To ask what is the difference between counselling and psychotherapy?

[ManderlyAgain]

Just that really. Inspired by another thread. I’ve googled but still not sure. But psychotherapy seems more expensive so is it better? How is it different to counselling?

It's confusing because the two terms are often used interchangeably.

However, I would say that counselling generally refers to emotional support, often to help you get through a crisis or manage a specific issue. Psychotherapy is likely to be more in depth and perhaps to give more weight to how your past influences your current emotional situation. Reflecting this difference, properly accredited psychotherapy trainings are longer and more demanding than counselling courses and require more clinical hours before qualification.

If you're considering either, the best thing to do is to contact someone you like the sound of and talk through with them what your needs are and whether what they offer is suitable.

Thanks Mannatee that’s really helpful. So counsellors deal with crisis situations whilst psychotherapists deal more with personal development kind of thing?

I've had counselling, CBT and now psychotherapy.

Counselling and CBT were on the NHS and only 6 sessions each time. They didn't really help long term and the last counsellor said psychotherapy would be better to get to the root of the problem.

I see my psychotherapist once a week and have been going to her for a number of years now. It has made a huge different to my life as I'm now able to work (and enjoy it!) and very rarely have anxiety attacks like I once used to.

The differences between the two for me were that counselling was short term, focused on changing behaviour in the here and now, and only lightly touching on why I might feel anxious. Whereas psychotherapy is a lot about looking into the past and trying to unravel why I feel the way I do, and to understand it so I can move on from it. It's far deeper, and to build up to trust someone and be totally open about my feelings, even the bad ones, takes time. My therapist is degree educated, also has a masters, and is listed on UKCP.

Hope the helps.

It’s not surprising that people wonder about the difference manderly because in the UK counsellor or psychotherapist is not a ‘protected title’. For instance, you can’t call yourself a nurse unless you have done nurse training but anyone can quite legally call themselves a counsellor.

However, a registered psychotherapist or registered psychotherapeutic counsellor will be on the UKCP register which is a guarantee that they have done a certain amount of training and agreed to follow the UKCP ethical standards. That means they will probably charge more but, as sneakers says, they have also had a considerable amount of training.

There are different models of psychotherapy and counselling (eg CBT, systemic etc) but counselling is a much more general term and could be as short as one session whereas someone might see a psychodynamic psychotherapist for much longer until they understand their feelings and why they feel that way.

If you are thinking about seeing someone, find out about their qualifications, if they follow a particular model and meet them to decide if you can trust them as you will need to share you personal feelings with them.

There is no distinction but I think it would be helpful if there were. I think ultimately it’s personal preference. For example some of my clients refer to me as their counsellor because psychotherapist is “too serious”.

By the way, UKCP is just a membership body and not the only one available.

By the way, UKCP is just a membership body and not the only one available.

Thanks Lilyofthefields I suppose some therapists will be on the register for their profession too - eg HCPC or GMC. Interesting that there is no compulsory registration

I won't try and repeat the good explanations you've already had, but generally I'd describe counselling as being a venting/listening space in the short term, and psychotherapy as being about making changes over the longer term.

On the basis that a counsellor is trained to listen and be supportive, maybe offering a few tips or tools for coping, whereas a psychotherapist is trained to deliver a particular type of therapy, eg CBT and will work on that with you and equip you to continue that work on your own after your sessions end.

There are so many different models of therapy it's as much about finding the right person who can work on the right stuff with you in the right way for you as which title that person holds. (As long as they're appropriately trained, experienced, and regulated, obviously...)

Thanks for the input that seems clearer now. It is confusing Nettie as the terms counselling and psychotherapy seem to be used interchangeably.
I’ve looked on counselling directory and there are so many counsellors/ psychotherapists in my area that it’s hard to know who to go with

See this is where it’s confusing. Psychotherapy is about changes over a long term, but cbt is a psychotherapy and that seems to be quite short term?!

CBT is popular because it has a strong evidence base that it is effective. It’s very measurable.

I think it has its place, especially as a quick, specific intervention. For me, I am more drawn towards a more relational approach and deeper change.

You may also want to consider a counselling psychologist who is degree educated, has a professional doctorate, and is required to be registered with the HCP and BPS. Counselling psychology is a protected term, so you know you are getting someone who has spent at least years studying.

Essentially, it boils down to the model of psychology used. Psychotherapy is based on Freudian theories though it has evolved over time.

Cognitive behavioural therapy is a different model from psychotherapy. CBT (particularly the BT) believes that acting differently will make you think and feel differently. Psychotherapy tries to understand why you feel how you feel in an attempt to make you feel differently so you will then act differently. So CBT will say you should just hold the scary bird and you'll see the bird isn't scary. Psychotherapy wonders why you find the bird scary (probably something your mum did) in the hope that when you do understand why, you'll not find it as scary and/or can live your life in a way that minimises the impact of your fear of birds.

@LellyMcKelly I’d prefer to see a psychologist but I think they’ll be too expensive.
@Greeve I see what you’re saying but this made me laugh ‘psychotherapy wonders why you find the bird scary (probably something your mum did)’
Poor old Mums! Always our fault!