Question 1

What’s the difference between counsellors, psychotherapeutic counsellors, psychotherapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists?

Accepted Answer

Counsellors
Training is often relatively short. Counselling typically focuses on practical support, rather than deeper or long-term psychological patterns.

Psychotherapeutic counsellors
Have more substantial training than counsellors and work at greater emotional depth, often over a longer period. However, training is shorter and less intensive than full psychotherapy training.

Psychotherapists
Undertake lengthy, in-depth clinical training, usually over several years. Psychotherapy works with both current difficulties and deeper psychological processes, including long-standing patterns, relational dynamics, and the impact of early experience.

Psychologists
Have extensive academic training in psychology. Clinical and counselling psychologists can offer therapy and psychological assessment and they often work in the NHS, research, or specialist services. Their work is frequently more assessment and formulation driven. They do not prescribe medication.

Psychiatrists
Are medical doctors specialising in mental health. They diagnose mental health conditions and prescribe medication. Their work is primarily medical, though some also offer psychotherapy.

Question 2

What’s the difference between UKCP, BACP, and other professional bodies? Why does accreditation matter?

Accepted Answer

In the UK, psychotherapy and counselling are not legally regulated. Understanding a therapist’s professional accreditation helps ensure that you are working with someone who has completed recognised training, adheres to a clear ethical framework, and is accountable to a professional body through ongoing supervision and professional oversight.

UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
Accredits psychotherapists who have completed extensive, in-depth clinical training. This typically involves five or more years of postgraduate study, alongside personal therapy, supervised clinical practice, and rigorous ethical oversight.

British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
Predominantly accredits counsellors and psychotherapeutic counsellors. Training routes vary widely, from shorter vocational qualifications to more advanced training, meaning the depth of training can differ significantly between practitioners.

British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC)
Accredits psychoanalytic and psychodynamic psychotherapists and psychoanalysts. Training is traditionally structured and intensive, with a strong emphasis on classical psychoanalytic theory, extended personal analysis, and supervised clinical work.

British Psychological Society (BPS)
Accredits psychology degrees and training programmes, sets professional standards for psychology, and supports the development of psychological knowledge, research, and practice.

Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
Regulates a range of health and care professionals in the UK, including practitioner psychologists and arts therapists. These professions are legally required to be HCPC registered in order to practise.

General Medical Council (GMC)
Regulates medical doctors, including psychiatrists.