I saw mainly psychiatrists for my therapy for years, thinking, well they are the MD's and must be the best........wrong in my case anyway!

Psychiatrists tend to be more clinical and their real talent lies in being able to diagnose and prescribe the (hopefully) correct medication, if needed in my opinion.

My last psychiatrist was clinical, administrative (medical director of the clinic) and not supportive when I needed it most; when my self-esteem was at an extreme low point she never gave me any indication that I was worthwhile, never vocalized it even if she felt it. If I said "I hate myself", (which I did say quite often), she would just say "I know" and that was the extent of the help I got in those instances.

My current therapist is a PhD clinical psychologist. The difference between pdoc and PhD are like night and day. the PhD is sooooo much better at psychotherapy for me anyway. She is caring, compassionate. She is helping me to change the automatic thoughts I have which are irrational. I'll put it this way: she knows me better in 6 months than the pdoc knew me after one year and still doesn't (I see her for medication visits).

So after seeing pdocs for several years who mostly only listened long enough to prescribe meds, I am very thankful to have a great psychologist!