If you have a mental illness, or are not coping well with things, there are specialised healthcare professionals who can help. These include psychiatrists and psychologists.
What does a psychiatrist do?
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who have completed specialised training in psychiatry, which is how to diagnose, treat and prevent mental, emotional and behavioural disorders.
They work in different ways and can use a combination of treatments, including counselling, psychotherapy and medication such as antidepressants. They can usually admit people to hospital if needed.
You will probably need to see a psychiatrist if you have a severe mental health condition such as:
Psychiatrists work in hospitals, clinics and with community mental health services, as well as in private practice.
Many, but not all, psychiatrists are registered with the Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP). They must be registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). You can check their registration at the AHPRA website.
What does a psychologist do?
Psychologists are registered health professionals who are trained in human behaviour. Some psychologists choose to complete further training to become endorsed in specific areas of psychology, such as clinical psychology, neuropsychology, health, community, forensic, organisational, and sports and exercise psychology.
Psychologists work in areas such as schools, hospitals, community health services, courts, prisons, businesses and private practices.
They may specialise in helping children, teenagers or families. More information about the types of psychologists is available on the Australian Psychological Society (APS) website.
You might visit a psychologist for help with problems such as:
A psychologist can also help you deal with challenges you may face in life such as:
Practising psychologists must be registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). You can check this at the AHPRA website.
What are the differences between psychiatrists and psychologists?
The main difference between the two is that a psychiatrist has trained as a medical doctor and can prescribe medication. A psychologist is not a medical doctor and can’t prescribe medication.
However, there are many similarities between psychiatrists and psychologists. Both are trained to understand how your brain works, how you think and how you behave. Both are able to use different types of counselling and psychotherapy to help.
Both psychologists and psychiatrists use various forms of therapy to help with mental health problems. They can help you develop better ways of thinking and behaving.
Should I see a psychiatrist or psychologist?
You might need to see a psychiatrist if:
- your condition is severe
- it has lasted a long time, or continues to come back
- other treatment isn’t working
- you are thinking about self-harm or suicide
- your doctor believes you should see one
You might need to see a psychologist if:
- you are experiencing anxiety, depression, stressful life events or any other mental health difficulty
- you feel like life is more difficult and need support to cope
- you would like an assessment of your mental health
If you have a choice between several different practitioners, questions to ask them include:
- How can you help me?
- How many sessions do I need?
- How often do I need to see you?
- How much do you charge?
ASK YOUR DOCTOR — Preparing for an appointment? Use the Question Builder for general tips on what to ask your GP or specialist.
How can I find a psychiatrist or psychologist?
Visit your doctor (GP) if you feel you need to see a psychiatrist or psychologist, or you are a carer of someone who might. Your doctor will usually choose one for you.
Read more here about speaking to your doctor about mental health.
You can search for a psychiatrist using RANZCP’s Find a psychiatrist directory, healthdirect’s service finder or read more about where to get help with mental health.
You can find a psychologist by using the APS search engine, or a clinical psychologist by using the Australian Clinical Psychology Association’s search directory.
FIND A HEALTH SERVICE — The Service Finder can help you find doctors, pharmacies, hospitals and other health services.
How much do psychiatrists or psychologists cost?
Medicare covers some of the costs of seeing a psychiatrist or psychologist if you have a referral or a mental health treatment plan from your doctor.
Private health insurance may not cover the costs unless you’re in hospital. Ask about the psychiatrist’s or psychologist’s fees before making an appointment.
You can get more information about low cost or free mental health services.
Resources and support
You can read more about psychiatrists at the Royal & New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, about psychologists at the Australian Psychological Society and about clinical psychologists at Australian Clinical Psychology Association.
The Black Dog Institute website has lots of information on getting help.
Beyond Blue has information about different types of treatment for depression.
To speak to someone urgently, call Lifeline on 13 11 14, SANE on 1800 18 7263, or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.
