In short

Who is who

Three different roles get called "therapist" in everyday speech, and in Mumbai you will meet all three.They train differently, and they are allowed to do different things.Only a psychiatrist, who is a medical doctor, can prescribe medicines or arrange hospital care.Only a clinical psychologist is trained to carry out formal psychological testing.Counsellors and psychotherapists vary widely in what they trained in, and they sit on neither public register, so it is worth asking them directly.Two registers are public and free to search: the Indian Medical Register for doctors, and the Central Rehabilitation Register for clinical psychologists.Asking anyone for a qualification and a registration number before you book is an ordinary request.Knowing which of the three you are speaking to makes every other question on this page easier to ask.

Psychiatrist

A medical doctor. MBBS first, then a postgraduate qualification in psychiatry such as MD, DPM or DNB. A psychiatrist can assess, prescribe medicines, arrange hospital care, and look into physical causes of a mental health problem. Many psychiatrists also do psychotherapy.

Clinical psychologist

A postgraduate qualification in clinical psychology, most often an MPhil in Clinical Psychology or a PsyD, together with registration from the Rehabilitation Council of India. A clinical psychologist does psychological assessment and testing, and psychotherapy. They do not prescribe medicines.

Counsellor or psychotherapist

Training here varies a great deal. Some hold a master's degree in psychology or counselling. Some hold a diploma or certificate in one therapy method. What the person actually trained in is worth asking about directly.

A longer comparison

What each one costs and who to start with is set out in the guide to psychiatrist vs psychologist in India.

The two registers

How to check a registration

Two official registers are public and free to search. Looking someone up takes a few minutes.

Doctors, including psychiatrists

The National Medical Commission publishes the Indian Medical Register, which lists doctors registered with the state medical councils across India. You can search by name, by registration number, by year of registration, or by state medical council.

Clinical psychologists

The Rehabilitation Council of India is a statutory body. It keeps the Central Rehabilitation Register of qualified professionals working in rehabilitation and special education, which is where clinical psychologists are registered. The register can be searched from the CRR section of the RCI website.

Asking a practitioner for their qualification and registration number is a normal request, not a rude one. You are allowed to ask before you book.

What to look for

What careful, ordinary practice looks like

None of these is a test anyone has to pass perfectly. Together they describe careful, ordinary practice.

Qualifications you can verify

the degree named in full, not just initials
where it was studied
the council they are registered with
a registration number you can look up

Clear fees before you start

what one session costs
how long a session runs
whether a first or longer session costs more
what happens if you cancel

A plan and a review point

what the work is aiming at
roughly how often you would meet
when you will both stop and check whether it is helping

Consent and confidentiality explained

what gets written down
who can see those notes
what would be shared with family, and when
the limits, which usually involve safety

A language you can think in

Feelings arrive first in the language you grew up with. If you would rather speak Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati or another language, ask before you book.

Practical fit with your week

travel time across Mumbai on a working day
timings that survive your job or your studies
whether online sessions are offered as well

The first conversation

Questions worth asking in a first conversation

You can ask these on the phone, on WhatsApp, or in the first session. They are ordinary questions.

What is your qualification, and where are you registered?
Have you worked with concerns like mine before?
What kind of therapy do you use, and why that one here?
How long is a session, how often would we meet, and what does it cost?
How will we know whether this is helping? When would we review it?
What stays private, and what would you have to share, and with whom?
What happens if medicines or a medical opinion turn out to be part of the picture?
How would you feel about my getting a second opinion later?

The answers matter, and so does the manner. A person who takes the questions calmly is telling you something useful.

Worth pausing on

Signs worth pausing on

None of these proves anything on its own. Each is a reason to slow down and ask more.

A guaranteed cure, or a promise about how you will feel by a certain date.
A fixed number of sessions quoted before the person knows anything about you.
Fees, qualifications or registration that stay vague after you have asked plainly.
Pressure to buy a long package, or to decide the same day.
Your private information discussed with other people without your permission.
Discomfort when you mention wanting a second opinion.
Contact that drifts into personal friendship, business, or anything that feels outside the work.

It is your care. Asking more questions is allowed, and so is stopping.

Fit and changing

Fit matters, and changing is normal

Two people can both be well qualified, and only one may feel like someone you can think out loud with. That is not a failure on either side.

Give it a little time

Early sessions are often awkward. A few of them give a fairer sense of whether the work is going somewhere than a single one does.

Saying it is reasonable

If it still does not fit, you can say so. Changing therapists is a normal part of how people find the right help, not something to apologise for.

A practitioner who says "I am not the right person for this, here is who might be" is showing you a strength. A good referral is part of good care.

Keep reading

Where to read more

Who does what

Psychiatrist vs psychologist in India, a longer comparison of the roles and where each one starts.

Kinds of therapy

Types of therapy, a plain guide to what the different methods actually involve.

If cost is the problem

Free and low-cost mental health support in Mumbai, a checked list of helplines and government clinics.

Questions about medicines

The medication FAQ answers common worries about psychiatric medicines in plain language.

What you are entitled to

Your rights sets out what you can expect from anyone providing mental health care.

If it is urgent

Emergency help lists what to do and who to call when something cannot wait.

Finding a good therapist in Mumbai