From time-to-time, I am asked if there is a difference between counselling and psychotherapy. The best answer I ever received when I too asked this question was from one of my wonderful and wise tutors, who said, 'You see a counsellor when there's a problem in your life and you see a psychotherapist when your life is a problem.' Arguably, psychotherapy allows a more thorough review of a person's world due to the depth of training a psychotherapist has to undertake. Ultimately, both counselling and psychotherapy are a talking therapy.
Depending on which practitioner you ask, you may gain a different response to the question on the difference between a counsellor and psychotherapist. My perspective is that the training of a psychotherapist is longer, more detailed and has more requirements on the practitioner to evidence that they are competent and ethical enough to hold a safe space to work with clients. For example, a counsellor can often qualify in one year, whilst to qualify as a psychotherapist usually takes a minimum of five years. Nevertheless, research says that it is the relationship with a practitioner that the client heals from. Therefore, it is important for a client to choose a therapist that they feel safe to work with.
Counselling and psychotherapy can be offered long or short-term. Arguably, counselling is more often offered short-term and psychotherapy is offered long-term. The reason for this is often because counselling aims to address fewer problems, whilst psychotherapy aims to analyse layers of issues in a person's life. Nevertheless, whether someone embarks on long or short-term therapy, similar techniques will be utilised by the practitioner to provide the talking therapy.
Therapy may often begin with exploration of one or two goals. Depending on the length of work and ongoing collaborative assessment, these goals may develop and change, as humans are complex and layered. For example, through exploring a confidence issue, we may establish a link to a person's people-pleasing behaviours. This in turn, may mean that we explore where in a person's history the people-pleasing became apparent to raise awareness of how a person behaves. In turn, a new sub-goal around confidence may be created.
Relationships can take many dimensions. Some can bother us, whilst others less so. Regardless of what issue brings someone to therapy, there is often a relational element to a person's challenges. One key philosophy of therapy is that the relationship between the therapist and client is of utmost importance. It's important for a client to feel safe and secure with their chosen therapist, so I encourage client's to 'shop around' for the right fit. Once a client feels safe in the relationship with the therapist, it provides a canvas for the client to explore their relational dynamics in the sessions. One idea is for the therapist to provide a trusted mirror back to the client to raise awareness of their behaviours and relationship patterns to help provide opportunities for change.
Be it counselling or psychotherapy, it is a talking therapy. The therapist will keep the focus on the client and utilise techniques to deepen the understanding of one's self. Research shows that talking therapy works to reduce pain and suffering, through offering the client a unique space to be completely who they are without agenda or judgement.
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Types of Therapy
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​Difference between counselling and psychotherapy
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Psychotherapy
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The Relationship​