The three main differences between psychiatrists and psychologists are:
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Psychiatrists are medical doctors, psychologists are not.
- Psychiatrists prescribe medication, psychologists can’t.
- Psychiatrists diagnose illness, manage treatment and provide a range of therapies for complex and serious mental illness. Psychologists focus on providing psychotherapy (talk therapy) to help patients.
Many people get psychiatrists and psychologists confused with each other.
Both psychiatrists and psychologists understand how the brain works, our emotions, feelings and thoughts. Both can treat mental illness with psychological treatments (talking therapies).
However, psychiatrists attend medical school and become medical doctors before doing specialist training in mental health. Because they are doctors, psychiatrists understand the links between mental and physical problems. They can also prescribe medications.
To go into it in some more detail, the main differences relate to:
- training
- treatments provided
- conditions treated
- getting an appointment.
Training
Psychiatrists are medical doctors with at least 11 years of training – usually more.
They first do a medical degree at university. Next they spend at least 1 or 2 years training as a general doctor.
They then complete at least 5 years training in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness.
Psychologists have at least 6 years of university training and supervised experience.
They may also hold a Masters or Doctorate level qualification in psychology. If they have a Doctorate (PhD) a psychologist can call themselves ‘Dr’, but they are not medical doctors.
Clinical psychologists have special training in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness.
Treatments provided
Psychiatrists can provide a wide range of treatments, according to the particular problem and what will work best. These include:
- medication
- general medical care, including checking your physical health and the effects of medication
- psychological treatments
- brain stimulation therapies such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).
Psychologists focus on providing psychological treatments.
Conditions treated
Psychiatrists tend to treat people who need their medical, psychological and social needs considered.
These are usually people with complex conditions, for example:
- severe depression
- schizophrenia
- bipolar disorder.
Someone who has attempted suicide or has suicidal thoughts will usually be seen by a psychiatrist.
Psychologists are more likely to see people with conditions that can be helped effectively with psychological treatments. This might include behavioural problems, learning difficulties, depression and anxiety.
Getting an appointment
As with all medical specialists, to see a psychiatrist you need a referral from your GP (family doctor).
To see a psychologist you don’t need a referral. However, in Australia a GP can refer you to a psychologist as part of a Mental Health Treatment Plan.
There are around 4000 psychiatrists working across Australia and New Zealand, while there are about 27,000 registered psychologists.
Working together
Psychiatrists and psychologists often work together. A psychiatrist might make an initial assessment and diagnosis, then refer you to a psychologist for ongoing psychological treatment (talking therapy).
Psychiatrists and psychologists also work together in hospitals as part of mental health teams.
Who should I see?
If you are unsure whether you should see a psychiatrist or a psychologist, talk to your GP. They can give you advice about whether a psychiatrist or a psychologist is right for you.
It will depend on your unique situation and the type of treatment you need. Some people might see both.
More about first steps to get help
More about psychiatrists
There has been a rise in Australia for those experiencing mental health issues and seeking professional assistance for psychological based problems. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has reported that there was an estimated 15% of young people aged 18–24 experienced high or very high levels of psychological distress in 2017-2018, and 4.3 million people given mental-health related prescriptions in Australia during 2018-2019. However, this figure does not include therapy sessions and non-prescriptive psychological care. The ever-growing number of clients who require psychological care have resulted in a demand for highly skilled and trained professionals who are able to give treatment. Both psychologists and psychiatrists are trained to meet this need, with both roles having the ability to treat different clients.
Key difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist
Understanding human behaviour and how the mind works can be a fascinating and rewarding career path. Psychologists and psychiatrists are both healthcare professionals who are able to help clients understand and better manage their ways of thinking and behaving through detailed approaches. The key difference between psychologists and psychiatrists is that psychiatrists are trained medical doctors who specialise in psychiatry following medical school. Studying psychiatry can take over eleven years of formal tertiary training. Whereas, becoming a psychologist typically requires a total of six years of tertiary training, made up of university education and supervised experience. When pursuing a career in psychiatry or psychology in Australia, there are various pathway options available and these timeframes are provided as the ‘typical’ route.
