What do the different
Mental Health Titles Mean?

Understanding mental health titles can help demystify the field of mental health care and help individuals better identify the type of professional they may need for support. The mental health profession encompasses various disciplines, each serving distinct roles and responsibilities. Here is a breakdown of the most common mental health titles and what they signify:

• Psychiatrist: A medical doctor who specialises in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental illnesses and emotional disorders, employing a combination of psychotherapy, medication, and other therapeutic interventions.

• Clinical Psychologist: A Mental Health professional who has completed doctorate-level studies in the field of psychology. A Clinical Psychologist diagnoses and treats mental health disorders, emotional disturbances, and behavioral issues, typically through the use of psychotherapy and psychological testing.

• Mental Health Nurse: A registered nurse who provides care, support, and treatment to individuals experiencing mental health issues, utilising therapeutic techniques and clinical interventions to promote emotional well-being and recovery. Mental Health Nurses work in a variety of settings, including in psychiatric hospitals, within a Community Mental Health Team in secondary care, and within GP settings in primary care. 

• Evidence-Based Psychotherapy: Psychotherapies referred to as 'evidence-based' refers to therapeutic practices and interventions that are grounded in empirical research and scientific evidence. These approaches are supported by rigorous studies showing their effectiveness in treating specific mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and others. The goal is to ensure that clients receive interventions that are proven to work, rather than relying on methods with unproven efficacy. The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) provides recommendations to the UK's healthcare professionals on the most effective, safe, and cost-efficient treatments. NICE relies heavily on evidence-based treatments in developing its guidelines and recommendations, ensuring that the therapies it endorses have been thoroughly researched and proven to work. These include:

  • • • • • • EMDR - Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing is a treatment that is predominantly used to treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), however it can also be used to treat any mental health struggle by tracing the memory network that links to your struggles and processing the memories in the network. EMDR uses the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model which is a theory of how our brains process information; the goal of AIP using bilateral stimulation in EMDR therapy is to help to integrate memories that are 'stuck' by reducing the emotional charge and storing the memory in a more adaptive way.

            • CBT - Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is a structured, goal-oriented form of psychotherapy that focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns, beliefs, and behaviours that contribute to emotional distress. It is based on the premise that our thoughts, emotions, and behaviours are interconnected, and by changing how we think (cognitive patterns), we can improve how we feel and behave.

            • IPT - Interpersonal Therapy is a time-limited, structured psychotherapy that focuses on improving interpersonal relationships and communication patterns, with the goal of reducing symptoms of depression and other mood disorders. IPT is based on the idea that interpersonal issues—such as relationship conflicts, life transitions, grief, and social isolation—can contribute to emotional distress. By improving how people relate to others, IPT aims to enhance emotional well-being.

• Counsellor: A counsellor is a trained professional who provides guidance, support, and advice to individuals or groups facing personal, social, or psychological challenges, often employing therapeutic techniques to facilitate personal development and emotional well-being. There are many different therapeutic approaches tailored to the needs of the client - such as humanistic counselling, marriage counselling, or addiction counselling.