What is the difference between a clinical psychologist and a CBT therapist?

The main differences are in the breadth of training and scope of practice: a clinical psychologist is a doctoral-level mental health professional trained in a wide range of therapeutic models and clinical applications, while a CBT therapist has usually completed focused, specific training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). A clinical psychologist can also be a CBT therapist, as CBT is one of the many therapies they are trained to use. 

Clinical Psychologist

• Training and Qualification: Requires a three-year, full-time doctorate (DClinPsy or equivalent), which includes extensive academic work and over 1,000 hours of supervised clinical experience.

• Scope of Practice: Trained as a "psychological problem solver" with a broad remit, including assessment, formulation, diagnosis (less emphasis on diagnosing than psychiatrists), research, and treatment of a wide range of mental health problems across the lifespan (e.g., severe mental health issues, learning disabilities, neuropsychology).

• Therapeutic Approaches: They are trained in multiple evidence-based therapeutic modalities (e.g., CBT, systemic therapy, psychodynamic, ACT, CFT, EMDR) and can tailor an integrative approach to a client's specific needs.

• Regulation: Registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), which is a government-approved regulatory body. May also be accredited therapy specific professional bodies, such as the BABCP and EMDR UK.

• Role: Can work in diverse settings (NHS hospitals, community teams, private practice, academia) and often take on "indirect" roles such as supervision, training other staff, and service design. They are not medical doctors and cannot prescribe medication. 

  
  

CBT Therapist

• Training and Qualification: Typically requires a postgraduate diploma or master's degree in CBT, often after a core professional qualification in a health or social care field (e.g., mental health nursing, social work, or psychology degree). Training is focused specifically on the theory and application of CBT.

• Scope of Practice: Specialises in delivering CBT to address specific mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, phobias, OCD, and PTSD.

• Therapeutic Approaches: Primarily uses CBT and related "third-wave" CBT approaches (e.g., DBT, CFT, ACT). The focus is on current problems and practical skills development.

• Regulation: Often accredited by the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP), which is a recognised professional body.

• Role: Primarily focuses on direct client contact, often working within NHS Talking Therapies (formerly IAPT) services or private practice. Their role is usually more limited to delivering the specific therapy modality of CBT. 

Summary

Feature	Clinical Psychologist	CBT Therapist
Qualification	Doctorate (DClinPsy)	Postgrad Diploma/Masters in CBT
Training Breadth	Broad training across multiple models and clinical areas	Focused and specific training in CBT
Scope of Practice	Wide: assessment, treatment, research, supervision, service design; works with diverse and complex populations	Specific: delivery of CBT, mainly through direct client contact
Regulatory Body	HCPC (Health and Care Professions Council)	BABCP (British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies) accreditation is standard
Can perform CBT?	Yes, it is a core part of their training	Yes, it is their specialism