Counselling and psychotherapy are often used interchangeably even though there are a few differences between the two. The main similarity between the two would be that both are forms of talk therapy, or therapy through communication. The key point of difference between the two would be that counselling is a relatively brief treatment than psychotherapy, and it majorly revolves around dealing with behavioural patterns.

Counselling helps people in identifying and correcting maladaptive behaviours and taking positive steps towards healthy coping mechanisms. Counselling is helpful for people with a good insight about their presenting problems and have the ability to resolve their issues.

Psychotherapy on the other hand aims to aid people with psychological problems that have developed over the course of several years. It helps people identify the reasoning and background behind their issues, and helps them gain insight.