Counsellor Vs. Therapist UK: Types Of Mental Health Providers

Counselling and psychotherapy are mental health treatment methods that can help participants address psychological concerns, emotional difficulties, and life challenges. While these two approaches share several characteristics, they also have a few key differences. Understanding the differences between counselling and therapy can help you determine the right support to fit your emotional challenges. Below, we’re providing overviews of counselling and therapy, discussing the differences between these approaches, and covering some options for finding counsellors and therapists in the United Kingdom.   

What is counselling?

Counselling is a mental health approach that allows participants to receive guidance and support for specific life challenges. Counselling typically works as a brief, goal-oriented form of mental health care—one that may last anywhere from a couple of sessions to regular appointments over a few months. The concerns addressed by counsellors are often specific and temporary. 

An example of a specific challenge that a counsellor could help address is emotional support after the loss of a loved one. A grief counsellor can create a safe space where the client can share and address complex emotions. They can also help the client find healthy ways to cope with the loss and care for themselves during their grieving process.

Types of counselling

Counsellors can specialise in several different disciplines, allowing them to help individuals address different stressors and life challenges. The following are common forms of counselling:

• Career counselling
• Mental health counselling
• Academic counselling
• Marriage and family counselling
• Interpersonal counselling
• Substance use counselling
• Child and adolescent counselling

A professional who provides counselling may be a mental health counsellor, social worker, marriage and family counsellor, counselling psychologist, or school counsellor. Counsellors in the UK may work in academic settings, individual practices, hospitals, or community centres. 

Depending on their speciality, counsellors in the UK must complete various forms of training, including education on counselling techniques and supervised practical experience. Some may also register with a governing body, like the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. 

What is therapy?

Psychotherapy, also called talk therapy or simply therapy, is a widely utilised mental health treatment approach that also involves discussions between the professional and the client around a broad range of issues. Receiving therapy is centred around identifying and treating the underlying causes of life challenges using one or more therapeutic practices or approaches. This often means helping clients understand and manage symptoms of mental health conditions, such as depressive disorders, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and others.

Types of therapy

There are many different psychotherapeutic modalities that can help participants address various challenges. The particular type of therapy used can depend on the client’s past experience, needs of the present moment, and the therapist’s training. One or more types of therapy may be used, including some of the following:

• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT)
• Psychodynamic psychotherapy
• Person-centred therapy
• Emotionally focused therapy
• Gestalt therapy
• Existential therapy
• Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing
• Acceptance and commitment therapy
• Systemic therapy

Psychotherapy can be conducted in various formats, including individual, group, and family therapy sessions.  

Cognitive behavioural therapy is one of the most widely utilised therapeutic modalities today. This approach focuses on the connections between and the root causes of an individual’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. A CBT therapist can help participants learn to identify unhealthy thought patterns, reframe negative thought processes that may contribute to maladaptive behaviours and emotions…especially those that impact daily life and relationships.

For example, someone with social anxiety may believe that people are constantly judging them—despite evidence to the contrary—leading to feelings of worry, physical symptoms, and avoidance behaviours. A therapist can help the individual learn to recognise when that false belief arises, challenge it, and replace it with a more realistic thought in order to reduce symptoms.

Training, qualifications, and protected titles

Professionals who practice psychotherapy may be clinical psychologists, marriage and family therapists, or even psychiatrists. In the UK, these individuals may work within public services, such as the NHS and prison services, or individual practices. 

Therapists and counsellors are legally protected titles with their own professional bodies and specific qualifications. Therapists and counsellors receive different training, but have typically earned a postgraduate degree in psychotherapy and may have registered with the British Psychological Society (BPS) and/or the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). While these providers have undergone extensive psychotherapy training, they are not usually medical doctors, which means they normally cannot prescribe medication.

Counselling and therapy: comparing two common types of mental health care

According to the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, counselling and therapy are umbrella terms that cover a range of talking therapies. Counselling and therapy have several similarities, and the two terms are often used interchangeably. Both counselling and psychotherapy provide participants with a forum to discuss challenges, allowing them to receive guidance, express their feelings, and develop solutions for their concerns. However, these methods are also different in various ways. 

For example, a counsellor may help a client develop effective communication techniques that they can use in the workplace. A therapist, on the other hand, could help the same individual understand how their upbringing may have shaped the way they interact with others and help them heal from childhood experiences that are impacting their interpersonal behaviours. Psychotherapy may also be geared toward helping people address more complex mental health conditions, such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or borderline personality disorder. 

