Therapist vs Psychologist vs Psychiatrist: What's the Difference?

When you're looking for mental health support, the different titles can be confusing. What's the difference between a therapist, a psychologist, and a psychiatrist? Can they all prescribe medication? Which one should you see?

This guide breaks down the key differences so you can make an informed decision about your care.

Quick Comparison

Feature	Therapist / Counselor	Psychologist	Psychiatrist
Education	Master's degree	Doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD)	Medical degree (MD or DO)
Can Prescribe Medication?	No	In some states only	Yes
Provides Talk Therapy?	Yes	Yes	Sometimes (often focuses on medication management)
Common Titles	LPC, LCSW, LMFT	PhD, PsyD	MD, DO
Typical Session	45–60 min talk therapy	45–60 min therapy or testing	15–30 min medication check-in
Average Cost per Session	$100–$200	$150–$300	$200–$500

What Is a Therapist?

"Therapist" is an umbrella term that can refer to several types of licensed mental health professionals. Most commonly, it includes:

Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC/LCPC) — Hold a master's degree in counseling and are trained in various therapeutic approaches
Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW) — Hold a master's degree in social work with clinical training
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT) — Specialize in relationship and family dynamics

Therapists provide talk therapy — also called psychotherapy or counseling. They help with a wide range of issues from anxiety and depression to relationship problems and grief.

Therapists cannot prescribe medication. If you need medication, they'll refer you to a psychiatrist or your primary care doctor.

What Is a Psychologist?

Psychologists hold a doctoral degree — either a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) or PsyD (Doctor of Psychology). Their training includes:

4–7 years of graduate school beyond a bachelor's degree
Supervised clinical hours (typically 1,500–6,000 hours)
Research training (especially for PhD programs)
Psychological testing and assessment expertise

Psychologists can provide therapy and are often experts in specific evidence-based treatments like CBT or EMDR. They can also conduct psychological evaluations — for example, testing for ADHD, learning disabilities, or personality assessments.

In most states, psychologists cannot prescribe medication. However, a few states (Louisiana, New Mexico, Illinois, Iowa, and Idaho) have granted prescriptive authority to specially trained psychologists.

What Is a Psychiatrist?

Psychiatrists are medical doctors (MD or DO) who specialize in mental health. Their path includes:

4 years of medical school
4 years of psychiatry residency
Optional fellowship in a subspecialty (e.g., child psychiatry, addiction psychiatry)

Because they're medical doctors, psychiatrists can prescribe medication — and that's often their primary role. Many psychiatrists focus on medication management rather than talk therapy, seeing patients for shorter appointments (15–30 minutes) to monitor medications and adjust dosages.

Some psychiatrists do provide therapy alongside medication management, but this is less common in today's healthcare landscape.

Which One Should You See?

Here's a general guide:

See a therapist/counselor if: You want regular talk therapy for issues like anxiety, depression, stress, relationships, or personal growth. This is the right choice for most people starting therapy.
See a psychologist if: You want specialized evidence-based therapy, need psychological testing (ADHD, learning disabilities), or want a provider with doctoral-level training.
See a psychiatrist if: You think you might benefit from medication, have a complex or severe mental health condition, or need help managing existing psychiatric medications.

Many people see both a therapist and a psychiatrist — a therapist for weekly talk therapy and a psychiatrist for medication management. This combination is often the most effective approach for conditions like moderate-to-severe depression or anxiety.

How to Find the Right Provider

Use TherapistScore to search for licensed mental health professionals in your area. You can filter by city and specialty to find exactly what you need:

For a complete walkthrough of the process, read our Complete Guide to Finding a Therapist.

The Bottom Line

All three types of providers — therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists — play important roles in mental health care. The best choice depends on your specific needs, preferences, and budget. The most important thing is that you're taking the step to seek help at all.