The mental health world can be a perplexing an opaque world that is hard to navigate for people who are coming to it for the first time. here is a basic breakdown of the tiers of service in Australia and which ones might be right for you.

Psychotherapists

Psychotherapists can be trained in a number of different ways but have the common goal of seeking out the cause of peoples distress that may be manifested in a number of different ways. Pyschotherapy tends not to involve direct advice, tools and strategies or “homework” outside of the sessions; instead, it works with the thoughts and feelings that are evoked as a result of creating a therapeutic relationship with the psychotherapist, which then provides insight into how they relate to themselves and others.

Psychologists

Psychologists are the bulk of the Australian mental health workforce and like doctors all receive the same training and qualifications. The process of psychology is more symptom-orientated and seeks to alleviate suffering through the promotion of behavioural change. Psychologists tend to use a number of different tools (such as strategies, homework, exposure therapy etc) and are more interactive and directive than psychotherapists. Some psychologists train to be psychotherapists.

psychiatrists

Psychiatrists are medical doctors with specialised training in mental health disorders. They can prescribe medication. Psychotherapists and Psychologists work with Psychiatrists in some cases where medication is required.