A career as a psychologist vs psychiatrist
Both psychology and psychiatry are rewarding and necessary jobs that help the wider community long term. Understand the key elements involved in pursuing a career in psychology and psychiatry, alongside the day-to-day responsibilities to gain further insight into this valuable career path.
Career as a psychologist
Psychologists work closely with their clients, often aligning with others professionals, to recognise, diagnose and treat different psychological challenges and conditions (emotional problems, behaviours and behavioural patterns). It is a people-centric scientific field, and psychologists work to help others improve their current circumstances, and investigate how and why the mind influences behaviour. As a highly regulated field, all practising psychologists must be registered with the Psychology Board of Australia and there are multiple pathway options to reach this goal. Once certified, the average annual salary of a psychologist is $75,296 in Australia and this figure continues to grow with experience in the field.
Pay by Experience Level for Psychologists
Source: www.payscale.com
Psychology remains an evolving industry with several pathways to take – the options vary with different areas of psychological practice, such as Clinical Psychology, Educational Psychology, or even Sports Performance Psychology. Psychologists work with clients to manage problems ranging from short-term challenges to severe and ongoing emotional and behavioural disorders. These challenges can result from genetic predispositions, environmental stressors, interpersonal relationships, personal traumas and more.
Roles and responsibilities of a psychologist
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Conduct psychological examinations and provide a professional opinion regarding mental treatments and psychological diagnosis,
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Create treatment plans and teach coping skills for clients changing their lifestyle or environment,
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Document a client’s progress and measure their psychological development,
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Assist clients through the implementation of treatment plans like psychotherapy, group therapy, behaviour modification and more.
Career as a psychiatrist
Psychiatrists treat and diagnose a patient’s psychological behavioural patterns and are trained to meet the needs of those with inherent neurological imbalances and obstacles. However, the main difference between psychologists and psychiatrists is that psychiatrists generally treat patients with mental disorders and can administer treatment or medication to overcome this. Psychiatrists must complete a medical degree and become a doctor, work in a hospital environment for at least 12 months, and then apply for a medical specialisation in psychiatry. Once fully qualified, psychiatrists can earn an average salary of $125,476 in Australia. With experience and knowledge working as a doctor, psychiatrists can treat mental illness under the medical model.
Pay by Experience Level for Psychiatrists
Source: www.payscale.com
Key responsibilities of a psychiatrist
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Preventing, treating and monitoring mental health conditions,
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Administering medication to help mental health conditions and overseeing the patient’s overall health and the effects of this medication,
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Providing expert insight into a
patient’s
mental wellbeing and delivering advice to their support system.
Why you should choose to study human behaviour
Having the expertise in human behaviour is not only valued within psychology, but remains a skill that is appreciated across different industries. Psychology has been used across criminology to help understand why people commit crimes, whilst marketing utilises psychology to understand purchasing patterns and consumer behaviour.
Where to study psychology
Finding the right school that fits into your lifestyle is important when taking the next step in your psychological career. Study psychology online with The University of Adelaide that offers psychology courses that fill your educational requirements to move forward as a psychologist. The Graduate Diploma in Psychology online is a program designed for those with non-psychology related bachelor’s degrees, it allows students to learn essential psychology foundations.
Once you successfully finish the graduate diploma, the next step towards becoming a psychologist is the Graduate Diploma of Psychology Advanced, a 100% online equivalent to an on-campus psychology honours program. The University of Adelaide has been accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) as a recognised program that will contribute to an official psychology registration. The University of Adelaide is a Group of Eight university which makes it a leading education provider in Australia. Choose to learn from a prestigious and trusted University and help make a difference in people’s lives.
To learn how a Graduate Diploma in Psychology is the first step towards a career in psychology, make an appointment to speak with an advisor today.
