Psychiatrists, psychologists, and therapists are all mental health professionals, but they have varying degrees of education and offer different types of care in their practices. Psychiatrists are essentially mental health doctors. They have the most advanced degrees and can prescribe medication, whereas psychologists and therapists cannot.
Fortunately, you can find online treatment from any of these different types of mental health professionals through a variety of platforms. Below, we break down the differences between psychiatrists, psychologists, and therapists.
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor or physician with several years of training as a psychiatric resident who can diagnose and treat complex psychiatric conditions with medication, according to the APA. Psychiatrists often do initial evaluations, diagnose conditions, and prescribe medications for mental health conditions, with follow-up appointments focusing on medication management.
Psychologist
A psychologist may have a PsyD (doctor of psychology) or a PhD (doctor of philosophy), but they are not a medical doctor and, therefore, cannot prescribe medication — unless they are licensed in Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, or New Mexico and have received additional training on how to prescribe medication, according to the APA. They can diagnose and treat mental health conditions, learning disabilities, and behavior disorders.
Therapist
A therapist is an individual who has been trained in and practices one or more types of therapy to treat mental or physical disorders or diseases. In the context of mental health, the term is often used synonymously with psychotherapist, according to the APA. This can include psychologists and social workers who use therapeutic techniques like psychotherapy or talk therapy to help people understand and resolve problematic behaviors, beliefs, feelings, and relationship issues.
