Jimmy Carr, a British comedian, was asked on stage how he deals with mental health on tour. Rather than answering the question immediately, “Are you suffering at the moment?”, the comedian asked the audience. Upon further review of this topic, a comment popped up: a self-identified psychiatrist sharing that they would never be out of employment, when some believe that technology can replace the role of “a therapist”. Surprisingly, irrespective of increasing information accessibility, many do not understand that therapists (and psychologists) are not doctors, let alone how to choose the right service providers.

*This article is in relation to Daily writing prompt.

the impact of Technology

Over the past several years, the rise of “self-diagnosis” and “Doctor Google” has changed the way many use and approach “mental health services”. Some choose to work with a life coach (or an influencer), while others rely on “Internet searches” or now AI to seek templates, (quick) solutions, or answers.

The truth is, even though anyone can offer advice over the Internet anonymously or publicly, a trained professional who has a lifelong learning attitude and keeps an open mind is irreplaceable.

the distinct roles of Therapists, psychologists and doctors

It is not uncommon to mistake therapists and psychologists for doctors. Therapists and psychologists are, generally, academically trained individuals. In most cases, to qualify as a therapist, having a Master’s degree in a relevant field is the bare minimum. Besides, some individuals with Doctor of Philosophy degrees (PhDs) may opt to run low-cost or government-funded (group) therapy sessions.

Unlike psychiatrists, who are doctors (offering medical care), psychologists, also known as psychology researchers, can give formal diagnoses through psychological testing and evaluations from an academic (clinical, not medical) perspective. Therapists, on the other hand, provide clinical and therapeutic support, such as treatments and interventions.

always proceed with caution when browsing

Did you know that Google Search index is like a library? It presents the most helpful (relevant) information in response to a user’s query (Google Search, n.d.).

That is to say, you can use a search engine to navigate resources, from gaining general knowledge of a particular cause to finding local businesses. For example, if you are just having a long day or a neck pain after a night’s sleep, Doctor Google may be a useful tool to look up remedies. Nonetheless, if you are having any chronic illnesses, including invisible illnesses (e.g., mental illnesses leading to panic attacks), seeking “medical assistance” may be what you need.

the mental health industry is an umbrella term

Did you know that when choosing the right support, prioritizing the importance of “educational background”(especially the name of the school) and “years of training” (without knowing the “contexts”) of a provider, but overlooking the importance of true professionalism, can result in service delays?

who are Involved in this field?

The mental health industry is an umbrella term. In short, from a professional standpoint, the industry consists of individuals with licensed (and/or registered) as well as non-licensed occupations, ranging from doctors, therapists, psychologists and allied health professionals to support workers, job coaches and community workers.

Moreover, professionals, such as a doctor and a psychologist, require years of medical and academic training, respectively, before being granted permission to practice, while a coach requires mainly a business license (other than passion).

The increase in information accessibility over the Internet creates opportunities, yet misinformation and disinformation are pressing issues. There is an abundance of mental health resources for general, informational, and educational purposes. Even so, it is not always reliable, credible and trustworthy. Essentially, any opinion or advice amid giving ease of mind is considered a mental health service. Here’s the difference:

• Healthcare Professionals
  • They are registered and licensed individuals who generally can only offer services to local residents (or wherever they are licensed to practice)
  • “Cognitive dissonance” can occur during a session, which can have an impact on the result

• Organizations
  • They have a robust system connecting (or matching) users to the right support
  • The management team may constitute people with little industry experience, causing employee conflicts and affecting the overall quality of service

• Internet Persona (Online Social Identity)
  • Their personal experience resonates powerfully with their followers or subscribers
  • They offer emotional support that has little credibility (or pseudoscience)

How To Choose The Right Service Providers

With the help of search engines, you can find service providers in a fraction of a second. However, this convenience comes at a price: choice overload. As manipulative marketing practices can muddle your decision-making processes, kindly consider the following to help you choose the right service providers:

• Is urgent care or medical assistance (e.g., medication and diagnosis) required?
• Are you looking for clinical support or hoping to create a non-medical, personalized learning objective or action plan?
• Do you know your financial forecast?

for urgent care or medical assistance

When deciding whether you require medical attention, Doctor Google can offer relevant, generic medical knowledge, provided that you know how to process, clean and analyze data. Otherwise, locating a local service provider (e.g., a walk-in clinic near you) through a search engine of your choice is highly recommended. After all, Doctor Google cannot provide personalized medical advice, and neither can therapists. Therapists and psychologists are not doctors, so they cannot prescribe medication or offer medical support, if that is what you need.

for clinical, psychological or therapeutic support

Therapists are academically trained helping professionals who offer clinical and therapeutic treatments, such as Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), known to be one of the most well-studied forms of therapy in the world (Virtual CBT Psychotherapy, 2025).

