Psychotherapy in India: Who Is a Therapist?

One of the primary questions that individuals with psychological concerns ask is, "Who is a therapist?" or rather, "What does a therapist do?" The word therapist in this context is short for "psychotherapist," or someone who diagnoses and treats mental health conditions with the help of talk therapy and behavior modification.

Just talking or merely listening to someone does not maketh therapy. Psychotherapy is an ongoing and collaborative professional relationship facilitated by someone who is trained to identify patterns, predict behaviours, and help bring meaningful changes in a patient’s life. There are different kinds of psychotherapies, and some have probably existed for many centuries in varying forms before the advent of modern psychiatry and psychological sciences.

Psychotherapy requires formal training and licensing.

Most countries have formalised psychotherapy training and ensured that a therapeutic relationship is based on empirical knowledge and scientific methods that can be replicated. This does not mean psychotherapy is a pure science. It is better described as an art or an applied philosophical framework. Nevertheless, professionals who deal with mental health disorders and vulnerable individuals need to be regulated and for very good reasons. It is in this regard that most countries have formalised psychotherapy training and require a license to practice.

The Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) is a statutory body of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India. It approves training programs and maintains a register of licensed practitioners. Only an RCI-registered clinical psychologist or a board-certified psychiatrist can offer interventions to individuals with mental health issues. The establishment and orthodoxy exist to protect the vulnerable from unscrupulous and unqualified entities.

Beware of unlicensed entities offering psychological interventions or "therapy".

In India, therapy or psychotherapy are terms that are not regulated, but the titles of "clinical psychologist"  and "psychiatrist" are. Consequently, anybody can call themselves a therapist or a psychotherapist without being adequately trained or qualified. As terms such as “therapy,” “therapist” "psychotherapist," etc., are not protected by law, they can be misused by imposters and poseurs. These terms also confuse gullible patients and dilute the meaning of psychological interventions.

If you happen to see someone who calls themselves a “therapist” but is unable to provide an RCI license number, it is a red flag that the person is not qualified to diagnose or treat mental health issues. Hence, the first step should be to inquire if the treatment provider has an RCI license or is a psychiatrist with an MD.

RCI-licensed clinical psychologists

"Clinical psychologist" is a legally protected title in India and can only be used by those who are registered with the RCI and have an active Central Rehabilitation Register (CRR) number. The field of clinical psychology developed through the 50s and 60s in India, and the only program that was in place at that time was the Diploma in Medical and Social Psychology (DM&SP), which was offered at NIMHANS, Bangalore, and the Central Institute of Psychiatry in Ranchi. Later, the course began to be called "MPhil in Clinical Psychology," a 2-year rigorous program that consists of supervised full-time clinical training.

A person may or may not have a PhD, but an MPhil is an absolute essential. Having a PhD in Clinical Psychology minus an RCI-approved MPhil does not entitle a person to practice as a clinical psychologist. Newer courses include an RCI-approved Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Psychology and the Psy.D, a doctoral-level clinical program modelled after MPhil. Many older clinical psychologists in India either have an MPhil or an MPhil with a PhD. It’s important to restate that a PhD does not lead to licensure. Only an RCI-approved MPhil / PDCP / PsyD in Clinical Psychology grants the practitioner to call themselves a clinical psychologist. RCI-approved clinical psychology programs are rigorously supervised to ensure licensed professionals are adequately trained to offer psychological interventions (psychotherapy) and assessments ethically.

NOTE: As of early 2026, MPhil (Clinical Psychology) program is being phased out, and will be replaced by newer RCI-approved programs, which too shall lead to licensure.

Psychiatrists prescribe medicines

A psychiatrist is someone who is medically trained and has an MBBS and an MD in psychiatry. Older psychiatrists may also have a Diploma in Psychiatry. Psychiatrists prescribe drugs and medically manage psychiatric symptoms while collaborating with a clinical psychologist for psychotherapeutic interventions. It is often in the interest of the patient to work with both a psychiatrist and a clinical psychologist in order to achieve better mental health outcomes.

Many psychiatrists offer therapy, especially if they are inclined towards psychodynamic approaches, as some older professionals were. Today, due to the commodification of healthcare and changing trends, psychiatrists find it increasingly difficult to provide cost-effective psychotherapy to their patients. Hence, they mostly prescribe meds.

Psychiatric social workers and rehabilitation psychologists

A psychiatric social worker may offer psychotherapy. However, this intervention is not a substitute for what a clinical psychologist provides. Psychiatric social workers focus on psychosocial aspects of psychiatric problems and offer assistance and support to patients and their caregivers, rather than specialising in primary treatment of mental health disorders.

On the other hand, Rehabilitation Psychologists offer support to those who are disabled or have medical conditions. They undergo a training program similar to that of clinical psychologists and are registered with the RCI. If you are recovering from a grievous injury or a chronic health condition, a rehabilitation psychologist may help you deal with your environmental, vocational, or social problems with the help of therapeutic techniques. However, their focus is not on individual therapy for mental health conditions.

Who is a counsellor?

Similar to the titles of "therapist" and "psychotherapist," anybody can call themselves a "counsellor". Yet, it needs to be stated that counselling psychology is a legitimate field that deals with people who do not have mental health issues. Counselling addresses problems related to day-to-day situations, such as adjustment problems, work-related issues, family, marriage, etc.

If you do not have a mental health issue and are looking for advice or guidance from someone who can help you think clearly, you could seek counselling services. One does not need to be registered with the RCI to offer counselling services.

Coaches, trainers, chatbots...

Coaches and trainers: Anyone can call themselves a coach or a trainer, with or without qualifications and experience. Hence, these titles invite scepticism from established mental health bodies, especially if they claim to be anxiety coaches, “mindfulness trainers”, etc. Try at your own risk.

Chatbot therapy: It’s not psychotherapy unless there is a licensed, trained, sentient human across the table.

Don't be gullible. Do your research.

In short, when we say “therapy” in the context of mental health, we mean psychotherapy. Specifically, psychotherapeutic interventions offered by a trained and registered professional. In India, only those who are registered with the RCI as clinical psychologists can offer psychotherapeutic services to individuals with mental health issues. To keep things simple, here’s what you need to do to be sure:

1. Don't get confused with the qualifications and degrees. Instead, ask your treatment provider if he or she has an active RCI license to practice as a clinical psychologist.

2. Request for their CRR number.

3. Verify the CRR number on the RCI website to ensure the person is truly registered, and that he or she isn’t an unqualified person (even if the person has a PhD or calls himself or herself a “doctor”).

4. If the person’s claims can’t be verified, report to the authorities or contact RCI directly to register a formal complaint. It’s a serious and punishable offence to work with people who have mental health issues without a license. Contact details: Rehabilitation Council of India, B-22, Qutub Institutional Area, New Delhi - 110 016. Phone: +91-11-26532408. Email: rci-depwd@gov.in ; msrci-msje@nic.in

Dr. Jaiyant Cavale is an RCI and New Zealand Psychologists Board (NZPB) licensed clinical psychologist. He practices both online and at his clinic on Residency Road, Bangalore. Call/WhatsApp: +91-8826402788.