COUNSELLING
VERSUS
PSYCHOTHERAPY
What is the difference between counselling and psychotherapy is an important question if you are thinking of embarking on some therapy?
Counselling is more likely to help with a specific difficulty, current problem or surface issue. An example might include a bereavement or a difficulty that is not necessarily rooted in the past. Psychotherapy is more likely to help with more deep-rooted difficulties that affects a client’s life. Examples might include a difficult childhood or trauma.
A psychotherapist might help a client with psychological difficulties in life caused by internal difficulties whereas a counsellor might help a client with a problem triggered by external circumstances.
How long does counselling and psychotherapy last?
Counselling is likely to last a number of weeks or months. Psychotherapy is likely to be open ended and last a number of months or years. This is because counselling might help to address a current difficulty whereas psychotherapy might address difficulties rooted in the past. Psychotherapy is more in depth and facilitates long term changes; a reconstruction of personality or psyche areas. Counselling helps support existing personality structures.
Counselling
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Works with conscious processes and thoughts.
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Less in-depth training with a possible area of specialism.
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Focus on present problems and situations, surface-type difficulties and current problems.
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Might be focused on one particular difficulty which is caused by current circumstances.
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Specific situations or behaviours.
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Short term therapy (for a period of weeks and up to 6 months).
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Guidance, support, and education to help people identify and find their own solutions to current problems.
Psychotherapy
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Works with the conscious, subconscious and unconscious processes and thoughts
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Extensive training with personal development component and possible psychiatric placement with areas of specialism.
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Focused on a number of difficulties originating from past and present life story.
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Psychotherapy helps with current and past difficulties which require in depth processing and psyche changes
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Focus on chronic or recurrent problems, overall patterns, big picture-oriented.
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Long-term therapy, either continuous or intermittent over many years.
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May include other psychotherapeutic modalities such as talk therapy, somatic therapies and other therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy.
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In-depth focus on internal thoughts/feelings (core issues) leading to personal growth.