Originally Posted by Kindeyes

Any professional in the field can be good or not. I've been to a therapist and a psychologist. My brother is a therapist as well and we've talked about this very topic. His biggest concern about psychiatrists is the medication issue. In his opinion, they are a bit trigger happy on the meds. I value his opinion because he's been in the field for 40 years and has had more exposure to psychiatrists, therapists, and psychologists than most normal people would. When they (my brother owns a therapy practice which employs several therapists and psychologists) encounter someone who they believe would benefit from medication, they refer them to a psychiatrist.

If someone is dealing with deep clinical depression or serious mental illness, I would think a psychiatrist would be a good choice. If a person needs talk therapy, behavior modification or coping skills to deal with life's difficult times, a therapist or psychologist may be a better choice.

With all of that being said, just like any profession, there are good ones and not so good ones. One may not work well for you, and the next one may be a great fit. Your comfort level with the individual is what is most important regardless of whether they are a therapist, psychologist or psychiatrist.

That's my two cents.....take it for what it's worth.......which is about....well......two cents.

gentle hugs
ke