Dr. Gary Zomalt: Unraveling the difference between psychotherapy and counseling

A lot of people think that psychotherapy and counseling are just the same. Experts in the field, like Dr. Gary Zomalt, beg to disagree. Although the practices have certain similarities, the two are different by nature.

Gary Zomalt. Image credit: DARA

Counseling focuses more on the behavior of a person. It is regarded as a brief treatment because, according to experts, the mental health or sense of well-being already exists. It simply needs support and improvement; hence, people seek help from counselors, advisors, and even life coaches. Because it also deals with alleviating stress and dealing with problems, especially in terms of grave life crises, counseling is taken in a similar light as psychotherapy. However, people must know that counseling only touches the shallower aspects of problems like stress. It only answers to the need of people for enlightenment and direction.

Gary Zomalt. Image credit: Theamazingworldofpsychiatry.wordpress.com

When it comes to more severe cases, psychotherapy is in order. Psychotherapists, like Dr. Gary Zomalt of 3R Counseling and Consulting, look not only into the present condition of a person. As psychotherapy entails psychoanalysis, specialists also look into the origin of the problem, uprooting its possible causes – from a person’s childhood or past life events that may have affected the condition – before dealing with the ‘now.’ Psychotherapy deals with psychological problems that have built up over the years. It focuses on chronic psychosomatic problems that need to be explored before the endorsement of coping techniques, among other treatments.

Gary Zomalt. Image credit: Slowdownfast.com

For more about Dr. Gary Zomalt of Fresno, California, visit this blog.