During the selection process, inspecting a therapist or a psychologist’s credentials (if such information is readily available) and online/social presence helps you choose the right match. Here are some examples for clarity:

• Inquire or look for information about what types of professional training a therapist has received over the years
• Understand a therapist’s academic journey, including an undergraduate degree
• Ask or look up a therapist’s volunteering and (unpaid) community work experience
• Focus on a psychologist’s research interests and areas of expertise, if you are looking to get psychological testing, assessments, or evaluations
• Pay attention to mentions of “working with a diverse client portfolio”, “holistic”, and any specific area that you hope to work on (learn the top 3 areas of speciality)
• Schedule “free calls” or “free visits”
• Or, simply reach out to Berelevant Network for service navigation – It’s free

for non-medical, personalized life navigation

You can choose to work with a licensed therapist or a life coach to begin or continue your learning journey. Nevertheless, a social enterprise specializing in human skills development, like https://berelevantnetwork.com/, may provide more relevant and in-depth knowledge of what you truly need. Why? You can view Berelevant Network as the “missing middle”:

• When housing prices lack a market ceiling, home seekers or home buyers often struggle to find that “missing middle”. That is, reasonably priced, diverse, or affordable housing
• Similarly, if you need a minor renovation, rather than hire a builder or developer, you would prefer that “missing middle”. Namely, a general contractor or a handy person

Berelevant Network is that “missing middle” in the skills-building industry. Medical or clinical support often centers on “reactive methods”, whereas Berelevant Network emphasizes “proactive” approaches. All services are for educational and informational purposes because “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” by Nelson Mandela, on June 23, 1990, at Madison Park High School, Boston.

The bottom line

The bottom line is to know your financial forecast, not just budgeting, and choose what you need instead of what you think you need. When choosing to work with a healthcare professional, always remember that therapists are not doctors. Therapy sessions are mostly a private insurance matter, not a public health concern.

Owing to the dominance of content marketing, content that resonates with audiences gets views and shares. As a result, some therapists may behave or sound like a doctor for marketing purposes (because “emotions sell”). In simple terms, therapists are oftentimes incorporated (like attorneys) or self-employed individuals who need “lead generation” and “make sales”, while doctor visits may be covered by a universal healthcare system.

Since the introduction of Generative AI, its explosive growth has changed how many use the Internet. Finding relevant information online without seeing a curated advertisement is history. Therefore, to better navigate this Wild Wild West, increasing your media and financial literacy is what you need right now.

How can you spot a suspicious website quickly?

Before clicking a link (a URL) or a “button” (e.g., displaying “book now”, “learn more” and “schedule today”), you can hover over the link on a laptop or computer, and review the slug shown in the bottom left corner of your browser to check the legitimacy of a website or webpage.

Things to look at: “https” (instead of “http”), “domain name” (if it is a government website, it should include “gov” and a country code, such as “ca”, “uk”, “us”, “de”, “sg” and “jp”), and whether a slug (referring to the structure of a link) is readable and easy-to-understand” (except for journals and news articles, which may include “(file/case) numbers”).

knowing and exercising your rights as a discerning end user

Knowing your rights is one thing; exercising your rights is another. If your goal is to quit the rat race and start your life-changing journey (read a helping professional’s self-acceptance journey), becoming a discerning end user is a must. In other words, you should always be free to enter and end a service at your discretion, provided that you have read and agreed and fully understand a provider’s legal terms.

Now, are you confident about differentiating between helping professionals? If not, feel free to explore Berelevant Network’s frequently updated library of thought-provoking and informative self-help resources (https://berelevantnetwork.com/self-help/).

Prioritizing “mental health” is a costly option for most, but it doesn’t have to be for you. Remember when choosing a service provider, knowing what you need and what you can afford sets the tone for your personal development journey.

references

jimmycarr [@jimmycarr]. (2026, July 7). Dealing with mental health on tour. [Video]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DagLj3FDENh/

Google. (n.d.). How Google Search works. https://www.google.com/intl/en_us/search/howsearchworks/how-search-works/

Virtual CBT Psychotherapy. (2025, April 29). Discover 7 Benefits of CBT as a Psychotherapy. https://www.virtualcbt.ca/therapy-blog/benefits-of-cbt

Oxford Reference. (1990, June 23). Nelson Mandela 1918–2013. https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780191843730.001.0001/q-oro-ed5-00007046