Introduction
I often hear the terms psychologist, psychiatrist, and psychotherapist used interchangeably - and I'm sure many clients are equally unsure how these compare to a sex therapist. Let me break down the differences.
What Does a Psychiatrist Do?
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who has specialised in mental health. They are the professionals most commonly associated with diagnostic assessments - for ADHD or autism, for example - and are the only one of these three professionals who can prescribe medication. They may offer some therapeutic support, but their primary focus tends to be on brain chemistry and medication rather than talking therapies, and they will often refer clients on to a psychologist or psychotherapist for that work.
What Does a Psychologist Do?
A psychologist's training centres on human behaviour and involves a substantial amount of academic study, often including a doctorate and research. While a psychologist can carry out diagnostic assessments - for ADHD or autism, for instance - they cannot prescribe medication, so if medication is indicated they would refer the client to a psychiatrist. When working with clients, psychologists frequently draw on structured, evidence-based approaches such as CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) or DBT (Dialectical Behaviour Therapy).
What Does a Psychotherapist Do?
Psychotherapy is the broadest of the three fields. There are many different therapeutic modalities, but a core belief in psychotherapy is that the relationship between client and therapist can be therapeutic in its own right. Rather than primarily analysing past thoughts or behaviours, psychotherapists tend to focus on what the client is feeling and experiencing in the present moment. This is quite different from approaches like CBT, where the relationship is important but largely serves as a vehicle for delivering structured techniques. Psychotherapy training also places a strong emphasis on the therapist's own personal development - in fact, in order to qualify, psychotherapists are required to have undertaken a significant number of hours of personal therapy themselves, something that isn't a requirement for psychologists or psychiatrists.
Where Does Sex Therapy Fit In?
When it comes to sex therapy, each practitioner may come from a different foundational training background. I myself am a qualified psychotherapist. Some sex therapists hold a foundation qualification in counselling or psychotherapy and refer to themselves simply as therapists. There are also sex therapists who are qualified psychologists, though this is less common.
Finding the Right Therapist
Sex therapy can look quite different from one practitioner to the next. The foundational training a therapist completed before specialising in sex therapy, as well as the therapeutic modality they were trained in, will all influence their approach. And beyond qualifications, each therapist brings their own personality and style to sessions too. So if you don't gel with a therapist, try another before you write off the whole process - a good therapeutic relationship is worth finding.