Before looking for a psychologist or psychotherapist, you need to understand: - what is the fundamental difference between a consulting psychologist and a practicing psychotherapist? Currently, according to Russian legislation, a practicing psychologist must have a state diploma, which gives the right to professional activity. A psychologist can only conduct consultations and, if necessary, carry out psychocorrection. In other words, he does not have the right to engage in psychotherapy, just as he does not have the right to engage in drug treatment. Treatment with the use of medications can only be carried out by doctors of the appropriate categories (psychiatrist, psychotherapist). Who has the right to engage in psychotherapy? First of all, this is a psychiatrist. Further, medical workers trained at the faculty of psychotherapy and also psychologists who have completed a course of additional training (medical) in the field of psychotherapy. So, the difference between a psychotherapist and a practicing psychologist is that one can engage in psychotherapy and prescribe medication, while the other cannot. Often we can read that a psychologist is proficient in one or another area of ​​psychotherapy. And if we proceed from the thesis that only a psychologist who has received a medical education can engage in psychotherapy, then we will further use the concept of psychotherapy in relation to psychologists (for the most part, who do not have a medical education), as a direction or tool that helps to engage in psychocorrection. What types of directions are there? psychotherapy? Now if you look at the resumes of psychologists and psychotherapists in Crimea, you will be able to read: client-centered, existential psychotherapist, art therapist, transactional analyst, “using hypnosis,” “Jungian analysis,” etc. - all these are areas of psychotherapy that a psychologist (psychotherapist) must study and have in hand a document confirming completion of a training program of the corresponding specialization. This training usually lasts not one month, but years. For example, psychologists studying the existential direction in Sevastopol study for four years, undergoing individual and group work, learning theory and practice. They comprehend and live the acquired theoretical and practical experience. As far as I know, the situation is the same in other areas: transactional analysis - 4 years, client-centered psychotherapist - 5 years, gestalt - 4 years. Therefore, if you read in a psychologist’s resume that he knows hypnosis and uses in his work: existential, client-centered, art, gestalt areas of psychotherapy, then it would be advisable to look at where and how much the psychologist studied in these areas. If you observe that a psychologist indicates the specialization of work, for example, a Gestalt therapist, and argues for this by passing a master class at a festival or part of a training program, then ask yourself a question about the qualifications of such a psychologist or psychotherapist. What kind of psychologist do I need? It’s all very simple. If you are looking for a psychologist for your child, then you need a child psychologist with experience working with children. If you need to understand family conflicts, you need a family psychologist, psychotherapist. If you are confused in your life - an existential consultant, if you have problems with planning and implementing life projects, then look for a business trainer, coach, and not a psychotherapist working with addictions. There is a rule: “The more specialization a psychologist has, the more professional he is in his field, and if you see a “specialist” in all areas, then most likely he has not succeeded in any of them.” How and where to find a good psychologist , psychotherapist? First of all, contact your loved ones, friends, acquaintances, perhaps they will help you in your search by giving a recommendation for a particular psychologist or psychotherapist. Until recently, this was almost the most basic method in finding a good psychologist or psychotherapist.