Which is Right for You?
Therapists or counselors? Therapy or counseling? Which do you choose, and is there even a difference? If you’ve never been to therapy (or counseling) before, you likely have many questions, the first of which: what’s the difference between therapists and counselors? At Chapin & Russell Associates, we help ease you into the process, providing the guidance and knowledge you need to better understand your mental health. To get you started, let us help explain why counselors and therapists are unique from each other yet interchangeable within the proper context.
Who Are Counselors?
Sometimes, it’s good to sit down with a licensed professional to discuss the issues of most concern to you. A counselor can help you work through any number of issues you might be contending with, including specific life changes, achieving long-term goals, overcoming addiction, getting along in a relationship, etc. When working with a counselor, they will assist in identifying troublesome thoughts and behaviors and can provide guidance and educational resources for coping and recovery plans.
Who Are Therapists?
Like a counselor, a therapist will work with clients to resolve personal and mental health concerns. More specifically, a therapist is a clinician who can help treat your mental health. A therapist will provide much of the same service and guidance as a counselor but can provide more specialized care for the mental health symptoms you may be experiencing. Through therapy, a therapist can assist those contending with stress, depression, anxiety, trauma, chronic mental illness, and more.
So, What’s the Difference?
If you read the last two paragraphs and still wonder what the difference is between a counselor and a therapist, we don’t blame you! In truth, there’s not much difference between the two, and the terms are often used interchangeably. At the center of therapy and counseling, active listening is crucial, and mental health concerns are discussed and addressed.
However, even if counselors and therapists offer much of the same support, they can differ in their focus and level of education/experience. Steven M. Sultanoff, PHD, a psychologist and professor at Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA, described the difference best, saying, “Therapists serve as ‘facilitators’ for client growth, while counselors tend to serve more as advisers who can provide short-term advice for specific problems.”
Find Counselors and Therapists at Chapin & Russell Associates
No matter your thoughts on therapy versus counseling and how different they are from one another, Chapin & Russell Associates employs both therapists and counselors to serve our clients best. From contending with family matters to managing clinical depression, our mental health team can provide therapy for any number of personal issues and mental health concerns. As such, we provide therapy services for:
- Grief and Loss
- Anger and Conflict Management
- Stress Management
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Stress Management
- LGBTQ Concerns
- Eating Disorders
- Divorce and Family Mediation
- And More
Also, Chapin & Russell Associates is the only therapy office in the Greater Peoria area that offers neurofeedback treatment. This specialized mental health treatment measures electrical brain activity and helps retrain your brain to manage dysregulation more efficiently. If you’d like to learn more about neurofeedback therapy and our counselors/therapists, or you wish to schedule a session, call 309-681-5850.
