What is psychotherapy?
Short answer
Psychotherapy is psychological work conducted by a qualified professional, in regular sessions and with a defined method. "Therapy" is what almost everyone calls the same thing day to day.
How it differs from talking to someone you trust
A friend listens from inside their relationship with you, and answers from there. A psychotherapist listens from a method, is trained for it, and stands outside your life — which is what allows things to be said that nobody close would say.
There is also the frame: time, length, frequency, confidentiality and payment, all agreed. That is not formality — it is what holds the space, and what makes it work rather than venting.
Who may practise it in Brazil
Psychotherapy is practised by qualified professionals — psychologists registered with the CRP, and physicians within their own remit. "Therapist" on its own is not a protected title: it is always worth asking about training and registration.
Frequently asked questions
- Are therapy and psychotherapy the same thing?
- In everyday use, yes. "Therapy" is the common word; psychotherapy is the technical name for the process.
- Do I need to be in a bad place to start?
- No. Many people come because of stuck decisions, repeating patterns or a wish to understand themselves better — not only acute distress.