therapist

American  

[ther-uh-pist] / ˈθɛr ə pɪst /

noun

1. a person trained in the use of physical methods, as exercises, heat treatments, etc., in treating or rehabilitating the sick or wounded or helping patients overcome physical defects.

2. a person trained in the use of psychological methods for helping patients overcome psychological problems.

3. Also therapeutist a person, as a doctor, skilled in therapeutics.

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therapist British  

/ ˈθɛrəpɪst /

noun

1. a person skilled in a particular type of therapy

   a physical therapist

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Etymology

Origin of therapist

First recorded in 1885–90; therap(y) + -ist

Compare meaning

How does therapist compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• psychologist vs. therapist

Explanation

An expert at a specific kind of healing practice is called a therapist. A massage therapist is trained to soothe sore muscles, for example. The first thing many people think of when they see the word therapist is a psychotherapist, a mental health practitioner whose job is to diagnose and treat psychiatric conditions. This kind of therapist might listen to a patient's thoughts, fears, problems, and dreams and offer helpful techniques or even medication. Other types of therapists include physical therapists and occupational therapists, both of whom help clients with mobility and quality of life issues presented by their physical disabilities or challenges.

Example Sentences

She added that she would "probably need to sit with a therapist", saying that "this is a long-winded way of saying I am not OK".

From BBC • May 29, 2026

She and her husband, Justin, dropped their daughter off at her grandparents’ and rushed to Washington Regional Hospital in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where Waldorf worked as an acute care physical therapist.

From Salon • May 27, 2026

For Valdez, that includes the cost of hospital visits, lost wages as she recovered, anxiety medication and seeing a therapist.

From Los Angeles Times • May 26, 2026

“For a long time, therapy focused on the narrative details of past events, not the emotional memories attached to them,” says Janina Fisher, a trauma researcher and therapist based in San Francisco.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026

“Comes and goes, you know. The crash was two years ago, man! I thought I’d be better by now, but my physical therapist said that’s not how all bodies work.”

From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro

Related Words

• adviser
• analyst
• clinician
• doctor
• physician
• psychiatrist
• psychoanalyst
• psychologist
• psychotherapist