When we hear the terms ‘counselling’ and ‘psychotherapy’ there is a tendency to feel a little confused as to what these terms actually mean and what the difference is between the two.

Counselling and psychotherapy have many similarities, but there are many relevant differences as well. Counselling, in general is a talking therapy where a therapist helps the client to deal with everyday emotions, feelings and specific issues in the clients everyday life such as relationships, grief, or addiction issues to mention a few and can take place over a number of weeks to several months.

Psychotherapy, on the other hand, deals with past issues that may be contributing to present day problems. It looks at the clients thought process and may look at how the client views themselves in their world. Psychological methods such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, psychoanalysis and psychodynamic therapy as well as many other methods may be used to help the client change their behaviour and overcome their problems. Psychotherapy takes place continually or intermittently over a period
of years.

The same therapist may provide both counselling and psychotherapy, however, psychotherapy generally requires the therapist to have more of a skill set than that of a counsellor. While a psychotherapist is qualified to provide counselling, a counsellor may or may not have the necessary training and skills to provide psychotherapy. However, it is not unusual for a therapist to provide counselling in certain situations
and a counsellor may sometimes operate in a psychotherapeutic manner which leads to overlap in the two roles. There are many types of counsellor, addiction and substance abuse counsellors and many more.

There are also many similarities between counselling and psychotherapy which include the development of a positive, safe, and therapeutic relationship between a therapist and the client, targeting a wide range of people both adults and children and both aim to understand a clients feelings and behaviours, with the goal of improving the clients life.

When deciding which therapist to choose it is important to keep the aforementioned differences and similarities in mind while also noting the background of the therapist as well as their specific approach to therapy. It is beneficial to consider that counselling may be a better option than psychotherapy if you have specific issues or short term problems you wish to address or if you wish to learn coping skills or tools
to help better manage stress and improve relationships. A psychotherapist may be a better option if you have problems that are significantly impacting your life and relationships, coping with past trauma of if you have been diagnosed with a mental health condition such as bipolar or a major anxiety disorder.

It is not always clear to someone when they should seek counselling or psychotherapy support. If you experience overwhelming emotions, fatigue, anxious or intrusive thoughts or hopelessness and these emotions are interfering with your everyday life, it is essential to seek help!

Therapy can be very rewarding and offers a non-judgemental safe space where anything can be shared with your therapist who is there to offer support and help. You will learn more about yourself as the therapist listens to your story and helps to clarify the situation all the while empowering you to take action on your own. Goals can be clarified and realistic steps on how to achieve them are highlighted. Overall, therapy can lead to improvements in many areas of your life. 
Sinead Fahy