What is a psychiatrist?

We are often asked what the difference is between a psychologist and a psychiatrist. A psychiatrist is a medically trained doctor who has specialised in mental health. Psychiatrists often complete diagnostic assessments and where prudent can prescribe medication as part of a treatment plan. They work closely with psychologists to form a comprehensive understanding of why a patient may be presenting with certain symptoms and will often suggest a course of therapy as part of a treatment plan. Due to some unhelpful media depictions of psychiatrists people have told us they can be worried about seeing one, so we hope the following message from one of our psychiatrists is helpful to ease this.

Accredited

Our psychiatrists are all UK-trained Consultant Psychiatrists, members of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and General Medical Council. Some are specialists in Child and Adolescent Mental Health while others have specialised in Adult psychiatry. 

What To Expect

When you see a psychiatrist, they will spend time with you asking questions and listening carefully to create a shared understanding of the difficulties you are having. The cluster of symptoms you are experiencing may inform a diagnosis of a mental illness. Together, you'll explore various treatment options that best suit your unique needs, which may include therapy, medication, or other interventions to support your mental health. Psychiatrists often collaborate with psychologists and occupational therapists to formulate a holistic treatment plan.

What is a psychologist?

A psychologist will arrange a time to meet with you. They will ask questions to try and understand the nature of what might be difficult. They will ask around this problem and over a few sessions will start to consider what is called a ‘formulation’ or an understanding of perhaps what factors in your past, or current life and what you might be doing now are contributing to how you are feeling. Through this shared understanding and ongoing work they will use various therapeutic approaches to try and help you feel better.

Accredited

Our psychologists are all UK-trained Psychologists who are members of the British Psychological Society. 

What To Expect

A psychologist will arrange a time to meet with you. They will ask questions to try and understand the nature of what might be difficult. They will ask around this problem and over a few sessions will start to consider what is called a ‘formulation’ or an understanding of perhaps what factors in your past, or current life and what you might be doing now are contributing to how you are feeling. Through this shared understanding and ongoing work they will use the framework or model of psychotherapy most pertinent to your problem to help you feel better.

What is an occupational therapist?

Occupational therapists support individuals in various aspects of their lives, whether it's at home, work, school, or other settings. Their goal is to enable people to carry out the activities they desire or need to do. Occupational therapy is grounded in scientific principles and is part of the broader health and social care field. 

Accredited

Our occupational therapists are all UK-trained professionals and members of the Health and Care Professions Council. 

What to expect

When you connect with one of our occupational therapists, they will arrange a session to explore your concerns and challenges to inform a care plan of support.

How they help

Breaking down barriers to work: occupational therapists work to break down barriers that might be preventing individuals from fully participating in their chosen occupation. This could include addressing physical, mental, emotional, or environmental challenges. 

Personalised Plans:

When faced with challenges like anxiety affecting tasks at work, an occupational therapist collaborates with the individual to develop practical and realistic plans. This could involve strategies to manage anxiety and recommendations for adapting the environment to facilitate better performance. 

Holistic Approach:

Occupational therapists view individuals beyond their diagnoses or limitations. They consider the person as a whole and explore the relationship between daily activities, challenges, and the surrounding environment. 

Specialist Assessments:

Occupational therapists are trained to conduct specialised assessments to gain insights into an individual's abilities, challenges, and needs. These assessments lead to robust reports with recommendations for intervention. 

Group Sessions:

Occupational therapists can organise group sessions aimed at enhancing daily living skills and overall well-being. These sessions provide a supportive environment for individuals to learn and grow together.

What is a psychotherapist?

Psychotherapy is an umbrella term that describes any type of treatment using talking to improve psychological symptoms. There are lots of different types or schools of psychotherapy, for example, cognitive behavioural therapy or psychodynamic psychotherapy are two different types of psychotherapy founded on different theoretical frameworks. Psychotherapists are often trained in one type of psychotherapy or sometimes more and will use the framework of the therapy to help you better understand the difficulties you are facing, why they might be present and how to try and improve the impact they are having on your life. 

Accredited

Our psychotherapists are all UK-trained and members of their relevant accrediting bodies. It can be confusing as there are lots of different types of psychotherapies with different accrediting bodies. A question asked repeatedly is how to navigate the baffling world of psychotherapy and psychotherapies so please have a look at the following pages for a guide to how to do so, written by our founding psychiatrist who himself has regular therapy. Therapies explained. 

What To Expect

Although each school of therapy has a slightly different approach, broadly speaking a psychotherapist will meet with you over a number of regular sessions. Their approach involves conversations aimed at understanding the root causes of your challenges. Through ongoing dialogue and exploration, they will help you develop an awareness of how your past and present experiences influence your life. In psychodynamic psychotherapy, the therapist guides patients on this journey of self-exploration, helping them uncover hidden aspects of themselves and providing support as they make positive changes in their lives.