Psychotherapy?

Valmont

I was at work today when I got talking to a friendly gentleman who turned out to be a psychotherapist and a lecturer at NUI. I thought a psychotherapist was someone who had a post graduate degree in counselling psychology. He told me that counselling psychologists focus more on theory and psychotherapists are more practical.

Anyway can anyone highlight the differences between a psychotherapist and a counselling psychologist? I'm a bit confused

Odysseus

Sounds a tad confusing to me, however there are many routes to becoming a therapist, even the difference between a counsellor and a therapist is up for debate. To be a therapist does not mean that the person possesses a quilification in psychology.

Playboy

Valmont wrote:

I was at work today when I got talking to a friendly gentleman who turned out to be a psychotherapist and a lecturer at NUI. I thought a psychotherapist was someone who had a post graduate degree in counselling psychology. He told me that counselling psychologists focus more on theory and psychotherapists are more practical.

Anyway can anyone highlight the differences between a psychotherapist and a counselling psychologist? I'm a bit confused

Afaik the difference between a counselling psychologist and a psychotherapist is in their formal education and training. A counselling psychologist will have a lot of knowledge regarding the theory underpinning the different techniques that he would use whilst a psychotherapists training would focus on the practical application of a technique and not focus so much on the theories behind it.

Odysseus

Playboy wrote:

Afaik the difference between a counselling psychologist and a psychotherapist is in their formal education and training. A counselling psychologist will have a lot of knowledge regarding the theory underpinning the different techniques that he would use whilst a psychotherapists training would focus on the practical application of a technique and not focus so much on the theories behind it.

Not necessarily, a hugh amount of my training focused on the theory, most people I studied with continue this in reading groups. However, this is speaking for the perspective of a psychoanalytic psychotherapist [a mouthful I know]. Other schools may differ, but from my perspective you can have no practice without theory. In terms of education, I think its the formal training in psychology, a Counselling psychologist would have their BA in psych, then their post grad qualification. Maybe there are some here who can clarify the situation.

Playboy

Odysseus wrote:

Not necessarily, a hugh amount of my training focused on the theory, most people I studied with continue this in reading groups. However, this is speaking for the perspective of a psychoanalytic psychotherapist [a mouthful I know]. Other schools may differ, but from my perspective you can have no practice without theory. In terms of education, I think its the formal training in psychology, a Counselling psychologist would have their BA in psych, then their post grad qualification. Maybe there are some here who can clarify the situation.

I wasnt including psychoanalytical psychotherapists in my distinction as they do ofc have to learn all the theory underpinning their approach or else they probably wouldnt be able to do their job. More psychology based techniques can be practised by psychotherapists afaik without fully understanding all of the theory behind the method. Ofc most psychotherapists would probably contintue their own education in their free time to better understand the theory

Gibs

Try this site:)