Are Therapy and Counseling the Same Thing?

While therapy and counseling aren’t necessarily the same thing by definition, they do intersect when it comes to mental health.

According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of therapy is “medical treatment of impairment, injury, disease, or disorder”, and the definition of counseling is “professional guidance of the individual by utilizing psychological methods especially in collecting case history data, using various techniques of the personal interview, and testing interests and aptitudes.” By definition, therapy can pertain to many treatments or modalities by a vast number of medical providers, not just counselors. However, the definition of counseling is solely focused on using psychological methods, which would include counseling.

So, are therapy and counseling the same thing? It appears that counseling could fall into the definition of therapy since it is an intervention. Most, if not all, insurance companies will only pay for counseling if there is a medical necessity, thereby fitting into the definition of therapy. That may answer the proposed question.

Now that definition is established, counseling and therapy can offer the same benefits of providing a space for an individual to work through mental health issues. Both therapy and counseling are conducted by licensed professionals that are specialists in mental health disorders and the modalities to work through them. Generally, therapists and counselors do not prescribe medications but can refer out to a prescribing provider and work alongside them. It is important for the therapist and prescriber to work together to help the individual receive the best care possible.

Counseling and therapy are obviously used interchangeably to mean the same treatment, and most individuals will understand the reference with both terms. However, there are regions in the country that prefer to use one term over the other, and therefore would not use ‘therapy’ when referring to counseling. Further explanation may be warranted if you are in a region that is familiar with the term ‘counseling’ and not ‘therapy’ when referencing mental health services. One way to gain a heads-up on the common term would be to look at the licensing title of the provider. Is it an LPCC, LMHC, LPC? If so, then counseling would be the go-to term. Is it MFT? Then therapy would be understood as an alternative term for. If it is Psy.D or LCSW, ask what they prefer.