The Difference Between Psychiatrists, Psychologists, and Psychotherapists
Navigating the bustling streets of Barcelona, with its vibrant culture and stunning architecture, is an exhilarating experience. However, the expat life in Barcelona, with challenges like pressures on established relationships, intercultural dating, and culture shock, can sometimes bring feelings of anxiety, depression, and stress. In such times, recognising the need for mental health support and understanding the distinctions between psychiatrists, psychologists, and psychotherapists can be crucial.
Psychiatrists are medical doctors specialising in mental health diagnoses and pharmacotherapy or medical treatments. They’re equipped to assess both the mental and physical aspects of psychological problems. People seek psychiatric help for various reasons – the most common being anxiety, depression, and stress. Psychiatrists can prescribe medication, and they’re also trained in psychotherapy, or “talk therapy,” which means they provide comprehensive treatment. As we do not have a psychiatrist on our team at Therapy in Barcelona, we will offer you a referral outward to an English speaking psychiatrist if you need their services. You can also find contacts on our resources page.
Psychologists focus on providing psychotherapy to help clients address specific life issues or mental health challenges. They’re skilled in administering and interpreting psychological assessments to review a person’s mental state. With special training in human behaviour, psychologists are experts in helping individuals deal with a range of problems, from family and relationships to specific mental disorders. At Therapy in Barcelona all of our psychotherapists are trained psychologists, but as we are trained in our countries of origin and not registered in Spain, we will refer you out if you need psychological services like formal assessments, diganoses or are struggling with a severe mental disorder.
Psychotherapists, on the other hand, come from diverse educational backgrounds but are all trained in psychotherapy. They work with individuals, couples, families, and groups to treat emotional problems and mental challenges using psychological techniques. Our team of therapists at Therapy in Barcelona fall under this umbrella. Our therapists are psychology-trained, or equivalent, in their home countries, fluent English speakers, and, like you, have relocated at least once. They “get” you.
Our Team of Psychotherapists – Therapy in Barcelona
With a diverse team we are able to match you to the right English speaking therapist for you and your concerns. We offer many different types of therapies from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), REBT (Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy), Humanistic, Psychodynamic, Mindfulness Based, Relational, Systemic, Brief Solution Focused Therapy, Positive Psychology, Narrative, Creative Expressive Arts therapy and Psychodynamic and Existential Approaches.
Our team are also expats, harking from countries around the world like Holland, South Africa, Ireland, USA, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Israel, Switzerland, Sweden and Australia. We are multilingual, also offering therapy in English and Afrikaans, Spanish, German, Swiss-German, French, Dutch, Portuguese, and Hebrew.
Experiencing mental health challenges or just feeling unhappy? Feel the need to speak to someone who understands your cultural background? Whether you’re facing the challenges of moving to Barcelona with therapy, seeking couples counselling, or navigating the maze of expat life challenges, reaching out for professional help can be a game-changer. Don’t hesitate to contact Therapy in Barcelona. Our team of psychology trained English psychotherapists is ready to help you navigate through these challenges, offering a supportive environment and the care you deserve. Therapy in Barcelona provides services in English, supporting the diverse expat community and addressing various issues, including anxiety, depression, and stress management
Moving to Barcelona and adapting to a new culture can be thrilling yet overwhelming. But you’re not alone. Therapy in English is available. Numerous skilled professionals offer therapy services, specifically catering to the expat community. Get in touch today via our contact page
Leigh Matthews is an Australian Psychologist and Founder of Therapy in Barcelona, an international team of English speaking therapists in Barcelona and online. Leigh has been living in Barcelona for twelve years and is in an intercultural family with her Catalan husband and son. Leigh can be found on LinkedIn, Instagram at @therapyinbcn and on Facebook at @therapyinbarcelona.
