Finding a therapist in India can feel harder than it should. Titles like “psychologist”, “counsellor” and “therapist” are used loosely, few people publish their fees, and the official registers are not easy to find. This guide takes you through it in order: who does what, how to check a registration yourself, what to ask, and what to expect.
Step 1: Work out what kind of help you need
Three kinds of professionals offer most mental health care in India. They train differently and do different things.
| Who | Training | What they do | Can they prescribe medicine? | Where to check them |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Psychiatrist | A medical doctor (MBBS) with a postgraduate degree in psychiatry (MD, DNB or DPM) | Diagnosis, medicines, physical health checks, and talking about treatment options | Yes | The National Medical Commission’s Indian Medical Register, or the State Medical Council |
| Clinical psychologist | A master’s in psychology plus clinical training recognised by the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) | Assessment, psychological testing and talking therapy, including for more complex problems | No | The RCI’s Central Rehabilitation Register (CRR) |
| Counsellor, counselling psychologist or psychotherapist | Usually a master’s in psychology, counselling or social work, plus training in a therapy method | Talking therapy for everyday and common problems such as stress, anxiety, low mood and relationships | No | No national public register yet, so you check their degree and training |
Start with a psychiatrist if your symptoms are severe, you are struggling to get through the day, you have had thoughts of harming yourself, you notice big swings in mood or energy, or you think medicine might help. Start with a psychologist or counsellor if you mainly want to talk things through, learn ways to cope, or work on a relationship or a pattern you keep repeating. Many people see both. Our guide to choosing between therapy, psychiatry and both goes into more detail.
Step 2: Decide what matters most to you
Qualifications matter, but so does feeling comfortable. Before you search, jot down:
- Language. Talking about feelings is easier in the language you think in. Many people look for Hindi-speaking therapists or someone who speaks Tamil, Bengali, Punjabi or Malayalam.
- Gender. It is completely fine to prefer a woman or a man.
- Fee. Know roughly what you can pay every week or every two weeks, not just once.
- Online or in person. Online gives you more choice; in person suits some people and some problems better.
- Experience with your concern. For example OCD, couples work, teenagers, grief or addiction.
- Timing. Evening or weekend sessions if you work or study during the day.
Step 3: Check their registration, step by step
This is the step most guides skip. It takes five minutes and it is worth doing.
Checking a psychiatrist on the NMC register
- Ask for the doctor’s full name, registration number and the State Medical Council they are registered with. These often appear on prescriptions and letterheads.
- Go to the National Medical Commission website, nmc.org.in, open Information Desk and choose Indian Medical Register.
- Search by doctor name, registration number, year of registration or State Medical Council.
- Open the record and check that the name, qualifications, council and year match what the doctor told you. A psychiatrist should have a postgraduate qualification in psychiatry.
- If you cannot find them, don’t assume the worst straight away. The NMC says its register is still being updated, so check the State Medical Council’s own register or contact the council. The same page also has a search for doctors whose registration has been suspended.
Checking a clinical psychologist on the RCI register
- Ask for their CRR number. This is their number on the RCI’s Central Rehabilitation Register.
- Go to the Rehabilitation Council of India website, rehabcouncil.nic.in, and open the CRR Register link. It opens the RCI’s registration site.
- Choose Search by CRR No or Name and enter what they gave you. You can also search by state, category or qualification.
- Check that the name matches and that the category is clinical psychologist.
- Check that the registration is current. The RCI says only people with a valid, active registration may practise, and registrations have to be renewed.
Checking a counsellor or psychotherapist
In India, “counsellor” and “psychotherapist” are not protected titles, and there is no national public register for them yet. Membership of a private association is not the same as legal registration. So ask instead:
- Which degree do you have, and from which university?
- Where did you train in the therapy you use, and how many hours of supervised practice did you do?
- Do you have regular supervision now? Good counsellors talk their cases over (without your name) with a senior colleague.
A professional who is properly trained will answer these questions easily. If someone gets defensive or vague, treat that as a reason to pause.
Step 4: Ask a few questions before you commit
You can ask these before booking or in your first session:
- What do you most often help people with?
- How do you work, in plain words? For example, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) looks at the links between your thoughts, feelings and actions and gives you practical things to try between sessions.
- How many sessions do people usually need for something like this? (A range is an honest answer. A fixed promise is not.)
- What is your fee, how long is a session, and what happens if I need to cancel?
- What stays confidential, and when would you have to share something? Usually that is only when someone is at serious risk.
- What happens if I need a psychiatrist or a different kind of help?
Red flags to watch for
- Promises of quick, certain results, or a fixed number of sessions to “fix” you.
- Refusing to share their qualifications or registration.
- Pushing a large, prepaid package before you have even met.
- Selling supplements, remedies or products alongside therapy.
- Telling you to stop a medicine your doctor prescribed. Never stop or change medicine without your doctor.
- Judging you for your religion, caste, sexuality or choices, or trying to change your sexual orientation or gender identity. The National Medical Commission told State Medical Councils in 2022 that so-called conversion therapy by doctors is professional misconduct.
- Any romantic or sexual behaviour, or attempts to become friends outside sessions.
- Giving you a diagnosis in a few minutes without asking much about you.
What therapy costs in India
Fees depend on the type of professional, their experience, the city and the session length. Psychiatrist follow-ups are often shorter than therapy sessions, which usually run close to an hour. Our therapy cost in India page shows what verified providers actually charge, and it updates from live fees. If money is tight, read our honest guide to free counselling online in India. Government hospitals, Tele-MANAS and college counsellors are real options.
Online or in person?
Online sessions work well for many common concerns, including anxiety, low mood, stress, relationship problems and follow-up visits with a psychiatrist. Online also means you can choose someone who speaks your language even if they live in another city, and you don’t have to worry about being seen at a clinic.
In-person care is better when you need a physical examination or tests, when a medicine can’t be prescribed in an online-only consultation, when someone is very unwell or confused, for some assessments of young children, or when you have no private space at home to talk.
How Mindara checks providers
Before a profile goes live, Mindara reviews the person’s identity and the qualifications for the profession they chose. Psychiatrists and clinical psychologists must provide their registration. Where a profession is regulated, the profile shows the registration details. The number may be partly hidden for privacy, so ask the provider for the full number and check it yourself using the steps above. Profiles can be paused if credentials change or a concern is raised. You can read the full rules on our provider verification page.
Verification tells you someone is qualified. It doesn’t tell you they are right for you, so look at language, fees, formats and their next open time on each profile. Some providers offer a free first session to eligible new clients, which is a low-pressure way to see whether you click.
Your first session
A first session is a conversation, not an exam. The therapist will ask what brings you, a little about your background and health, and what you would like to change. You can share as much or as little as you want, and you can ask questions too. Feeling awkward is normal. After two or three sessions, ask yourself: do I feel heard, and do I understand the plan? If not, it is fine to try someone else. Therapists expect this. Read more about what to expect from your first therapy appointment.
If you need help urgently
Don’t wait to find the right therapist. If you are thinking about ending your life or you are in danger, call emergency services on 112, or call Tele-MANAS on 14416 or 1-800-891-4416 (free, 24×7). More numbers are on our crisis resources page.