What is the difference between a psychologist, psychiatrist and social worker, and how do I know which professional I need to see?
Psychiatrists are doctors who have specialist training in psychiatry, the study of mental disorders. A psychologist is a mental health professional with a university degree in psychology. The psychologist’s role may involve psychological assessment, counselling or psychotherapy, but not prescription of medication. Social Workers are health professionals with a degree in social work. A social worker helps individuals and their families deal with various problems which arises from coping with a difficulty, illness, or admission to hospital. They cannot prescribe medication. It may be best to consult your GP or a mental health intake team before deciding which type of mental health professional to see. If you or a family member have a mental health issue, you should ring the appropriate service: the Acute Care Team for adults (9477 9520) or the Child Adolescent Family Team for adolescents and children (9477 9143). The health professionals on those teams are skilled at matching you with th
