Your immediate response could easily be OF COURSE there is a difference. A doctor is a professional, deals with my physical health, has to study for years and a therapist is none of those things.
The truth may be less obvious.
In reality, doctors (in South Africa) have to study for seven years with two years community service.
Therapists, depending on their qualifications, have to study for four years for a Social Worker degree with Honours which qualifies the Social Worker to deal with a wide scope of issues including short term counseling and long term therapy, court mandated supervised visitations, school work, hospital work, work in prisons, old age homes and many community projects. A 5th year of study would earn the Social Worker a Masters degree with an additional title.
A counselor has to study for four years, and they only deal with short term counseling, while to qualify as a Psychologist, the individual has to study for 5 to 6 years obtaining a Masters degree. Psychologists also do short term counseling and long term therapy.
Registered with HPCSA Counselors and Social Workers are required to do a year of practical work and community service, while Psychologists have to do 1 or 2 years of practical work and community service. There are a WIDE range of modalities and differences in therapies and scope of practice even though Registered Counsellors, Social Workers and Psychologists work, on many occassions, overlap.
Lay Counselor (these individuals do a short course of a few days to approximately 12 weeks) and Life Coaches are not considered neither a PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR nor A THERAPIST. Lay councelors do voluntary work and do not get paid for their efforts. Lay counselors generally work under, and are supervised by, a Social Worker or a Psychologist.
So since the difference between DOCTOR’s and THERAPISTS is not necessarily about studies, where could the differences lie?
Doctors work with PHYSICAL health. Generally, it is easy to identify someone who is physically unwell. Whether it be a broken bone, the look when they have a cold or some other tell tale sign. This is not necessarily the case with ‘mental’ health.
When it comes to mental health the person may look healthy and happy on the outside, they could look like your dream or ideal partner. They may have all the physical attributes you strive to find in a partner. They may have what seems to be a positive, friendly personality and are almost always smiling. Their physical appearance does not necessarily reflect ANY of their internal issues. Is it possible that these ‘hidden’ issues make onlookers feel threatened because they EXPECT the person they SEE to be the person they PERCEIVE them to be. Sort of like expecting a book to be EXACTLY like the cover. Remember the warning – never judge a book by the cover!
It is also possible that history plays a part in the stigma that is attributed to mental health and therapists, but not to physical health (doctors), thus making people feel that DOCTORS are elevated, more important and BETTER QUALIFIED to deal with people’s health. This may certainly be true for PHYSICAL HEALTH, but is certainly UNTRUE when it comes to MENTAL HEALTH.
Psychiatrists specialize in PSYCHIATRIC HEALTH – or at least the limited information that is understood about the brain chemicals of the human brain. They seldom seem to take emotions into account, possible because emotions are unpredictable and can wreck havoc with chemical compounds and their mixtures.
Therapists, on the other hand deal solely with the psychological, mental and emotional make up of a person. They do not get involved in CHEMICALS – hence no medication is prescribed. The therapist will strive to aid an individual to reprogram their thinking, desensitise their perceived traumas, see the issue in a different light, aid the individual to accept, live with or remove the issue that causes EMOTIONAL chaos in their lives. Where necessary, the therapist will refer the client/patient to a psychiatrist for a proper assessment, diagnosis and prescribe medication.
It could be for this reason that DOCTORS and THERAPISTS are viewed separately and often hierarchically. This may not be in the best interest of either party, as in actual fact they, more often than not, work hand in hand with each other and their patients in order to assist the individual to live their best life.
Is there any logical reason that a doctor, who works with chemistry, should be viewed as any better than a therapist who works with emotions?
Ingrid is a Psychotherapist, Social Worker, Hypnotherapist, Somatic Therapist and Reiki Master and Access Bars practitioner, in private practice with special interest in clinical work & Somatic Therapies. She is an EMDR, Brainspotting, TIR practitioner, Hypnotherapist & is registered with SACSSP and BHF.
She is also a dance and signing student. To find out more how she can assist & book an appointment, email Ingrid@inneressence.co.za. Psychotherapy sessions are claimable from medical insurance. Please visit her website on http://www.inneressence.co.za.
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