Have you heard people say this? Because I have. I have heard it from friends and even family members. But why? Why do people have this negative view of seeing a therapist, or the popular term “a shrink.”
Well let’s clear up some things … The three most popular terms that people often confuse are psychiatrist, psychologist and psychotherapist. Why don’t we start by defining what these professionals are and what they can and can’t do.
A psychiatrist holds a medical degree, sort of like your family doctor and can prescribe psychiatric medications. Psychiatrists also can diagnose people with mental health and addiction disorders.
A psychologist holds a Ph.D in psychology. Psychologists cannot prescribe medications, however they do therapy/and counselling. Many psychologists focus their work on research and conducting studies.
Finally, a psychotherapist. These individuals are people who are trained to help people with their emotional problems. So it might seem that anyone of the two can fall under this umbrella, including Social Workers. Some people use the words counsellor or therapist as well when referring to a psychotherapist.
So, now that we have cleared up that matter… why does therapy have a _“hush hush view?” _ Let me know what you think, I will share my thoughts in my next blog.