A medical doctor who specializes in diagnosing, treating, and helping prevent mental illnesses and emotional problems, often using both therapy and medication.
From psychiatry, built from Greek *psyche* ('mind') and *iatros* ('doctor' or 'healer'). The word literally means 'doctor of the mind'.
Unlike many therapists, psychiatrists go through full medical school, so they can prescribe medication as well as talk therapies. The word itself quietly reminds you of this: it’s built like other medical specialties, just focused on the mind.
Psychiatry developed within male-dominated medical institutions, and early psychiatrists often interpreted women’s and queer people’s experiences through sexist and heteronormative frameworks. Access to psychiatric training and authority was restricted by gender for much of its history.
Refer to psychiatrists without assuming gender, and avoid stereotypes that feminize caring roles or masculinize authority. Use titles and pronouns that reflect the individual’s self-identification.
Women psychiatrists and researchers have played crucial roles in challenging discriminatory diagnoses, improving patient-centered care, and advancing understanding of trauma and gendered mental health.
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