Navigating services and roles within the mental health field can be an exhausting challenge!
Upon completing graduate school, I was awarded with my Masters in Counselling Psychology (MCP) Degree. Whenever I told friends or family about finishing school, the most common response would be: “Congrats!… So wait… are you a psychologist or a counsellor? And what’s the difference between the two, anyways?”.
Even beyond my own social circles, I started to notice that many people were curious about the differences between counsellors, psychologists, and psychiatrists. They wanted to know things like: who can prescribe medication, who gives therapy, and who can diagnose?
To further complicate the issue, media depictions of therapists are typically inaccurate or highly sensationalized. Of course, this makes for interesting television! But it also leads to muddled perceptions of roles within the mental health field.
While all three professions are ultimately dedicated to supporting the mental and emotional health of individuals, clear distinctions can be made when looking at the education/training, scope of practice, and medical coverage for counsellors, psychologists, and psychiatrists. For individuals seeking support, learning about these differences can lead to well-informed decisions when embarking on the road to wellness. Below is a brief summary of each profession with some of the distinguishing factors.
A Brief Overview of Who’s Who.
Psychiatrists
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who is trained to assess, diagnose, and treat mental disorders. After completing medical school and a five-year specialization in Psychiatry, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia licences psychiatrists to practice after passing their Royal College of Physicians exam. Due to their medical training, psychiatrists are able to provide prescriptions for medication and order medical tests including Electroencephalograms (EEG’s), blood tests, and Computed Tomography (CT) scans for assessment purposes. They may also provide patients with psychotherapy, sometimes referred to as “talk therapy”.
Patrick McDonald, MD, MSc, PGY-1 Psychiatry adds “[Psychiatrists, and other MDs hold] the privilege/ability/burden to certify people under the Mental Health Act. [This] is probably the thing that sets [psychiatrists] apart from other disciplines in mental health. It’s a very challenging part of the practice, there are stringent rules for when it can happen, and it’s avoided if possible. Psychiatrists offer of services that provide therapy for a vast scope of mental health issues. ”
Referrals:
Seeing a psychiatrist in British Columbia often means receiving a referral from your family doctor. Costs are covered by the provincial Medical Services Plan (MSP), unless you are seeing a privately operating psychiatrist.
Psychologists
Psychologists are trained to assess, diagnose, and treat mental disorders. After graduate level training and successful completion of their doctorate degree in Psychology, British Columbian psychologists are licensed by the College of Psychologists of British Columbia. Similar to psychiatrists, psychologists are able to provide psychotherapy services and diagnose mental disorders. Although they are unable to prescribe medication, psychologists are typically very familiar with different biomedical treatments.
Referrals:
To see a psychologist in British Columbia, you must first obtain a referral from your family doctor. Costs to see psychologists in public health settings are covered by the provincial Medical Services Plan (MSP). If you wish to see a psychologist privately, some extended health plans may cover these costs. Otherwise, clients pay out-of-pocket.
Counsellors
Counselling is not yet a regulated profession in British Columbia, meaning that anyone can refer to themselves as a “Counsellor”.
After successfully completing a master’s degree and practicum requirements, however, counsellors may register with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC) or the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA). As registered counsellors are required to demonstrate a particular level of training and operate under a code of ethics, the general public is encouraged to seek support from these professionals. Registered counsellors have extensive training in psychology and providing psychotherapy. Although they are unable to provide diagnoses, registered counsellors are trained to recognize when a client may be suffering from a disorder and refer to a psychologist or psychiatrist for further assessment. Often, counsellors will provide psychotherapy for clients who are receiving prescriptions from a psychiatrist, or those who have received a diagnosis from a psychologist.
Referrals:
Clients typically pay out-of-pocket to see counsellors. However, the cost to see a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) or a Canadian Clinical Counsellors (CCC) may be covered by extended medical insurance. In British Columbia specifically, many plans cover RCC’s.