Primary care clinician
Can discuss symptoms, rule out some physical causes, prescribe certain medications, and refer to specialists.
Care is not one-size-fits-all
Treatment and therapy guide
Understand provider roles, treatment formats, therapy approaches, cost questions, and what to expect at a first appointment.
Build your care team
Who does what?
Therapist or counselor
Provides psychotherapy and skills-based support. Licenses and scopes vary by state and profession.
Psychologist
Provides assessment and psychotherapy; some specialize in testing. Prescribing authority varies by jurisdiction.
Psychiatrist
A medical doctor specializing in mental health diagnosis and treatment, including medication management.
Peer support specialist
Offers recovery-oriented support based on training and lived experience; not a replacement for clinical care.
Crisis counselor
Provides immediate stabilization, listening, safety planning, and connection to local resources.
Common approaches
Therapy is a category, not a single method
Cognitive and behavioral therapies
Structured approaches that explore connections among thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Often include skills practice between sessions.
Acceptance, mindfulness, and compassion-based approaches
Focus on relating differently to difficult thoughts and feelings while acting in line with values.
Trauma-focused therapies
Specialized, paced approaches designed for traumatic stress. Ask providers about training, safety, and stabilization.
Interpersonal, family, and couples therapy
Addresses relationship patterns, communication, roles, grief, conflict, and life transitions.
Psychodynamic and insight-oriented therapy
Explores recurring patterns, emotions, relationships, and the influence of earlier experiences.
Group therapy and peer support
Can reduce isolation and build skills through shared experience. Clinical groups and peer-led groups serve different purposes.
Before you book
Questions worth asking
- Are you licensed, and in which state?
- Do you have experience with my concerns and background?
- What approach do you use, and how will we measure progress?
- What are the fees, cancellation policy, and insurance options?
- How do you handle urgent needs between appointments?
- What would make you recommend a different level of care?
First appointment builder
Ready to search?
Use a confidential treatment locator.
SAMHSA’s FindTreatment.gov helps locate mental health and substance use services in the United States and territories.