Can anyone tell me the difference between a social worker, a counsellor and a phychologist?? Are they for different things, use different techniques etc.
TIA
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Can anyone tell me the difference between a social worker, a counsellor and a phychologist?? Are they for different things, use different techniques etc.
TIA
I'm going to be simplistic about it but anyway:
1) Counsellor. Anyone can spend about $600 and 6 weeks to get counselling certificate and call themselves a counsellor. You could even do it online. There are more qualified counsellors and certain specialties that require a lot more study, such as a genetic counsellor. Many volunteer organisations put their staff through a basic counselling course that covers active listening. In my opinion, this is a skill, not a qualification.
2) Social worker. Has at least a 3-4 year degree. The specialty is in helping people in certain situations and is usually organisation based. Eg I have a friend who is an aged care social worker. She works with the aged and their families in hospital and at home to work out what support they need. Includes some counselling training but an emphasis on practical help. there are some great social workers and there are some poor ones. We dealt with bereavement social workers after DS1 died whose specialty seemed to be waiting for us to cry and patronising us, which has left me somewhat cynical towards the profession. On the other hand, there are some brilliant social workers working in shocking conditions, such as yout, prisons, DOCS and doing an amazing job. There are even some good bereavement social workers. We just didnt see many of them.
3) Psychologist. Has at least a 3-4 year degree which involves a fair bit of rigour. Has then completed either a Masters or a placement (2 years I think) to qualify as a registered psychologist. Is a member of the APS and should have regular supervision. There are many specialities here as well. An organisational psychologist focuses on the workplace, such as change manegemnt or whatever. A counselling psychologist focuses on counselling. A clinical psychologist focuses on mental illness. A trauma pschologist focuses on helping people through trauma etc. Research psychs focus on what is called "rats and stats", and are more interested in research than listening to people's problems. There can be overlap. Again, there are some good ones and some bad ones. After my mc, I saw a counselling pyschologist who spent the time crying about her miscarriages, which was no use to me. I have also seen brilliant psychologists.
In addition, many have there own preferred way of dealing with issues. Some are "behaviour" oriented, where they believe you cannot alter a person's personality, just focus on teeaching them to change their behaviour/way of coping etc. Some love personality tests and helping people concentrate on their strengths (called labelling people by more behavioural minded psychs). Some will use cognitive-behavioural techniques, others Gestalt techniques, others focus on the family as a whole, others on an individual. Some can use all the above and more.
Like any "helping" profession, you get people who are genuinely interested in helping or finding a solution to a specific problem and you also get people who seem to feed off pain and trauma. For some reason, these fields attracts weirdos. It can also attract brilliant people.
There's also psychiatry, which requires a medical degree then specialisation. They focus on mental illness but can also provide general counselling. They usually charge more than pschologists but you can get more back from Medicare.
Are you interested as a career or in finding someone?
Hi hun,
Psychologists are (generally) the most well-trained of the three. You have different fields of psychology - sports, organisational, educational, clinical, counselling etc. What you're probably thinking of in your comparison is a counselling psychologist. A psychologist must have a degree in psychology, a 4th year of some kind, and then clinical supervision. These days I believe you need a Master's degree to be a registered psychologist.
A social worker is also uni trained. I don't know as much about social workers, but as I understand it they are more hands-on than psychologists. For example, in hospital a social worker might come and help you see to some of your physical needs (eg if an elderly person is going home to an empty house they would help you access services such as visiting nurses/meals on wheels). But I believe social workers can do some kinds of counselling.
A counsellor needs at least a diploma (TAFE-level) of counselling and clinical supervision to be registered. (Although there are uni degrees in counselling). Off the top of my head I can't tell you if registration is compulsory for counsellors, but if I was going to one I would certainly only want to go to a registered one.
In terms of what each of them are for, there is some overlap. Medicare rebates and PHI make a difference - more likely to get money back for seeing a psychologist. They would use different techniques according to their training, but so would 10 different counsellors/psychologists - just depends on what models of counselling they prefer.
HTH xox
SNAP L&B! Haha. Luckily, we agree with each other :)
I will also add if I may that psychiatrists are able to prescribe medicine (eg antidepressants) due to their being medical doctors.
