World Mental Health Day: Between a psychologist, psychiatrist or life coach, who to run to for professional help?

Mental Health problems and issues of well-being have not been as pronounced as they are today.

And while being able to talk about it in the open and removing stigma is well and good, perhaps another thing to pursue and promote is turning to professional help.

As we commemorate World Mental Health Day, allow us explain the different types of professionals you can turn to when times are tough and turning to family and friends just don't seem to cut it anymore.

Psychologists, psychiatrists, and life coaches all seem to be a good idea but it's important to remember they address different needs.

Psychologists and psychiatrists

As mental health professionals, both psychologists and psychiatrists are well-equipped to conduct talk sessions or psychotherapy. They are able to diagnose a patient by looking into their symptoms.

However, when talk therapy isn't enough, when a patient’s condition stems from biological factors, or when they already have symptoms of hallucination or delusion, psychologists often ask help from a psychiatrist.

Psychiatrists are medical doctors who've attended medical school, and as such, they are the ones who are able to prescribe medication when needed.

This is why psychologists and psychiatrists often work "hand in hand" with each other, clarify psychologists Charlene Lucas and Jade Cuambot.

On one hand, psychologists focus solely on talk therapy. They also conduct psychological tests. On the other, psychiatrists take the path of psychopharmacology or treating mental disorders with the help of medicine. They prescribe medicines.

If one is just seeking consultation with a mental health professional, talking to either is okay.

Both the psychologist and the psychiatrist are often referred to as therapists.

Life coaches

While psychologists and psychiatrists address mental health conditions, life coaches do not.

Instead, they focus on helping people who are finding a hard time knowing what their next step in life should be. In short, when one is feeling “stuck,” life coaches are the way to go.

“When you’re in control and you know what you want, you know the track that you’re supposed to be on, you just need guidance, you need a life coach,” said coach Sheila Viesca.

“The ones we help already know where they want to go,” she added. “The life coach is the one who will help them cross the bridge [with] discipline, skill set, right mindset [and] attitude.”

According to Viesca, life coaches would greatly help if a client wants to “put the pieces of the puzzle together” by learning how to look at things in a positive light.

Included in the things that life coaches help with are tapping one’s inner motivation, addressing one’s inner critic, unleashing one’s potential, and correcting one’s habits.

For some, meanwhile, it’s also finding confidence as well as learning skills that will allow them to do things that will make them better people for themselves.

“Coaching is about helping people improve their performance. It’s about being able to observe what’s going on, being able to give them feedback, allowing them to look to the future.”

While sessions scheduled with psychiatrists and psychologists are called psychotherapy, those with life coaches are regarded as interventions.

It’s more action-based, Viesca explains, as it focuses on results and purpose “without dictating what they are supposed to be doing.”

It's possible that some patients come to a point where they still need help from psychologists and psychiatrists. When that happens, life coaches also have contacts that they can reach out to.

“When you have thoughts or emotions, behaviors that are out of control, jeopardized ang well-being mo, you usually find yourself upset, depressed, we would suggest you go to a psychologist.”

Sometimes, it may also be vice-versa since clients initially reach out to medical experts first before life coaches and discover that what they need is guidance on their next step.

“They feel that [what they need] is someone who will hold them by the hand and walk them through the process from the beginning to middle, to the last point of their personal and professional journey.”

While the first step is usually the hard part, know that it is worth going through for a better tomorrow. — LA, GMA News