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This question is about what a therapist does.
Counselor vs. Psychiatrist
A counselor can be a social worker, guidance counselor, or mental health counselor, while a psychiatrist is a doctor of mental health.
Counselors can take many forms but, in most cases, focus on one specific issue that a client is facing, and for a limited amount of time. Guidance counselors, for example, help prepare students for college. Drug counselors work to help their clients recover from addiction, and mental health counselors see clients for conditions such as depression or anxiety.
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses. Psychiatrists are qualified to assess both the mental and physical aspects of psychological problems. They are also able to prescribe prescription medication for patients. Generally, psychiatrists see their clients for years or even decades.
Here are the key differences between a counselor and a psychiatrist:
| A counselor can take many forms, such as a mental health counselor, guidance counselor, drug counselor, or social worker. | A psychiatrist is a medical doctor that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness. |
| Counselors tend to focus on one specific issue of a client. | A psychiatrist takes a more broad approach to their patients, but may also focus on one specific condition or disorder. |
| Counselors generally see their clients for a limited amount of time. | Psychiatrists generally see their patients for long periods of time. |
| Counselors can not prescribe medication for their clients. | Psychiatrists can prescribe medication for their patients. |
| For similar comparative purposes, a mental health counselor makes an average salary of $68,403 per year. | A psychiatrist makes an average salary of $239,846 per year. |
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