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I Need Support – But I’m Not Sure Where to Start
Mental-health and personal-development services involve different professional roles. This guide provides a basic starting point.
This is educational guidance and is not an assessment or diagnosis.
Therapist / Counsellor
Therapists and counsellors may provide professional support for emotional difficulties, relationships, life events and mental-health concerns depending on training, jurisdiction and scope of practice.
Psychologist
Psychologists have specialist education in psychology and may provide psychological assessment, therapy or other psychological services depending on qualifications and registration.
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor specialising in mental health. Psychiatrists may diagnose conditions and prescribe medication where appropriate.
Life coach
Life coaches generally focus on goals, personal development, accountability, performance, career, leadership or future-oriented change. Coaching should not be represented as treatment for a mental-health disorder.
Online therapy
Online therapy is a delivery format rather than a separate professional discipline. It can offer remote access to eligible professionals when appropriate. Learn more about online therapy.
Practical starting point.
If a primary concern involves significant emotional or mental-health difficulty, consider an appropriately qualified mental-health professional.
If someone is seeking medical psychiatric assessment or medication, consider an appropriate medical professional or psychiatrist.
If the focus is goals, development, accountability or performance rather than mental-health treatment, coaching may be worth exploring.
Explore online therapy
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