Career challenges, relationship conflicts, and other concerns, counselling can help address

People seek guidance from counsellors for a variety of reasons. The following are examples of some potential challenges a counsellor might help address. 

Career challenges

Career counsellors are a specific type of professional who may or may not also have training in mental health care. They can help participants develop a career path, prepare for the job search, and develop skills that will benefit their professional life. They may also give clients suggestions for managing the stress that can come with the job search.

Relationship concerns

Often, couples can benefit from the perspective of an unbiased third party. A relationship counsellor can help partners address sources of tension in their relationship and take steps toward improved communication, better conflict resolution, or enhanced intimacy.  

Stress and other common mental health challenges

While therapy is commonly utilised to help improve client mental health, challenges related to the psyche can also be addressed by counselling. Counsellors often help individuals address concerns like stress, depression, or anxiety. 

Depression, eating disorders, and other concerns can be addressed through therapy

Because psychotherapy is about identifying the sources of an individual’s challenges, managing mental illnesses is a common goal of this treatment type. Talk therapy is the first-line treatment for many mental health conditions, and it may be recommended on its own or in conjunction with medication prescribed by a doctor or psychiatrist. A few examples of mental health conditions commonly treated in therapy are listed below, though note that a therapist can also support clients in addressing challenges of daily life, like relationship troubles or high stress levels. 

Depressive disorders

Depressive symptoms like persistent feelings of hopelessness, lack of motivation, and fatigue can impact all areas of an individual’s life. Therapists can help clients with depression develop coping strategies, address any comorbid conditions, and reframe negative thoughts that may be contributing to their symptoms. 

Anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorders are common mental health conditions that can have significant impacts on emotional health, physical well-being, and quality of life. However, anxiety is also considered highly treatable. 

Psychotherapists can assist individuals in identifying the sources of excessive fear and nervousness while helping them develop strategies for coping with anxiety. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), psychotherapy can help many clients reduce or eliminate symptoms of anxiety, often after only a few months. 

Eating disorders

Therapy can help people with eating disorders develop a healthier relationship with food and address any related concerns like body dysmorphia or low self-esteem. By working with a therapist, a participant may learn more about the thought processes that lead to disordered eating while receiving treatment for any comorbid conditions.

Counsellor vs. therapist: UK options for each professional

If you’re considering working with a mental health provider in the United Kingdom, you have several options for both counsellors and therapists. Explore ways to connect with a provider below.

Using the NHS to weigh the benefits of a counsellor vs. a therapist (UK)

The NHS provides extensive information about the options for counselling and therapy in the UK. If you’d like to find the right counsellor or therapist for you, consider using the NHS’s talking therapies site. You can also ask your general practitioner to provide you with a referral to a mental health professional. 

Broadly speaking, for those who suspect mental health disorders, such as experiencing anxiety symptoms, want to explore root causes for long-term emotional challenges, or manage long-existing unhealthy thought patterns, therapy is the way to go. 

Where mental health professionals work

Mental health professionals typically work in a variety of settings. Private practice therapists or counsellors may work out of an office of their own, while mental health nurse practitioners may work in any number of organisational settings like clinics, rehabilitation centres, or hospitals. Counsellors may work in clinics, schools, or business settings, depending on their areas of expertise.

Building a trusting relationship in therapy

One of the key factors in the success of therapy or counselling is a strong therapeutic alliance. This means that you and your therapist build a trusting relationship in which you feel comfortable sharing emotional difficulties. If you don’t feel that you can talk about your emotional challenges with a therapist, it’s unlikely that you will get very far in the process. Choosing the right support can be essential. 

Connecting with a mental health professional through online therapy

Another option for connecting with a mental health professional is an online therapy service. Paid platforms like BetterHelp serve clients in many different parts of the world, including the UK. 

Potential benefits of online therapy

With an online therapy platform like BetterHelp, you can get matched with a professional based on your preferences and needs as shared in a simple questionnaire. If you want to work with a new provider or explore a different form of therapy, you can simply request another therapist, and you’ll be connected with a different professional for no extra charge. Online care also means you can attend therapy or counselling sessions virtually via phone, video, or chat from home or anywhere you have an internet connection. Clients in the UK can receive subscriptions as low as £65, billed every four weeks.

The efficacy of online therapy

There is a growing body of evidence pointing to the potential effectiveness of online therapy for varied mental health challenges. For example, in one broad-based review of studies, researchers suggest that online therapy may help alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depressive disorders. The review also notes the cost-effectiveness and convenience of online therapy compared to in-person treatment.