therapist

therapist — noun

1. a trained professional who helps people improve their mental health or recover f

1.nounB2
Definition

a trained professional who helps people improve their mental health or recover from physical injuries through planned activities and exercises

Example

After the accident, Rafael saw a therapist twice a week for six months.

collocation: see a therapist

Linh's therapist taught her breathing exercises to manage her anxiety.

Common collocations
  • see a therapist
  • visit a therapist
  • talk to a therapist
  • find a therapist
  • a therapist's office
  • a qualified / licensed therapist
Synonyms
  • counselor

    more common in everyday language for talk-based emotional support; less clinical than therapist

  • psychotherapist

    specifically a mental-health therapist; more formal and precise in clinical contexts

  • clinician

    broader term covering any healthcare professional who works directly with patients, including therapists and doctors

  • psychologist

    a licensed professional who may offer therapy but also conducts psychological testing and research

Usage Note

The word is a general term that covers many specializations, such as a physical therapist (helping with movement after injury) and a psychotherapist (talking through emotional problems). Unlike doctor, therapist does not necessarily imply a medical degree.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Therapist is the broadest everyday term for a trained professional who treats mental or physical health issues through planned methods. Counselor usually refers to someone who provides guidance through conversation, often for specific life challenges (grief, career changes), and sounds less medical. Psychologist holds a doctoral degree and can administer diagnostic tests, though many also offer talk therapy. Psychiatrist is a medical doctor who can prescribe medication — a key difference that therapists and psychologists cannot prescribe in most places. In short: if the focus is on talking through a problem, counselor often fits; if testing or medication is involved, psychologist or psychiatrist is more accurate; for a general sense of professional treatment, therapist works best.

therapist ↗counselor ↗psychologist ↗psychiatrist ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • therapist's office
  • therapist appointment
  • therapist training

Adverbs

Phrases

  • see a therapist
  • visit a therapist
  • talk to a therapist
  • find a therapist
  • recommend a therapist
  • work with a therapist

Prepositions

  • with a therapist
  • to a therapist
  • at the therapist's

Etymology

GreekLatinEnglish

Therapist comes from therapy (Greek therapeia, meaning 'healing' or 'service') plus the suffix -ist ('a person who does something'). Greek therapeia entered Latin as therapia, then passed into English via modern medical vocabulary in the 1800s, when specialized 'treatments' began to be called therapies.