What’s the difference between Psychotherapy and Psychology?

Many years ago I had a goal: I wanted to become a psychologist. But that changed when I got to know what psychology actually was, and my attention turned to psychotherapy as the modality I chose to specialize in. Why ? What’s the difference between psychotherapy and psychology ? Psychotherapy has more depth than psychology. Psychotherapy can get to the underlying cause of an issue far more effectively than psychology. Psychotherapy works with conscious and subconscious (that which is beyond conscious awareness) while psychology works with conscious mind alone. Psychotherapy in many / most cases can get to and deal with the underlying cause of an issue, while psychology often prescription of medication that often tends to mask the issue rather than deal with it, often leading to a lifetime of ongoing medication and expensive psychology sessions (which only ever tend to talk about the issue).

Psychotherapy is a very natural form of therapy which takes people deep in to a trance like state (which is really simply a deeply relaxed state, the patient remains completely conscious during a session). In this more deeply relaxed state a good psychotherapist can take the person on a journey, toward and into the issue that’s causing the problems.

I’ve sat in on many psychology sessions, and the thing that alarms me is that all they do is talk..! In the sessions I’ve attended there doesn’t seem to be any connection with the client at all and very little understanding (or ability to understand) the deeper nature of the persons ailment. After an hour of talking the person leaves and the psychologist saying “see you next week”. I think to myself if I wanted to talk to someone for an hour I’d call Lynda (she can talk or listen for an hour easy.!), and I’d save myself a fortune…! I’m not saying all psychologists are this way, I can only speak of those I’ve experienced in sessions.

My advice to anyone wanting to work through any issue is to source a good psychotherapist. And get to work, that person should be able to take you in and find what’s really going on and help you have a change that’s natural and lasting.

So what’s the difference between psychotherapy and psychology? The difference is a vastly more effective, medication free, long lasting outcome if you choose psychotherapy (in my opinion and experience).

I have been a practicing psychotherapist for around 8 years, I have helped hundreds of people over these years to have positive outcomes. I provide skype sessions or one on one sessions from my office in Geelong, Australia. I would be happy to provide you with a full one hour session, or even a sample session (20 – 30 minute session) free of charge for you to get a feel of this modality. Call or email if interested.