiatrist?
Whereas a therapist completes a masters program, a psychiatrist is a medical doctor that completes medical school. A psychiatrist’s principal job is to evaluate mental health symptoms, diagnoise psychiatric conditions, and prescribe and monitor medications. With their medical training, they consider physical and psychological factors, adjust medication based on effectiveness and side effects, and help individuals find the medication that supports their wellbeing.
Much like therapists, psychiatrists can help treat a variety of conditions including depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, psychotic disorders, ADHD, PTSD, SUD, and many other psychiatric conditions. Psychiatrists and therapists also often work together, providing the individual with medication oversight and therapeutic work to help give them the best chance at improvement.
The Big Differences
To understand the differences between a therapist and psychiatrist, we can look at a few key differences. Below are some clear ways these two mental health professionals differ in scope of training, practice, and sessions.
Medical Training
Simply put, therapists don’t receive dedicated medical training in the same way psychiatrists do. Therapists often learn about the brain and anatomy, but psychiatrists have to actually complete medical school and a residency.
Medication and Prescriptions
It’s a common misunderstanding about therapy that psychiatrists are the only ones who can diagnose mental health disorders. Therapists, such as LCSW’s and MFT’s can actually diagnose. But they cannot prescribe medication. Therapists are not medical doctors.
Psychiatrists are medical doctors and can prescribe medication. Furthermore, a psychiatrist can help you manage your medication, assess how it is working for you, and make adjustments. You can absolutely discuss your medications with your therapist, but they cannot make changes to your dosage or protocol.
Therapy
Some psychiatrists do offer forms of talk therapy. But generally, a psychiatrist’s focus is not on therapy. Their practice will be about managing symptoms through medication, changing medications to fit your needs, and assessing your overall wellbeing and safety.
A therapist, on the other hand, focuses on therapy! Whether its EMDR or CBT, or any other number of therapeutic modalities, a therapist’s main role is to provide therapy. This may focus on building new habits, letting go of problematic thought or behavioral patterns, or dealing with a stressful life situation. A therapist may discuss medication with you, but their focus is on skills-building, understanding, and processing distressing experiences.
Frequency and Type of Appointments
When medication is stabilized, psychiatry appointments are generally less frequent than therapy sessions. This is because psychiatric appointments focus on managing medications, while therapy focuses more on processing and investigating the experience you’re having. As we cover in this post, the frequency with which you go to therapy (or psychiatry) varies depending on your needs, availability, severity of symptoms, etc.
Should You See a Therapist or Psychiatrist?
We can’t give you a clear answer here on whether you should see a therapist or psychiatrist. If you’re not sure, consider reaching out to both to see what would be the right fit. Below are general guidelines you might consider.
You might start with a therapist if you :
Want to talk about something you’re experiencing
Are struggling with stress or life changes
Are experiencing relationship difficulties
Want help changing thought or behavior patterns
Want to learn coping or emotional-regulation skills
You might consider a psychiatrist if you:
Are interested in taking psychiatric medication
Are already taking psychiatric medication and want help managing
Experience symptoms that significantly interfere with daily functioning
Want an assessment from a doctor specializing in mental health
You don’t have to figure it all out. If you’re not sure which is right for you, reach out to us to schedule a free consultation and we can help you find the best options for you.
