What's the difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist?

Unlike heading to a doctor with the flu, things tend to feel less clear where your mental health is concerned.

Thankfully, there are lots of mental healthcare options out there. Sometimes it’s just a matter of knowing where to look and knowing what specific healthcare practitioner is right for you.

Unless it’s an emergency, your first port of call should be your GP. They may then make a referral or recommendation to the right expert. Often, this will be either a psychiatrist or psychologist.

Here, we look at the difference between each, plus what other options might be right for you.

A type of medical specialist, a psychiatrist is a medical doctor who has extra qualifications specialising in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental, emotional and behavioural problems.

Some psychiatrists specialise further and focus on specific areas, like child and adolescent mental health or addiction.

Because they’re medical doctors, psychiatrists can review your physical health and medications as well as understand the interaction between physical health and the mind.

Psychiatrists can offer expert support if the mental health problem is severe or complex, or requires medical, social or psychological support.

Treatment by a psychiatrist is tailored to the individual and can include a combination of the following:

• prescription medicines, including those only psychiatrists can prescribe
• a range of research-based counselling and psychological support to treat unhelpful thinking and behaviour
• brain stimulation therapies, such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation¹
• lifestyle and diet advice
• referrals to additional healthcare services or professionals.

To practise in Australia, most psychiatrists are registered with the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. All psychiatrists must be registered with the Australia Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.

If you’re eligible for Medicare and have a referral from your GP, your treatment may be covered.

Treatments may be free if you see a psychiatrist as a public patient at a community health centre or a public hospital through bulk billing, which means you won’t have to pay a gap fee at all.

If you choose to see a psychiatrist in private practice, Medicare will refund only part of the psychiatrist’s fee. The price of your session will vary depending on the psychiatrist.

In Australia, you must get a referral to see a psychiatrist.

Unlike psychiatrists, psychologists are not medical doctors. But they do have extensive psychology training, with a strong understanding of human behaviour and how the mind works.

This means psychologists can provide a range of psychological support approaches but are unable to prescribe medicines or provide advice or treatment on physical health.

While there are general psychologists, some specialise in certain areas, such as:

• community psychology
• sport and exercise psychology
• clinical psychology.

If you’re living with anxiety, depression or a learning or behavioural difficulty, seeing a psychologist might be right for you. Psychologists are more likely to see people who can be helped by psychological therapies, and those with no diagnosed mental health condition who simply want to change unhelpful thoughts or behaviours, or to learn better coping strategies.

Some commonly used psychological therapies include:

• cognitive behavioural therapy. This helps change unhelpful or unhealthy habits of thinking, feeling and behaviour using practical self-help strategies
• interpersonal therapy. This looks at how a person’s relationships and interactions with others affect their own thoughts and behaviours.

By law, a psychologist must be registered with the Psychology Board of Australia. Many practising psychologists are also members of the Australian Psychological Society.

You might be eligible for Medicare rebates for treatment by a registered psychologist.

However, to be eligible you must be referred by your GP or psychiatrist (or a paediatrician for children). To receive a Medicare rebate, your referral will need to be made under a GP Mental Health Care Plan (or similar).

If you’re eligible for a rebate, there may still be a gap fee depending on the fees charged by the psychologist, so it’s always worth investigating this before you make an appointment.

If you’re covered by a private health fund, they may reimburse part of the psychologist’s fee. But the level of cover usually varies, so always check with your provider first.

You can’t claim from your health fund on top of the Medicare rebate, which means it’s one or the other. Alternatively, you may be eligible to access a free or low-cost psychological service run by your local Primary Health Network.

Unless you’re seeking a rebate, you won’t need a referral to see a psychologist privately. But it’s still a good idea to check in with your GP before finding one.

Psychotherapists and counsellors are other common healthcare experts and, depending on your needs, might be right for you.

Generally, counsellors focus on specific life issues, such as relationships, while psychotherapists delve into longer-held problems that are shaped by your personality and past.

They often have backgrounds in areas like social work, nursing or psychology.

It’s important to note that, unlike psychologists and psychiatrists, psychotherapists and counsellors are not required to be registered. So, finding one with the appropriate qualifications is key.

If you’re looking for more information on how to find an appropriately trained counsellor, talk to your GP.

You don’t need a referral to see psychotherapists or counsellors. However, they may be covered by Medicare in certain circumstances under a GP-referred Mental Health Care Plan (or similar).

Your private health fund may be able to cover some of the cost, so be sure to check with them to find out if you’re eligible.

The Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia and the Australian Counselling Association can help you find a registered counsellor near you.

The Australian Psychological Society can help you find a local psychologist.