There are a number of concepts that seem to cause linguistic and conceptual confusion among the general public. This may be due mainly to the etymological similarity of the concepts, but also to the constant addition of new ones. Some of these concepts are: psychiatrist, psychologist, psychotherapy, psychoeducation, and psychoanalysis. There are both legal-state and substantive differences between each concept. This article will attempt to clarify these concepts by providing a brief description of each one in order to avoid misunderstandings and to help individuals find the appropriate "service" for their needs.
What is a Psychiatrist?
A psychiatrist is a doctor who specializes in mental and emotional disorders with the aim of preventing, diagnosing, or treating them. In fact, psychiatrists are solely responsible for administering and prescribing the appropriate medication. In addition to their psychiatric specialization, psychiatrists may also be psychotherapists or psychoanalysts, provided they have undergone the relevant training.
What is a Psychologist?
A psychologist is defined as a licensed mental health professional whose field of expertise is the processes of human thought and behavior, with the aim of promoting mental well-being and alleviating mental symptoms. At the same time, they may be involved in research, developing and administering psychometric tests. Depending on further studies and specializations, a psychologist may be a clinical psychologist, school psychologist, etc., according to the field they have chosen.
What is Psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy basically refers to a therapeutic process in which a person with mental distress consults a psychotherapist (psychologist or psychiatrist-psychotherapist). The aim is to alleviate their personal symptoms through talk and conversation during the session. During the session, the psychotherapist listens to the subject who has come to see them and makes appropriate comments in order to alleviate the latter's mental distress, bring about behavioral and psychological changes, and ultimately make the symptom more "functional."
A psychotherapist is not a friend to whom one confides one's problems, but a trained professional who, from the position of a psychologist, listens to the subject's words and, with great attention and through appropriate techniques, helps them to understand, and deal with their psychological symptoms.
Psychotherapy is a huge umbrella that encompasses a range of approaches. The best known are the cognitive-behavioral approach, the systemic approach, the person-centered approach, the existential approach, etc. A brief reference will be made to each approach.
Cognitive Behavioral Approach
More specifically, the cognitive-behavioral approach focuses mainly on dysfunctional thought patterns and cognitive processes in order to change such problematic ways of thinking and emotional regulation. It was introduced as an approach to treating depression, but has since taken on broader therapeutic applications.
Systemic Approach
The systemic approach is a form of psychotherapy based on Systems Theory. A system is defined as a set of interdependent elements that influence each other, such as the family, the workplace, etc. The goal is to achieve "homeostasis" in the system, i.e., its smooth functioning and balance. This form of psychotherapy is mainly aimed at families, couples, and groups of individuals in general.
Person - Centered Approach
The person-centered approach is based on the conceptual construct of empathy, which is very popular, as well as unconditional acceptance and the therapist’s authenticity. Its purpose is to create a meaningful relationship with the patient so that they can achieve autonomy and self-actualization.
Existential Approach
The existential approach is based on the principle of self-awareness. The therapist helps the individual to penetrate the source of their problems and create meaning with the aim of achieving a fuller and more enjoyable life.
All of the above approaches can be considered, in a sense, as psychoeducation, as they focus on emotional resilience, managing difficult situations that may arise, and better social integration. They also provide individuals with information about mental disorders and how to deal with them.
What is Psychoanalysis?
On the other hand, psychoanalysis deserves special mention, as it differs in many ways from the logic of psychotherapeutic approaches. Although it is quite difficult to give a comprehensive presentation of the analytical experience, an attempt will be made to summarize some of its basic points.
Psychoanalysis, as developed by Freud and subsequently by worthy successors to his work such as J. Lacan, focuses on the dialectical relationship between the individual and the therapist. The most fundamental concept of psychoanalysis is that of the unconscious, as a crucial part of the human soul that includes desires and impulses (libido), childhood experiences that have been repressed by the conscious mind, and are not visible in everyday life. The unconscious manifests itself through fundamental mechanisms such as dreams, parapraxes, slips of the tongue (lapsus), etc. The individual comes to psychoanalysis to "restore" their unconscious, their subjective truth, their desires, and to reduce the discomfort of their symptoms.
Psychoanalysis is anti-formalistic, it is not based on any typical reasoning and does not use ready-made treatment patterns. On the contrary, it is a personalized analytical process for each subject. That is why another key element is free association, where the subject comes to the analysis space to talk freely about what they know, but also what they do not know. The psychoanalyst takes the position of returning pieces of the subject's words to them, pointing them out and using interpretation to highlight points that are ignored by the therapist. The concept of desire is also fundamental, the real subjective desire that the subject is called upon to take on through analysis and understanding of the weight of their words.
Bibliography:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libido
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unconscious_mind
