​There are many different professionals who can help you with your mental health concerns. Counsellors and psychologists are two different kinds of therapists with different training. There are similarities and differences between the two, and the professional that is right for you depends on your needs and expectations. Also, there are great differences among individual counsellors and psychologists, so always remember to find a professional that is right for you.

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Counsellors

• Counsellors are professionals who engage in therapy with clients, often with a focus on emotional wellness. Counsellors cannot provide diagnoses.

• Some definitions say counsellors tend to work with shorter term issues or more specific concerns and stresses, but that isn't always the case. At Inner Haven Counselling, we are willing and able to work with you on long-term patterns and issues.

• Counsellors are not regulated in most Canadian provinces (including all of Western Canada for the moment), so training and abilities can very greatly from person to person. To ensure quality in your counsellor, look for someone who has been qualified by a national body like the Association for Cooperative Counselling Therapists of Canada (ACCT) or the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA).

• Counsellors tend to be more affordable than most psychologists, and can offer a number of different therapy options depending on their training.

• Counsellors who are associated with a national association can sometimes accept insurance from select insurance companies.

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Psychologists

• ​Psychologists are professionals who have studied psychology and are able to assess, diagnose and treat mental conditions.

• Psychologists are not able to prescribe medicine but do tend to offer an array of different types of therapy.

• Psychologists in Canada belong to their own provincial Colleges.

• Psychologists tend to be quite expensive but are frequently covered by private insurance plans, though often only for a limited number of sessions.

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Here are a few other mental health professionals you may have heard of:

• Psychiatrists are medical doctors with additional training in mental health conditions. Psychiatrists are the ones to go to for diagnosis of conditions, and treatment within the medical framework. They are able to prescribe medication. Sometimes, family physicans are also able to diagnose certain mental health conditions and also may prescibe medication. Psychiatrists may do some therapy, but generally refer to other professionals or programs for ongoing care.

• Psychotherapists are professionals who offer therapy to address mental health concerns and disorders. Wait, didn't we cover that with psychologists? Well, psychotherapists may be psychologists but can also be social workers, psychiatric nurses or other types of professionals. Often (but not always), psychotherapists are trained to see many mental health struggles from a disease and illness perspective.

• Coaches can specialize in mental health but tend to be more focused on helping clients work on specific patterns and goals. Coaches most often do not have in-depth mental health training so they may be more limited in what they can offer, but can be great at sharing specialized information and helping clients meet their mental health goals.