Psychotherapy vs. counselling
What is the difference between psychotherapy and counselling?
Often people assume that counselling and psychotherapy are the same. Both psychotherapy and counselling describe talk-based approaches used by professionals to support people recover from mental health struggles. Psychotherapy focuses on chronic issues that stem from past experiences that cause pain or upset feelings for more than just a few days. It treats psychological disorders and mental health distress and the treatment relies on theory - driven protocols. It aims to improve the client’s thought processes, belief system, and their way of being in the world. Psychotherapy might be provided over many years, using different treatment modalities depending the needs of their clients, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Narrative Therapy, Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS), Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT). Psychotherapists often practice in medical and clinical settings and they conduct individual, couple, family and group therapy sessions.
Counsellors address basic life challenges, short - term or current, such as challenges in relationships, employment, school, that may not require a treatment plan informed by manuals and protocols. They work in education and social work settings and their focus is on action and behavior and provide information and education about a situation to their clients in identifying solutions to their struggles. Counselling is usually provided in the short term.
In Ontario, only a few regulated professionals are allowed to use the psychotherapist title, such as registered psychotherapists, registered nurses, registered occupational therapists, registered social workers, registered psychologists, physicians. When you seek psychotherapy services, you can expect to receive services from a qualified health professional in a competent and ethical manner.
Although there are differences, the professional who is providing counselling or psychotherapy can be the same person. The approach is determined by the client’s needs.
