Okay.
The original poster draws a distinction between 'therapists' and 'psychologists' - which is, I'm guessing, an attempt to differentiate between psychodynamic psychotherapies and cognitive-behaviour type psychotherapies. Here's a (very) general overview:
Psychodynamic psychotherapies (frequently abbreviated to 'dynamic psychotherapies' or 'exploratory psychotherapy') are the stuff most of us imagine when we think of psychotherapy: little Austrian guys with beards and couches, saying 'tell me about your childhood'. There are a plethora of different schools - Freudian (yer actual psychoanalysis), Jungian, Adlerian, etc. - but the aim is generally the development of a trusting relationship which allows free communication and leads to understanding, integration and acceptance of self. It's not specifically aimed at 'getting you better', although there's often a tacit hope/assumption that increased insight might facilitate symptomatic improvement. It's usually open-ended, and usually goes on for several years.
The cognitive therapies (most commonly cognitive-behaviour therapy - CBT) are more commonly practised by psychologists (although, in practice, most practitioners are eclectic, and combine elements of several psychotherapies), and generally have a more 'clinical' feel. They draw on the likes of Beck, who developed the theory of maladaptive thought patterns - automatic assumptions, minimisation, selective abstraction, etc., etc. - forming self-destructive patterns of behaviour. Rather than exploring past/childhood experiences, cognitive therapists focus more on the 'here and now', aiming to identify and challenge unwanted thought patterns ie. they're more directly aimed at self-improvement, 'getting better'. Cognitive therapy is usually time-limited (a course of 12 sessions, say) and intensive, with 'homework' exercises between sessions.
Counselling is something of a catch-all term. Generally speaking, it's less formalised than psychotherapy, and supportive in nature - although a properly-trained counsellor may well incorporate elements of this or that psychotherapy, and might be more or less directive/motivational as the need arises. It can be brief or open-ended.
The important thing to consider is what you actually want. Are you looking for emotional/psychological support, perhaps during a particularly stressful period of your life? Is there a specific problem (depressive thinking, panic attacks, obsessional rituals) you want to focus on? Or is it the whole 'voyage of self-discovery' thing? |