First Appointment
~Amanda~
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: in a river of chocolate
Posts: 66
First Appointment
Hello all, I wanted to inform everyone that my first appointment for my therapist is today. See it wasn't until May but yeaturday she called and told me she had a cancellation. So I took the appointment today. Wish me luck.
~Amanda~
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: in a river of chocolate
Posts: 66
well I guess it was okay... The lady was nice.... but I dont understand something... is a therapist and a psychiatrist two different people... well you see the woman has even me another appointment with her but also an appointment with a psychiatrist.... I thought she was one... I dont understand.... I just told her what I thought about and how I felt about things.... does this mean Im crazy? I should have asked her why she thought I needed to see one. Damn.....
Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,351
usually a Psychiatrist and a Psychologists work together-the later being what you call a therapist,
A psychiatrist can oder you medication if it is needed a nd will monitor your progress with the psychologists-the one you will be spending the most time witIt is always good to open up--thats what your there for-they will work together and both know your situation and try to meet your needs. Good for you--best of luck!!!!
A psychiatrist can oder you medication if it is needed a nd will monitor your progress with the psychologists-the one you will be spending the most time witIt is always good to open up--thats what your there for-they will work together and both know your situation and try to meet your needs. Good for you--best of luck!!!!
Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Under the Rainbow
Posts: 1,086
A therapist does not need a degree in anything. In some states, they don't even need a license or certification. A therapist is a person who helps you through the emotional/cognitive parts of your life which are giving you problems.
A psychologist has a degree, but may not be a therapist. Some psychologists are research only, some go into fields such as marketing where understanding what makes people tick is important.
A psychiatrist has a medical degree and went through medical school just like your regular doctor did, then specialized in psychiatry - so they're sort of like a psychologist except they can also write prescriptions.
Often a therapist (of any sort - my marriage counselor had a master's in education) will work together with a psychiatrist if they believe their patient could be helped by drugs as well as counseling. For a couple of years I saw both a psychiatrist and a therapist - the psychiatrist worked with me to find the best medications for me and did some psychoanalysis, my therapist helped me find ways to work with the world around me to help me develop the skills I needed.
The drugs are often very beneficial to therapy as they give a person a bit of a "leg up" to get over the worst of the situation so that the therapy can start helping the person. For instance, if a person has horrible anxiety, seeing a therapist alone may not help as they can't get the anxiety under control well enough to use the tools that their therapist is trying to help them develop. But once on the medication, they won't be in such a constant state of panic that they can't process information, so they can start using the tools and skills they're being taught, with the ultimate goal of coming off the medication once those skills are learned well enough that the person can function without the medication.
And some people may never be able to come back off the medication - not because of addiction, but because the neurochemistry and the physiological structures of the brain are significantly affected by one's environment during the crucial developmental years. In my case, I doubt I will ever be able to come off my medications. My developmental years caused my brain and brain chemistry to be permanently altered to such a state that my medications help, and the therapy helps even more, but I don't think the therapy alone even with all the skills I've learned will be enough to overcome the structural anomalies and chemical anomalies in my brain.
So it is very common for a therapist to work in conjunction with a psychiatrist. It is also quite useful for some people.
A psychologist has a degree, but may not be a therapist. Some psychologists are research only, some go into fields such as marketing where understanding what makes people tick is important.
A psychiatrist has a medical degree and went through medical school just like your regular doctor did, then specialized in psychiatry - so they're sort of like a psychologist except they can also write prescriptions.
Often a therapist (of any sort - my marriage counselor had a master's in education) will work together with a psychiatrist if they believe their patient could be helped by drugs as well as counseling. For a couple of years I saw both a psychiatrist and a therapist - the psychiatrist worked with me to find the best medications for me and did some psychoanalysis, my therapist helped me find ways to work with the world around me to help me develop the skills I needed.
The drugs are often very beneficial to therapy as they give a person a bit of a "leg up" to get over the worst of the situation so that the therapy can start helping the person. For instance, if a person has horrible anxiety, seeing a therapist alone may not help as they can't get the anxiety under control well enough to use the tools that their therapist is trying to help them develop. But once on the medication, they won't be in such a constant state of panic that they can't process information, so they can start using the tools and skills they're being taught, with the ultimate goal of coming off the medication once those skills are learned well enough that the person can function without the medication.
And some people may never be able to come back off the medication - not because of addiction, but because the neurochemistry and the physiological structures of the brain are significantly affected by one's environment during the crucial developmental years. In my case, I doubt I will ever be able to come off my medications. My developmental years caused my brain and brain chemistry to be permanently altered to such a state that my medications help, and the therapy helps even more, but I don't think the therapy alone even with all the skills I've learned will be enough to overcome the structural anomalies and chemical anomalies in my brain.
So it is very common for a therapist to work in conjunction with a psychiatrist. It is also quite useful for some people.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Under the Rainbow
Posts: 1,086
I thought I was a nut...
Sometimes I think becoming a buddhist monk sounds good - but I'd miss my husband and the little family we have.
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