{"id":8156,"date":"2023-12-18T10:13:11","date_gmt":"2023-12-18T10:13:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/medilav.pt\/psychologist-how-to-choose\/"},"modified":"2026-05-25T15:40:49","modified_gmt":"2026-05-25T15:40:49","slug":"psychologist-how-to-choose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medilav.pt\/en\/psychologist-how-to-choose\/","title":{"rendered":"Psychologist &#8211; How to Choose?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<strong>Psychologist &#8211; How to Choose?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mental health is an important component of your overall well-being, directly influencing your quality of life and ability to face daily challenges. Enlisting the support of mental health professionals is essential to help you understand your mental challenges and promote effective strategies for developing your emotional skills in order to achieve balanced mental health. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>How to choose a psychologist<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finding the right psychologist is a significant step towards your emotional well-being. Here are some guidelines to help you choose a psychologist who meets your individual needs: <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">  Reflect on your needs &#8211; Assess your emotional concerns and goals for therapy. Taking this direction will make it easier for you to have your first contact with the psychologist.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make sure the professional is registered with the Order &#8211; Check that the psychologist has adequate academic training, experience and is registered with the Order of Portuguese Psychologists.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Empathy and connection &#8211; The relationship between you and the psychologist is fundamental. During the first consultation, assess the empathy and connection you have with the professional. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Accessibility &#8211; Consider the location of the office\/clinic, available hours and whether there is the possibility of online service. Accessibility is important in order to maintain the consistency of sessions. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Confidentiality and ethics &#8211; Make sure the psychologist follows strict ethical standards and maintains confidentiality. These aspects are essential for a trusting relationship. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Be open to change &#8211; If, after a few sessions, you don&#8217;t feel comfortable or think that the psychologist&#8217;s approach isn&#8217;t working for you, be open to looking for another professional. The therapeutic relationship should be mutually beneficial. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choosing a psychologist is a personal and unique process. By taking the time to make this choice, you increase the likelihood of finding a professional who meets your needs and expectations. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Psychologist vs Psychiatrist<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Should I see a psychologist or a psychiatrist?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When seeking help for mental issues, it is important to understand the differences between psychology and psychiatry professionals.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let&#8217;s look at the main differences:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Training and approach<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; Psychologists are trained in Psychology and use various therapeutic approaches to treat people.<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; Psychiatrists are trained in medicine and use a pharmacological approach to treat patients.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prescribing medication<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; Psychologists do not prescribe medication.<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; Psychiatrists prescribe psychotropic medication when necessary.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Focus on diagnosis<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; Psychologists are skilled in the psychological assessment and diagnosis of emotional and behavioral problems. Based on these skills, they define the respective treatment.<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; Psychiatrists are competent in physical and neurological assessment. Based on these skills, they define the pharmacological treatment to be prescribed.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&#8217;s important to realize that in many cases, psychologists and psychiatrists work together to offer the patient a complete treatment. Both professionals have the skills to identify whether the patient needs this type of support. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When deciding between psychology vs psychiatry, it is essential to consider specific needs, preferences and treatment approaches. Both professionals play vital roles in mental health, offering support tailored to individual circumstances. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Psychology consultation<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Making an appointment with a psychologist is a crucial step towards improving your mental health and emotional well-being. If you&#8217;re ready to take this important step and look after your mental health, don&#8217;t wait any longer. The help of a psychologist can make all the difference to your life.  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don&#8217;t let emotional obstacles affect your quality of life, make an appointment with a psychologist and invest in your emotional well-being.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_btn title=&#8221;Marcar Consulta&#8221; color=&#8221;turquoise&#8221; link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fmedilav.pt%2Fclinica-medilav%2Fpsicologia%2F|title:Marcar%20Consulta|target:_blank|&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Psychologist &#8211; How to Choose? Mental health is an important component of your overall well-being, directly influencing your quality of life and ability to face daily challenges. Enlisting the support of mental health professionals is essential to help you understand your mental challenges and promote effective strategies for developing your emotional skills in order to&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":8157,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[81],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8156","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-psychology","category-81","description-off"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.5 (Yoast SEO v27.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Psychologist - How to Choose? - Medilav\u00ae<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Here are some guidelines to help you choose a psychologist who meets your individual needs\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/medilav.pt\/en\/psychologist-how-to-choose\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Psychologist - How to Choose?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Here are some guidelines to help you choose a psychologist who meets your individual needs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/medilav.pt\/en\/psychologist-how-to-choose\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Medilav\u00ae\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-12-18T10:13:11+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-05-25T15:40:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/medilav.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/shutterstock_2132376093.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"584\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"389\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"webcomum\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"webcomum\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/medilav.pt\\\/en\\\/psychologist-how-to-choose\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/medilav.pt\\\/en\\\/psychologist-how-to-choose\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"webcomum\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/medilav.pt\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/52bae1b26d20f3d1f550a99069627aed\"},\"headline\":\"Psychologist &#8211; How to Choose?\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-12-18T10:13:11+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-25T15:40:49+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/medilav.pt\\\/en\\\/psychologist-how-to-choose\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":649,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/medilav.pt\\\/en\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/medilav.pt\\\/en\\\/psychologist-how-to-choose\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/medilav.pt\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/shutterstock_2132376093.webp\",\"articleSection\":[\"Psychology\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/medilav.pt\\\/en\\\/psychologist-how-to-choose\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/medilav.pt\\\/en\\\/psychologist-how-to-choose\\\/\",\"name\":\"Psychologist - How to Choose? 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