Choose the right therapist for you.
Understanding the difference between counsellors, psychologists and therapists. Find the right mental health support for you at The Lomond Clinic.
Call us on 01436 672677 or see more about our services
Different types of therapists – and how to know which is right for you.
Making the decision that you would like to see a therapist often comes after a long-term struggle with physical or mental difficulties, a desire for better self-understanding, a challenging life event or motivation for change and development. You may feel unsure whether you need space to talk and be heard, to change a habit or behaviour, or engage in structured therapy. Making that initial enquiry can be hard to do if you’re not sure if it will help, not sure what type of mental health worker to see, or if you are unsure if you can afford the time and cost. It can also be hard to prioritise our mental health over all the other demands of day to day life.
To help you take the first step, we’ve written a brief summary on the different types of therapists, what to look for and how to know if they are right for you. We’ve also included links for further information.
At The Lomond Clinic, we have a Counsellor, Clinical Psychologist, Clinical Hypnotherapist, and Psychotherapist (CBT Therapist).
It’s important to know that:
- All therapists welcome enquiries and offer a free initial telephone chat.
- Whilst you get someone with the right training and experience to help, that you also feel comfortable with them.
- It’s okay if you don’t feel you ‘click’ with a therapist or their approach – it’s important you find what is right for you.
Counsellor
Counsellors provide a safe, non-judgmental space where you can talk openly about your thoughts and feelings. They are person centred, which means they actively listen and empathise and allow the client to lead the therapeutic exploration. This can be a helpful process when you wish to talk through problems such as adjusting to life events, relationship problems or a bereavement.
Training to become a counsellor involves 3 to 4 years and the minimum or a diploma in counselling or psychotherapy.
The title ‘Counsellor’ is not a protected title, which means anyone could use it – so it is important that you ensure they are registered with the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy).
Our Counsellor at The Lomond Clinic is Liz Grant.
Liz Grant, Counsellor, BACP registered
Appointments at The Lomond Clinic Wednesdays & Thursdays, 5.15pm – 9.00pm
See more about Liz | See more about Counselling | Make an appointment or enquiry with Liz
Clinical Psychologist
Clinical Psychologists are highly trained, providing an integrative approach drawing on training in a range of ‘evidence based’ therapies (i.e. therapies that have been widely researched and shown to be effective). These often include Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR). They are trained to work across all ages (child, adult, older adult) and across a variety of settings.
Clinical psychologists are trained to formulate difficulties, which means they draw on psychological theories and models to help understand how they developed and what is keeping them going. This enables them to provide a tailored treatment plan.
Clinical psychologists will have an undergraduate degree in psychology and then a 3 year doctorate in Clinical Psychology which also includes undertaking research. Training is a minimum of 7 years.
Clinical Psychologist is a protected title, which means you have to have completed the Doctoral level training and be registered with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC).
Our Clinical Psychologist at The Lomond Clinic is Dr Kathryn Smith.
Dr Kathryn Smith, Clinical Psychologist, DClinPsy, BSc, HCPC registered
Appointments at The Lomond Clinic Thursdays, 9.00am – 5.00pm
See more about Dr Smith | See more about Clinical Psychology | Make an appointment or enquiry with Dr Smith
Clinical Hypnotherapist
Hypnotherapy uses guided relaxation and therapeutic suggestion to help clients achieve positive and lasting change. It is gentle, safe, and suitable for both adults and children. It can help clients change habits, manage pain, and treat various mental and physical health conditions, such as anxiety, depression and insomnia.
Hypnotherapists often have a background in healthcare. Training often includes practical workshops, self-study, and learning about the application of hypnosis for various conditions.
Training can vary and it is important you see someone who is accredited by an institution such as the British Society of Clinical Hypnosis (BSCH)
Our Clinical Hypnotherapist at The Lomond Clinic is Christine Roy.
Christine Roy, Clinical Hypnotherapist, BSCH registered
Appointments at The Lomond Clinic Thursdays, 9.00am – 5.00pm
See more about Christine | See more about Clinical Hypnotherapy | Make an appointment or enquiry with Christine
CBT Therapist (Psychotherapist)
CBT therapists are trained specifically in Cognitive Behavioural therapy. CBT focuses on the connection between thoughts, feelings and behaviours, and how an understanding on the links can promote positive change.
To become an accredited CBT therapist, you typically need a relevant undergraduate degree or equivalent experience in mental health, followed by a postgraduate CBT training course. To be accredited by the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP), postgraduate training must provide a specified number of taught hours in CBT theory and skills and a specified number of hours of supervised clinical practice.
A CBT therapist may go by the title of Psychotherapist. They may often have done a range of training in different approaches. This can be confusing as the term psychotherapist can also be used to describe someone has been trained in psychoanalysis, which is typically longer term therapy and involved at least 4 years of training. They will typically be registered with The Institute of Psychoanalysis / British Psychoanalytic Association (BPA).
Our Psychotherapist at The Lomond Clinic is Marie Rodger.
Marie Rodger, Psychotherapist, BCBCP registered, Trained in CBT & Group work, Cosca, NLP, Hypnosis
Appointments at The Lomond Clinic Wednesday evenings
See more about Marie | See more about Psychotherapy | Make an appointment or enquiry with Marie
Other types of therapists
As you look for support for your mental health, you may also come across the following:
Counselling Psychologist
Counselling psychologists, like Clinical Psychologists, are also trained to a doctoral level and you can only use the title if you have completed the training and are registered with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC). Trained to work across the age range, with a focus on person centred/humanist approaches and CBT, they work to help clients address life stressors and adjustment (whereas a Clinical Psychologist’s work focuses on more complex mental health).
Life Coach
A life coach is not a therapist. It is someone who helps clients achieve personal and professional goals. They establish a supportive, confidential and goal- orientated relationship. The profession is unregulated, so you need to do your own research into their qualifications and certifications.
Family Therapist
A family therapist helps families and individuals improve their relationships, communication and understanding of each other to resolve issues and mental health challenges. To become one in the UK, you need a prior clinical qualification (like social work, psychology, or nursing), followed by a recognised postgraduate master’s degree in family and systemic psychotherapy from an accredited provider.
Psychiatrist
Psychiatrists are firstly a medical doctor who has done further training to specialise in psychiatric care. They work from a medical model and can prescribe medication. In addition to their medical training, many psychiatrists may also be trained in ‘talking therapies’. Psychiatrists also often have a lead role in multidisciplinary team working and when working with clients who present with significant risk or more severe difficulties.
Whatever type of therapist you choose, the most important thing is that you find a professional you can trust, establish a good rapport with and feel they have the right training to help.
You might also be interested in
Private Medical services
Our GP Dr Joyce Braaksma offers 30 min consultations as standard and convenient appointment times.
Physiotherapy & Sport Rehab services
We provide a full range of services by qualified Physiotherapists & Sports therapists.
About The Lomond Clinic
The Lomond Clinic is a multi-disciplinary health and wellbeing clinic based in Helensburgh. Our highly qualified practitioners include private GP, nurse, physiotherapists, massage therapists, holistic therapists and skincare expert in addition to our mental health team comprising counsellors, psychologist and clinical hypnotherapist. We provide services to clients based in Helensburgh and the surrounding areas, including Dumbarton, Loch Lomond and Argyll and Bute.
