As is known, Psychology and Medicine are different fields of knowledge and distinct areas of professional activity. Historically, psychology partially originates from philosophy, but mainly from medicine, and, of course, it has involuntarily adopted many medical terms, including psychotherapy as a specific authoritative concept.

Today, many agree that psychology deals with the development of a person as an individual, while medicine focuses on treating illnesses. In other words, if there’s no illness, there’s no medicine, but psychology exists and is present in virtually all spheres of human existence.

At the same time, the provision of services related to the human psyche has always had both medical and non-medical aspects. And this is a good thing! It is only important to give the correct meaning to the concepts and terms being used.

However, there are many terminological discrepancies in psychology today.

One of these is the term "psychotherapist," as a designation of a specific specialty.

The problem lies in the fact that there is one term, but seemingly two specialties: medical and non-medical psychotherapists.

This creates quite a confusion! But where is the common sense?

Agree, how can this "psychoTherapist" not be medical when terms like therapist and therapy are defined in all dictionaries unequivocally and exclusively as treatment? We have already clearly examined this in the article "Psychology is not Therapy."

Moreover, to become a medical psychotherapist, one must enter a higher medical educational institution (university) in the specialty "General Medicine." Afterward, one needs to complete residency training in "Psychiatry," followed by specialization in "Psychotherapy."

Becoming a non-medical psychotherapist, with all due respect, is relatively easier by completing a specific school or institute in various fields of psychology, such as gestalt therapy, positive psychotherapy, etc. No humanitarian university trains non-medical psychotherapists. They only offer the specialty "Psychology," after obtaining which, of course, one can call themselves a psychotherapist, even without the prefix "non-medical." This is especially common in some countries where various protocols and licenses act as permits for providing psychological services.

It’s like in a famous movie answering the question:

"What is your profession? – Chief." Similarly, in the field of psychological services, one can always say – psychotherapist.

There is even the Ukrainian Union of Psychotherapists, which, in turn, is part of the European Association for Psychotherapy. They unite psychologists, psychotherapists, and even psychiatrists.

And that’s great; with all due respect to these organizations, let them all bring benefits to people. However, we still need to clarify and provide a specific interpretation of the professional activities of all mentioned specialties. Otherwise, the distinctions between these professions will gradually disappear, which, unfortunately, is already happening not only in the social but also in the professional environment.

Let’s think: psychologist, psychotherapist, psychiatrist – what is the difference, and whom should one consult?

Here is how the authoritative Ukrainian information agency RBC-Ukraine answers this question. Of course, we will not convey the entire text (https://u.to/4OkBIQ), but take just one point of so-called specific differences for each profession. And what do we see? True wonders of fundamental professional differences, read:

• psychologist: problems at work or in the family;
• psychotherapist: interpersonal relationships, developmental problems, self-determination;
• psychiatrist: disruptions in interaction with others.

Sorry, but these are not different professions; they are just synonymous terms for one specialty! Just think about what’s happening, figuratively speaking:

"And the wedding has reached its point, the bride drinks secretly..." and so on.

Moreover, apart from the mentioned professions, providers of psychosocial assistance in Ukraine also include a medical psychologist, a medical psychotherapist, and a clinical psychologist (Order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine No. 2118, "Procedure for Providing Psychosocial Assistance and Psychological Health Services...").

Of course, in this order, therapy, as a term, plays a key role, even though the order is solely dedicated to psychosocial assistance.

We, of course, blame no one, understanding that considering the historical medical background, many fields in psychology today include the term "therapy" in their name, such as art therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, neuro-linguistic psychotherapy, positive psychotherapy, and so on, although in their essence, they should be called art psychology, cognitive-behavioral psychology, neuro-linguistic psychology, positive psychology, etc., since Psychology is not Therapy and does not deal with treatment.

Today, however, a unique situation has arisen.

For example, if a person with severe mood swings and fatigue consults a medical psychotherapist, they will be diagnosed with neurasthenia.

But if the same person goes to a psychiatrist, they will receive a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, and such situations are numerous. Furthermore, as it seems to many, it is even more prestigious to consult a psychiatrist today, considering the social significance of this word, than a medical psychotherapist, let alone a psychologist. In some countries, it is even believed that psychotherapists as doctors are unnecessary, as psychiatrists deal with the same things.

The term "psychotherapist" has almost entirely moved into the field of psychological services alongside other ambiguous terms such as medical psychologist, art therapist, neuropsychologist, neuropsychotherapist, psychoanalyst, mental health consultant, and many more. Some of them are even included in the Professional Classifications of various countries.

We will not, of course, delve into the essence of all these terms. Within the scope of this article, we need to at least define the terms psychotherapist and psychiatrist.

In brief, the interpretation of these professions is as follows:

A medical psychotherapist is a doctor who diagnoses and prescribes medications. They are needed precisely in cases where a person fully understands what is happening to them, but their negative psycho-emotional state, such as severe fears, can only be overcome with the help of medical drugs. This is done to provide the person with a cognitive opportunity to understand the causes of the situation and find a solution, including together with a psychologist.

A psychiatrist, on the other hand, deals with treating psychiatric disorders – these are such mental states characterized by a lack of objective perception of reality to the extent that it makes self-realization in professional or personal life impossible. This is the main difficulty of a psychiatrist’s work. A psychiatric diagnosis cannot be made based on emotions and/or thoughts of a person. Historically, many mistakes have already been made in this regard.

Today, unfortunately, due to the current terminological imperfections in this field, including in medicine, a psychiatric diagnosis can practically be assigned to anyone.
Of course, no one is against the mentioned specialists: psychotherapist and psychiatrist, using psychological approaches in their work if it is possible. However, their main task is still treatment; they are doctors, and their job is to alleviate a person’s suffering.
A psychologist, on the other hand, has a completely different task – it is the development of a person as an individual. Through this development, a person ultimately frees themselves from suffering, but this is a whole process and sometimes a long one, though the best of all existing ones.
But who a non-medical psychotherapist is and, more importantly, how they differ from a psychologist, no one can tell you, except for some general meaningless phrases, like in our example with RBC-Ukraine.

But why are we, psychologists, so concerned about the question of who a psychotherapist is? What is the danger, and is there any danger at all? Yes, this danger exists and it is enormous! As soon as a psychologist calls themselves a psychotherapist, they no longer have a client but a patient, that is, a sick person. And their psyche unconsciously perceives what happens between them exclusively as treatment since there are no other meanings for the terms “therapist” and “therapy” whatsoever. Ultimately, life teaches its lesson, and we wish everyone health and prosperity, which is why we write about this. It is on such cognitive nuances, sometimes completely unnoticed, that people’s destinies are shaped.

Thus, today, in practical psychology, and hence in the field of psychological services, a catastrophic terminological confusion has developed in the names of existing professions, which, unfortunately, is reflected both at the legislative level and far beyond our country.

One vivid example of this is the term "psychotherapist," which essentially is the name of a medical specialty with higher education, that is, a doctor who deals with treating pathological psycho-emotional states.

In practical psychology, this term, i.e., "psychotherapist," is used entirely incorrectly due to the historical medical origin of psychology and the lack of proper understanding in the professional environment and at the legislative level today that Psychology is not Therapy, and a Psychotherapist is not a Psychologist.

Yevhen Shantyr, Professor of Psychology,
Doctor of Philosophy in Medicine