Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
about Psychology, Psychiatry, Therapy and Counselling...Do psychologists or psychiatrists only see "crazy" or "mad" people?What are the differences between a Psychologist, a Psychiatrist, Psychotherapist and a Counsellor?
What do the letters after psychologists names mean?
What do some of the other qualifications or terms used by psychologists mean?What do the letters after psychiatrists names mean?
Go to Frequently Asked Questions about Therapy at The Surrey Centre...
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Do psychologists or psychiatrists only see "crazy" people?
Psychologists and psychiatrists do have training in treating mental illness. However many 'normal' people who do not suffer mental illness can also benefit from their services at some stage of their lives.
For example, Surrey Centre therapists can help you with everyday problems which can affect your life, such as stress, relationship troubles and coping with illness. Addressing these concerns can help you to enjoy life and good relationships, and give you skills to function better and to prevent problems. In summary, therapists at The Surrey Centre can help many mentally healthy people to find more effective ways of functioning and help improve overall wellbeing.[Top]
What are the differences between a Psychologist, a Psychiatrist, Psychotherapist and a Counsellor?
Psychologists deal with a whole range of life matters to help 'balance your act'. They are trained in human behaviour and their services are supported by scientific evidence.
Psychologists must be registered in their state or territory to be legally able to call themselves a psychologist. Registration requires them to adhere to a code of ethics and professional conduct. Psychologists who are members of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) must have additional training above the requirements of registration. They may also be recognised as having specialist expertise in a particular area of psychology (this is referred to as ‘college’ membership).
Psychiatrists have medical training in addition to specialist training in psychological issues. This enables them to prescribe medication for mental illness. Psychiatrists often work together with psychologists in the treatment of patients.
Psychiatrists must be registered in their state or territory and must adhere to a Code of Ethics.Therapists / analysts have extensive training in psychological process to help individuals improve their wellbeing. They use an approach which is often called ‘psychodynamic’, and originates from the theories of the psychologists Jung and Freud. This perspective usually focuses on deep processes within the person, and is often undertaken for long-term periods.
If you are considering seeing a therapist, be aware that many psychologists, psychiatrists and counsellors will use the generic title of therapist. The use of the title Therapist on The Surrey Centre’s website is used as a generic title, and does not imply the style of treatment used by a particular practitioner at The Surrey Centre.Counsellors also assist people by using talking based treatments. However, they may not have relevant academic qualifications, or their relevant qualifications and training may not be obtained from a University (for example, a Diploma level of training). They may not have formal registration with a professional body, and they may not have a code of ethics to adhere to. Some psychologists choose to call themselves counsellors. However, a counsellor may not legally call herself or himself a psychologist unless they are registered as a psychologist with the Psychologists Registration Board in their state.[Top]
What is the APS?
The APS stands for The Australian Psychological Society. The APS is the largest professional association representing psychologists in Australia. Psychologists need to meet strict requirements to become a member of the APS, and once a member are bound by an industry code of ethical professional behaviour. In addition, a psychologist may have membership of an APS College, which indicates specialist training and expertise in a particular area of psychology.
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What do the letters after psychologists names mean?
What do some of the other qualifications or terms used by psychologists mean?Professionals often use letters after their names to indicate their level of education membership or affiliation with professional organisations/groups. The use of letters is restricted to individuals who satisfy strict requirements of education, experience and/or other criteria. A professional will be able to clarify their qualifications and experience with you.
Some of the more common letters and terms used by psychologists follow. Sometimes an area of specialisation is indicated in brackets beside the letters. Note that there are many paths to become a psychologist, and these may not always be clear from the letters they are entitled or choose to use after their names. Also note that the letters do not always indicate the level of expertise of a psychologist - experience and on-going professional development training also contribute to this.
PsychologistWhat do the letters after psychiatrists names mean?
Only individuals registered with the Psychologists Registration Board of their state as a psychologist are legally be able to call themselves a psychologist. It is illegal for anyone else to use the title Psychologist. This includes individuals who have completed psychological training but are not registered, and social workers and counsellors who provide counselling services.
Probationary Psychologists are registered with a Psychologists Registration Board. They have satisfied minimum training requirements and are in the process of completing requirements for full registration as a psychologist.B.A., B.Sc
These refer to undergraduate university training - Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science. Both of these courses can offer specialist streams of study in psychology, and both generally take three years full-time study.Hons., Grad Dip, B.Ed.
This refers to an added year of education after undergraduate training (“postgraduate” courses) - either Honours (Hons.) or a Graduate Diploma (Grad Dip). The Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) can be a postgraduate psychology course.M., Ma, Ph.D.
Masters (M., Ma) and PhD (doctorate) are higher levels of training, and are obtained after Honours or Grad Dip training, or their equivalent. It takes the minimum of six-years full-time university study to obtain a Masters qualification, and Ph.D.’s take even more years of training.
Individuals who attain the level of Ph.D. can use the title “Doctor”. Although medical general practitioners and medical specialists are generally called 'doctors', they often do not have the PhD qualification. Likewise, although the holder of a PhD can be called 'Dr.', they cannot represent themselves to be a medical practitioner (unless they have the appropriate training and registration).MAPS, FAPS
This indicates the individual is a member (MAPS) or a fellow (FAPS) of the Australian Psychological Society (APS).College membership of the APS
College membership is granted to members of the APS who have recognised specialist training and/or expertise in a particular field of psychology. Examples of the Colleges include Counselling, Clinical, Educational and Developmental, Health, and Clinical Neuropsychology. College membership is not indicated by any letters after a person's name.
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FRANZCP
Indicates that the psychiatrist is a Fellow of The Rolyal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists.Psychiatrists would use other letters which would indicate a medical degree, in addition to letters indicating any other qualifications and professional memberships held.
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