Terms & Definitions

 
Psychiatrist
A medical doctor who specializes in the assessment and treatment of mental behavioural disorders. This is the person that prescribes and monitors medication. 
 
Psychologist
A Ph.D. in psychology trained and educated to perform psychological research, testing, and therapy. 
 
Psychotherapist
An individual, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, psychiatric nurse, or psychiatric social worker, or specifically trained clinician who practices psychotherapy.

Psychotherapy is an interpersonal, relational intervention used by trained psychotherapists to aid clients in problems of living. This usually includes increasing individual sense of well-being and reducing subjective discomforting experience. Psychotherapists employ a range of techniques based on experiential relationship building, dialogue, communication and behavior change. The benefits of these are designed to improve the mental health of a client or patient, or to improve group relationships (such as in a family).