Psychiatry and psychology are overlapping professions. Practitioners in both psychiatrists and psychologists are mental health professionals. Their area of expertise is the mind — and the way it affects behaviour and well-being. They often work together to prevent, diagnose, and treat mental illness. And both are committed to helping people stay mentally well. But there are differences between psychiatry and psychology. And people sometimes find those differences confusing, especially when they are looking for help. To make matters even more confusing, psychiatrists and psychologists aren’t the only mental health professionals you can choose from. There are mental health counsellors, social workers, nurses and nurse practitioners, and others who deal with issues of mental health. And if you consider the multiple approaches to treatment, ranging from counselling to various forms of psychotherapy, the whole mental health system begins to look like a maze that’s nearly impossible to navigate.
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