![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by pretty_paints on February 4, 2005, at 14:02:15
Does anyone know the difference between counsilling and therapy?
And also, do you have counsilling in America? I live in the UK.
Thanks
Posted by Dinah on February 4, 2005, at 16:33:51
In reply to The difference between counsilling therapy??, posted by pretty_paints on February 4, 2005, at 14:02:15
I think that licensed counselors do practice therapy. But I believe, though I may be wrong, that the counselor tradition is a bit more directive than some other traditions. A counselor might be a bit more likely to give advice, for example, than a traditional non-counselor therapist.
But I could be dead wrong.
Posted by alexandra_k on February 4, 2005, at 17:56:32
In reply to The difference between counsilling therapy??, posted by pretty_paints on February 4, 2005, at 14:02:15
I think.....
Therapists typically work with people who are (comparatively) fairly disturbed (such as those with mental illness)...
..Whereas councellors typically deal with comparatively normal people going through a bit of a tough patch.
Posted by Dinah on February 4, 2005, at 18:01:10
In reply to Re: The difference between counsilling therapy?? » pretty_paints, posted by alexandra_k on February 4, 2005, at 17:56:32
My therapist is a counselor.
I'll have to tell him that he's mistaken me for a normal person. :-O
No wait. He knows already.
Posted by Susan47 on February 4, 2005, at 19:23:21
In reply to The difference between counsilling therapy??, posted by pretty_paints on February 4, 2005, at 14:02:15
from what I can understand therapy is a catch-all term and a counsellor here in Canada is allowed to say he "does" (?) therapy but he certainly does not have the education or credentials a psychologist has. Be careful what you go for and listen to your gut instinct; and get out as soon as it's no longer feeling helpful. I think counsellors are probably very limited in their abilities.
Posted by Dinah on February 4, 2005, at 19:26:01
In reply to Well,, posted by Susan47 on February 4, 2005, at 19:23:21
That's my therapist/mommy you're talking about!
Posted by Susan47 on February 4, 2005, at 19:44:22
In reply to Hey!!! » Susan47, posted by Dinah on February 4, 2005, at 19:26:01
Well is your therapist really just a counsellor? Does your therapist have a degree?
Posted by alexandra_k on February 4, 2005, at 19:46:03
In reply to Hey!!! » Susan47, posted by Dinah on February 4, 2005, at 19:26:01
My understanding is that to call yourself a psychologist you have to have had x number of years psychology training etc etc.
To call yourself a psychotherapist there are restrictions too..
To call yourself a councellor you can do that whenever you like.
Some people over here set up shop as one of those after a 6wk course at polytech.
Some people over here don't even bother with a 6 wk course.
There is stuff underway to restrict the title 'councellor' to peoples who have done a master of councelling program. But that hasn't happened yet.
A master of councelling program does not deal with mental illnesses. Councellors are instructed to refer these people on to psychologists / psychotherapists.
Of course many people exceed the minimum requirements. And many people can be amazing though they have had minimal formal training.
But there it is.
- in NZ at least
Posted by Dinah on February 4, 2005, at 19:58:55
In reply to Re: Hey!!!, posted by alexandra_k on February 4, 2005, at 19:46:03
Not here. The majority of therapists here are licensed counselors or MSW's or nurse practitioners. The psychologists mainly do testing. The pdocs mainly do prescribing. Some psychologists do therapy, as do some pdocs.
But counselors have a masters degree in counseling. It's a program oriented to clinical therapy. They're subject to ongoing professional education requirements, supervision, etc.
I'm relatively sure it's illegal to hang up a therapy shingle without a license here. And the type of licenses that are allowed to practice in the state are limited by the state legislature.
So watch what you say about my mommy... er... therapist. :D
Posted by Dinah on February 4, 2005, at 20:14:32
In reply to Re: Hey!!!, posted by Dinah on February 4, 2005, at 19:58:55
Which is not to say I'm not superprotective of someone I care about.
Posted by Dinah on February 4, 2005, at 20:36:22
In reply to Well,, posted by Susan47 on February 4, 2005, at 19:23:21
Posted by Susan47 on February 4, 2005, at 20:58:48
In reply to Counseling credentials, posted by Dinah on February 4, 2005, at 20:36:22
I emailed them asking about my area. Interesting. I suppose it's the reason my counsellor was part of a "Group". Looks good, like they're being supervised by somebody that matters, somebody I suppose like NBCC. But not. We really should have government-mandated guidelines about counselling. It's not right.
Posted by skybdark on February 5, 2005, at 11:07:36
In reply to Re: Counseling credentials » Dinah, posted by Susan47 on February 4, 2005, at 20:58:48
In the USA it really depends upon which state you are in, and if you move (as a T), if the state to which you move has reciprocity with the other. Meaning, there are a whole lot of terms and definitions and guidelines for those who do counselling/therapy.
There are also Counselling psychologists... so don't limit your thinking or searching. The APA does restrict licensing to those who are qualified. The state usually restricts the terms for those who wish to hang out a shingle. Unless you are licensed in some way, you cannot use a "protected" term. Most Clinical Psychologists have private practices, doing psychotherapy with patients.
But having a license doesn't necessarily make one a good therapist. I'm sure you know that. Some times you can get the best advice from a good friend. :)
Posted by cubic_me on February 5, 2005, at 11:18:13
In reply to The difference between counsilling therapy??, posted by pretty_paints on February 4, 2005, at 14:02:15
I'm in the UK, and in my experience most people who call themselves councellors are actually trained and qualified psychotherapists, it's just that in the UK 'councellor' is a more common term used for 'psychotherapist' or 'therapist' which is generally used in the USA - just like the term Post mortem is used in the Uk while the US use the term Autopsy - it's the same thing.
I'm the UK people in private practise often term themselves therapists these days, just because the UK is starting to adopt that term - also people with specific training such as psychoanalytic or CBT tend to use the term therapist.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Psychology | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.