When seeking to understand different approaches to mental and emotional support, it’s essential to know the distinctions between mental health professionals. This guide presents four main categories: CRAM-trained therapists, psychologists, psychotherapists, and psychiatrists. Each of these professions offers specific services according to their training and skills, ranging from personal and relational development to managing severe mental disorders. By identifying the role and scope of each, you will be better equipped to choose the professional that best meets your needs.
1. CRAM-trained Therapist (Montreal Center for Helping Relationships):
- Training: CRAM trains helping relationship practitioners with an approach centered on authentic communication, active listening, and supporting individuals in their personal development.
- Skills: These therapists specialize in helping relationships and interpersonal communication, aiming to help individuals better understand themselves, manage their emotions, and improve their relationships.
- Role: They are not trained to treat severe psychological disorders or prescribe medication, but rather to accompany individuals in processes of personal and relational development. They are not authorized to practice regulated psychotherapy unless they have other recognized qualifications.
- Scope of action: Helping relationships, emotional support, management of personal or relational conflicts.
2. Psychologist:
- Training: A psychologist holds a university degree at the doctoral level in psychology.
- Skills: They are trained to assess, diagnose, and treat mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. The training includes in-depth knowledge of clinical psychology, behavioral theories, and therapeutic methods.
- Role: Psychologists can practice psychotherapy, conduct psychological evaluations, and offer treatments for a wide range of disorders, including depression, anxiety, personality disorders, etc. Scope of action: Psychotherapy, psychological evaluation, diagnosis of mental disorders.
3. Psychotherapist:
- Training: The title of psychotherapist is regulated in Quebec. It requires university training in psychology, social work, or other mental health-related disciplines, followed by specific training in psychotherapy.
- Skills: Psychotherapists are qualified to practice psychotherapy, which involves treating mental, emotional, and relational disorders through psychological methods. This profession is overseen by the Order of Psychologists of Quebec.
- Role: They can work with individuals suffering from mild to severe mental disorders, using therapeutic methods such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), psychodynamic therapy, humanistic therapy, etc.
- Scope of action: Treatment of mental and emotional disorders through psychotherapy, but they cannot prescribe medication.
4. Psychiatrist:
- Training: A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who has undergone specialization in psychiatry after medical studies.
- Skills: They are trained to diagnose and treat severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, and major depression. They also have training in pharmacology, allowing them to prescribe medication.
- Role: Psychiatrists can both prescribe medication and practice forms of psychotherapy. They typically treat more complex cases that require medical management.
- Scope of action: Medical diagnosis and treatment of severe mental disorders, prescription of medication, psychotherapy.
