What is the difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist?

Psychologists study the way people feel, think, act and interact. Through a range of strategies and therapies, they aim to reduce distress and enhance and promote emotional wellbeing. Psychologists are experts in human behaviour. They have studied the brain, memory, learning and human development.

Psychiatrists have studied first to become a medical doctor. Once they have graduated as a doctor, they can take on more study and training with the aim of becoming a psychiatrist. When they study psychiatry, they learn to diagnose, treat, and prevent mental, emotional and behavioural disorders. They can prescribe medications, like antidepressants, and can usually admit you to the hospital if this is needed.

Both are trained to understand how your brain works, and how you think and behave. Both can use different types of counselling and psychotherapy to help. Both psychologists and psychiatrists use various forms of therapy to help with problems like depression, anxiety, stress, grief, bipolar disorder, relationship breakdowns, drug and alcohol addiction and post-traumatic stress disorder. They can help you develop better ways of thinking and behaving.