Counselling vs Psychotherapy: What’s the Difference?

If you’ve ever searched for support, it can be difficult to know whether you need to see a counsellor or a psychotherapist - or even to know what the difference is!

The terms counselling and psychotherapy are often used interchangeably and in practice, there’s a great deal of overlap. Both involve talking with a trained professional in a confidential space. Both give you the opportunity to work through challenges, understand yourself better, and make changes that improve your wellbeing. And both can be incredibly effective.

However, although they share many similarities, there are some differences worth understanding, especially when it comes to training and therapeutic approach.

Training and Qualifications

A common myth is that psychotherapy is “more advanced” or that counsellors are “less qualified.” However, both routes involve substantial training, often at postgraduate level, for example, I completed a Master’s in Counselling at the University of Manchester.

The main difference usually lies in what the training covers:

Psychotherapy courses often focus in-depth on psychological theory, unconscious processes, and long-term patterns of behaviour and emotional development. They typically explore models such as psychodynamic or analytic approaches.

Counselling courses also provide comprehensive training, but tend to emphasise practical skills, and focus on current life challenges. They may cover humanistic or integrative approaches.

The Role of Modality

This brings us to what I think is the most meaningful difference: modality, or the way a therapist works.

For example:

• A psychodynamic psychotherapist might focus on unconscious processes and early life experiences.

• A CBT therapist may work more practically, helping you challenge unhelpful thought patterns.

• A person-centred counsellor places emphasis on empathy, acceptance, and supporting your natural capacity for growth.

  
  

Many practitioners (myself included!) describe themselves as integrative, which means that they combine different approaches to suit the needs of each individual client.

For more information about the different types of therapy, the BACP has a useful list here.

Short-Term or Long-Term?

When explaining the difference, it is often suggested that counselling is short-term, whereas psychotherapy is long-term.

Historically, this distinction had some basis, as counselling developed from more educational, vocational and humanistic roots with a focus on helping people navigate specific life issues. This, therefore, naturally lent itself to shorter-term interventions.

On the other hand, psychotherapy grew from the psychoanalytic and psychodynamic traditions with an emphasis on exploring unconscious processes and early life experiences. This often involved longer-term work, spanning months or even years.

Today, the distinction is less clear. Many counselling approaches can be long-term, while some psychotherapeutic methods, such as brief psychodynamic therapy, are designed to be more short-term.

What Really Matters

In the UK, the titles “counsellor” and “psychotherapist” aren’t legally protected. This means anyone could technically call themselves a counsellor or psychotherapist, even without formal training.

That’s why it’s important to check a therapist’s qualifications and professional membership:

• Ask about their training; for example, the level of qualification (diploma, degree, or Master’s) and the approaches they studied.

• Check whether they belong to a professional body that is part of the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) Accredited Registers programme. Examples include the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP), or the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS). You can look up whether a practitioner is listed on an Accredited Register here.

• Find out about their experience and areas of specialism to ensure they are equipped to support the issues you want help with.

Final Thoughts

So what may be more important than whether a practitioner calls themselves a counsellor or a psychotherapist is finding someone that you feel comfortable with and who has the training, experience, and approach that resonates with you.

If you’re curious about whether counselling might be right for you, I’m always happy to offer an initial conversation so you can get a sense of how I work and whether it feels like a good fit.

📞 07543 408551

📧 susan@sccounselling.co.uk

💻 www.sccounselling.co.uk