A psychiatrist helps diagnose mental disorders, and prescribes medicines to control your symptoms, if needed. A psychotherapist helps you to explore through your difficult emotions, thoughts and experiences, and helps clarify underlying issues, in order to help you make effective decisions about your life and solve problems.

• S/he develops a formal or an informal agreement to work with you, and enters into a helping relationship with you. Usually this relationship continues over a series of meetings (we call these sessions) over shorter/longer time. 
• However, therapists often work hand in glove with a psychiatrist to provide comprehensive care as/if you need.