Getting help for mental, emotional, spiritual, or relationship issues can be difficult. Finding the right mental health professional can help you take control of any issue in your life. Here’s the basic information you need to learn about different types of mental health professionals.

▪️Psychologist: Psychologists specialize in the science of behaviors, emotions, and thoughts. They work in places like private offices, hospitals, or schools. Psychologists treat a range of issues, from relationship problems to mental illnesses, through counseling.

▪️Psychiatrist: Psychiatrists mainly diagnose, treat, and help prevent mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. They use psychiatric medicine, physical exams, and lab tests.

▪️Psychoanalyst: A psychoanalyst follows the theories and practice of Sigmund Freud by helping someone explore their repressed or unconscious impulses, anxieties, and internal conflicts. This is done through techniques like:
• free association.
• dream interpretation.
• analysis of resistance and transference.

▪️Psychiatric nurse: Psychiatric nurses are registered nurses who specialize in mental health. They’re known for their therapeutic relationships with the people who seek their help. Psychiatric nurses perform psychological therapy and administer psychiatric medication. They often deal with challenging behavior related to mental health conditions. They operate under the supervision of a medical doctor.

▪️Psychotherapist: “Psychotherapist” is a general term for lots of different types of mental health professionals. This can include psychologists and therapists. These professionals all provide psychotherapy. Psychotherapy is a type of “talking therapy.” It’s designed to improve your mental health and general wellbeing.

▪️Mental health counsellor: “Mental health counsellor” is a broad term used to describe someone who provides counseling. Their titles may also include the terms “licensed” or “professional.” It’s important to ask about a counselor’s education, experience, and the types of services involved since the term is vague. Counselors can specialize in fields like:
• job stress.
• addiction.
• marriages.
• families.
• general stress.

▪️Family and marriage counsellor: A family and marriage counsellor specializes in common problems that can come up in families and married couples, from differences to arguments. The length of the therapy is normally brief. The sessions are typically focused on specific issues and reaching quick resolutions.