Psychotherapist

Psychotherapists/Psychologists are extensively trained in diagnosing and treating mental health disorders but are not medically trained like psychiatrists are.

Psychologists cannot prescribe or administer medications but can make suggestions that seeing a medical practitioner could be an added benefit alongside therapy. Psychologists can sometimes work alongside a psychiatrist should this be needed for your individual case.

They will come up with an appropriate treatment plan and guide you through it, teach you the relevant skills to help you manage your condition. If you decide to go private, psychologists have a varied price, ranging from £50-£200+ depending on credentials and experience.

In the US you may want to discuss your options with your insurance provider to see if you can get financial help that way or some clinicians offer a sliding scale, again this would have to be discussed and will be based on individual needs.

When you come across psychologists / psychotherapists you’ll probably (actually, you should) see a bunch of letters after their name, I’ll give some examples below, it signifies that they are fully accredited, they’ve done the gruelling studying, the billion-hour long exams and community work so they have come across pretty much everything in the mental health field.

UK psychologists / counselors should be registered to a professional board such as the British Psychological Society and The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.

Therapy Red Flags

Always, check credentials and treatment method of a professional before engaging in treatment for OCD, you are well within your right to ask questions. Your mental health deserves the best you can give it.