In terms of techniques, I find that counsellors tend to use pure person centred techniques (talk therapy), whereas psychologists are more likely to use a wider range of techniques, depending on what they mesh with. Like L&B said, some are from the behavioural school of thought and some are more mindfulness/narrative based.
LionsandBears- Thank you so much for the detailed description!!! Greatly appreciated that you took so much time to explain to me :hug: Defintely not interested in a career, saw a social worker yesterday and kinda went wtf?!?!
Suprised- yep, thats exactly the type of phycologist I was thinking of. Gee, its a lot more complicated that I thought!
kitfaerie- thank you for the techniques....
So Im pretty right then in assuming that when I made mention of some if the issues with the social worker and she replied with:
'Welcome to parenthood, people are always going to critisise you and be competitive, get used to it'
'You are doing things right, I guess but plenty of people do things right and their kids are more chanllenging then your DD. You just got lucky'
'I wont comment on vaccination, but I can tell you I wouldnt be risking my child like that'
Bringing my mother up and chatting about her job and continually trying to push me to fit into her PND catergory when I tried to explain this was all PRE baby/ IVF/ Antenatal
that these are not 'techniques' that she has been taught?!!?
Needless to say, wish I hadnt made the stupid appointment :(
Ah Lily. Sorry you had such a rough trot with the social worker, especially as it had been so hard for you to make the appointment! Her comments are down right unprofessional, insensitive and not at all helpful!
I am completely biased (as I am a psychologist by profession) but I think that if you are interested in making real change and progress through your issues then you would be better off seeing a psychologist. A social worker could be a great listening ear and apply basic counselling skills and refer you on to other sources of help or information. But a psychologist will work with you to directly address the thoughts/behaviours that are upsetting you.
There are going to be dodgy people in every profession. Also there may well be people who you just don't gel with. And sometimes, you can not like a particular person if they aren't telling you what they want to hear (Side note: I have had a few clients complain when I wasn't willing to say "yes you did the right thing in stealing from your boss and it is unreasonable for the organisation to be pursuing disciplinary action" - they'd come to see me to be justified and that isn't my role).
Whoa Lily, that's pretty terrible! Can't believe that!
I agree, see a psychologist definitely.
Bloom- I didn't know you were a psychologist, me too! ;) Well, pre-kids, lol.
Do you think maybe I am trying to get her to tell me what I wanted to hear?:
I mean I did say a few things with the intention of giving her an example but i felt she either just shot me down or tried to steer me back to my issues being related to my DD. Gah, Im so confused!!!
Bloom & Heaven, thank you both for your replies. I do think that is where I need to head, I did get the feeling (maybe Im way off) that perhaps my issues where a bit out of this particular persons league iykwim.
Hugs hun. It sucks when you gather the courage to reach out for help and then the person is unhelpful. And as for not commenting on vaccination... well she subsequently did anyway!!
Don't forget you may qualify for a Health Care Plan from your GP that will give you some psych sessions with a medicare rebate. You will prob still end up out of pocket, but every little bit helps!
It sounds like she wasn't a great listener. :(
Lily Dust - I don't know your issues and all of what happened in the counselling session but I don't think that the counsellor what just "telling the hard truths" or not saying what you wanted to hear, given the quotes that you've given from the session. But only you can evaluate if you are being defensive or reactive and then blaming the counsellor. Personally I don't think that is the case here, but I've certainly seen it happen.
Maybe you are right that your issues are out of the social workers' field of experience. I have had people come to me with serious, complex and specific issues and I've referred them on to someone else more suited to treat them. It sounds to me that she'd already made up her mind that it is all about your DD, rather than listening first.
Hopefully you can find a psychologist who can be a little less judgmental and more helpful. As suprised said, you can see your GP to get a health care plan set up and then get rebated sessions.
Heaven - I didn't know you were a psych! I love it - I worked for an internal employee assistance program doing counselling, coaching and training. Great job and I love the profession (having spent 6 years at uni to qualifiy). Not sure if I will go back when DS2 is about 18 months -2 years. I went back between the boys, but only for 1 day a week for 5 months. Barely worth the registration fees.