The work of psychologists and psychiatrists
often overlaps, but there are some important differences in
training and special skills. The most immediate difference that
many people are unaware of is that psychologists go to graduate
school for training and receive a Ph.D. or Psy.D. doctoral
degree while psychiatrists go to medical school and receive an
M.D. Psychiatrists, as medical doctors, can prescribe
medications for psychological distress, whereas psychologists do
not prescribe medications, instead focusing their treatment on
psychotherapy and other behavioral interventions. In addition,
psychologists are the only mental health professionals who are
fully trained and qualified to use psychological tests (see
below). These are the most basic differences. Below is
additional information to help clarify the unique training and
skills of psychologists.
In order to become a psychologist, a person must first
complete their undergraduate college degree and then go to
graduate school to obtain a doctoral degree (Ph.D. or Psy.D.).
Graduate school training can last anywhere from 4 to 6 years and
is followed by one or two years of internship or "residency"
training, often at a site away from the graduate university.
After residency, most states require an additional 1 to 2 years
of supervised work experience before the individual qualifies
for licensure.
Graduate school is different from medical school. Instead of
focusing on training in general medicine, graduate school
provides intensive training in psychological theory, therapy,
research, and diagnostic testing. Typically, psychiatrists
specialize in psychiatry during residencies after medical
school.
The education of psychologists provides an in-depth knowledge
of psychological and emotional problems, personality, and human
development, integrated with specialized training in how to
apply this knowledge to helping people with emotional distress
and other problems in living. The psychologist's training in
research allows them to evaluate the best ways to help people
and to make "evidence-based" decisions regarding what helps and
what doesn't help different people with various situations.
Psychologists also specialize in psychological testing.
Psychological tests are used in situations where there are
questions about what a person's particular problem is. For
example, a psychologist may use a battery of psychological tests
to determine whether a child has an Attention Deficit Disorder
or if the child is instead depressed or has a learning disorder
(which can often look confusingly similar to ADD). Psychologists
also use psychological tests in legal cases, custody decisions,
guardianship and competency decisions, or any time there is
uncertainty about what is troubling an individual. Psychological
tests can include assessments of personality styles, tests of
emotional well-being, intellectual (or "IQ") tests, tests of
academic achievement, tests for possible brain damage, and tests
for specific psychological disturbances and their severity.
The use of psychological tests requires years of training
that involves not only learning how to give the tests, but also
how to integrate all the information from a variety of tests,
background information, interviews, and knowledge of theories,
research, psychological problems, personalities, and human
development. Psychologists are the only mental health
professionals who are fully trained and qualified to use
psychological tests.
The title "psychologist" can only be used by someone who has
gone through the training described above and has then passed a
national licensing test and has gained specific approval for
licensure in their home state (or any state in which they do
psychological work). In Wyoming, as in most states, a person
must be licensed by the State Board of Psychology in order to
call themselves a "psychologist." Informally, a psychologist may
sometimes be referred to as a "therapist," "counselor," or
"clinician." However, these are more general terms that can also
be used by people who are not formally trained and licensed
psychologists. In other words, a "therapist" could be a
psychologist, or the term could refer to a social worker,
psychiatrist, licensed professional counselor, or any other
mental health worker. For someone who is looking to work with a
therapist, it is acceptable, even recommended, to find out about
the therapist's training and to clarify their exact title
(psychologist, psychiatrist, social worker, etc.) and licensure
status.
It is important for consumers to be aware that there can be
broad differences in training and philosophy among
psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and other
therapists which can often lead to widely differing treatment
approaches and understandings of psychological or emotional
problems. For people beginning therapy, it is important to
clarify their expectations (often people aren't sure what to
expect!) and to talk with the therapist about the therapeutic
process.