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by seanmcdirmid 1594 days ago
> if a group of psychiatrists (professionals) and psychologists (academics) switch places, who performs better in the other context?

The psychiatrist is an MD who can prescribe drugs. The psychologist wouldn’t have that kind of authority, so they can’t do the job of the former. A psychologist can actually do therapy, which a psychiatrist isn’t trained for. These are very different professions.

1 comments

Psychiatrists in the US overwhelmingly have to be trained in psychodynamic therapy, aka Freudianism. The only thing we know for certain works in therapy and that has worked consistently is the client and counselor having a good relationship.

> Conclusions and Recommendations of the Interdivisional (APA Divisions 12 & 29) Task Force on Evidence-Based Therapy Relationships

http://societyforpsychotherapy.org/evidence-based-therapy-re...

> The therapy relationship makes substantial and consistent contributions to psychotherapy outcome independent of the specific type of treatment.

> The therapy relationship accounts for why clients improve (or fail to improve) at least as much as the particular treatment method.