Counseling, Therapy, and Psychology: What’s the Difference?

First, I had always been interested in how the body worked. Even as a young child, I was always fascinated with the pictures in my father’s medical textbooks. Eventually, when I got to high school, I took an intro to psychology course as an elective and began to take a real interest in the brain and its role in emotions, cognition, and behaviors.

I was fascinated by the fact that electrical impulses in our heads were solely responsible for every action, every thought, and every decision we made. I also became very interested in behaviorism and how modifying even the smallest of reinforcement schedules could drastically alter behavior. I loved the idea that there was a way to explain and modify what seemed like intangible variables, such as emotions and thoughts.

I also felt an innate obligation to help others. For as long as I can remember, I have held the belief that if you are in a position to help others, you do so. And what better way to combine my two interests of brain-based behavior and helping others than to become a clinical psychologist?

I chose to earn a doctorate in clinical psychology because I wanted the flexibility to work across different domains within the field. It enabled me to teach, see patients and work in various types of institutions. Furthermore, I wanted to develop a more specialized approach to the empirically supported treatment of adults, specifically in cognitive behavior therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy.

I was very interested in the extended clinical training of the two-year practicums, the year-long pre-doctoral internship, and the year-long postdoc experiences. In addition to the clinical experience offered by a doctoral program, I wanted to take part in research opportunities. It was important to me that I become an educated consumer of empirical research in the field, and I contributed to it, too.

First, social media has inevitably affected the practice of psychology. In fact, and this is especially true for my millennial patients, social media is an integral part of their interpersonal experiences. To understand their experiences, I must remain aware of the ever-changing social media landscape. Second, social media has drastically changed the way psychologists market themselves.

Whether it’s a practice’s website or an informational Instagram page, psychologists’ presence on social media has become somewhat commonplace. While I do believe that such a platform can be extremely beneficial, it remains a grey area. Currently, there are no hard rules about social media presence other than not engaging with your patients on these platforms. Finding that healthy and appropriate balance is something that I have found to be a day-to-day challenge.

Juggling different roles also presents a challenge. In addition to working as a clinical psychologist, I am also a mother of three little children, all under the age of seven. Coordinating schedules, homework, doctor appointments, playdates, and carpools keeps my head swimming—and that is before I add in seeing patients. I sometimes struggle with the constant switching of hats from psychologist to mom, but with time management strategies and leaving room for self-care and a lot of support, it can be truly rewarding.

By far, the most rewarding thing about my career as a psychologist is seeing my patients improve. There is nothing better than a patient who once had crippling social anxiety beginning dating, or a person with severe depression re-enrolling in school and finishing their semester with a 4.0. Seeing a patient with low self-esteem and toxic relational patterns finally understand and change their behaviors is such a satisfying thing to observe. Also, it is extremely gratifying when patients who have been in therapy with me for some time permanently incorporate our therapeutic language into their everyday problem-solving.

First, make sure you thoroughly research the programs that interest you. Are they APA-accredited? Ask current and former students about their experiences and opinions. This will give you a better feel for the culture of the program itself. Ask about available practicum sites. Most importantly, ask about their pre-doctoral internship match rates. Do more than just read their online material.

Second, while you don’t necessarily need to know the nuances of your specialty at this point in your journey, it may be helpful to narrow down a few criteria. For example, do you want to steer more towards academia, clinical application, or both? There is a common misconception that all Psy.D. programs are purely clinical and that Ph.D. programs are solely research. This is not always the case.

My Psy.D. program included a significant amount of required research. Make sure to narrow down the general population you wish to work with (e.g., children vs. adults) as this can help to determine the program you choose.

Know that the next 5-7 years are a major commitment. I watched many of my friends take lucrative jobs, get married, and have children while I was still studying in graduate school. I would be lying if I didn’t say I felt like I had put my life on hold. But, in the end, I realized I had not. It’s just that my path to get where I wanted to be was a bit longer than theirs, and there is nothing wrong with that. It is a long journey, but a rewarding one in the end. In the words of my mentor, “If it were easy, everyone would do it.”

Psychology and therapy overlap, but they are not the same. Psychology is the scientific study of the human mind and behavior. Therapy is a form of applied psychology that draws on a broad and diverse array of treatment-focused interventions designed to improve mental health and well-being.

It depends on your career objectives and learning interests. Psychology degrees are generally more versatile while counseling degrees focus on specific techniques and strategies used by licensed counselors. Also, you may be able to become a counselor with a psychology degree but you cannot become a psychologist with a counseling degree.

Psychologists tend to earn more than therapists. According to BLS data from May 2023, psychologists earn a median salary of $92,740 per year. Meanwhile, the median salary for non-counseling therapists was $63,650 per year in May 2023.