therapist

noun

ther·​a·​pist ˈther-ə-pist 

1

: an individual specializing in the therapeutic medical treatment of impairment, injury, disease, or disorder

especially : a health care professional trained in methods of treatment and rehabilitation other than the use of drugs or surgery

These simple range-of-motion exercises are often prescribed by physical, occupational, or hand therapists for people with hand OA [=osteoarthritis].

—Food & Fitness Advisor

To help the baby interact with his family, a speech therapist taught everyone—including Justin's twin brother, Jeffery—hand signals and games.

—Michele Blecher

2

: a practitioner of psychotherapy : a psychotherapist

Again, it is important for the therapist to recognize that regression is normative due to the extreme stress of separation and divorce.

—Nathan W. Turner

Examples of therapist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The burning question: Can a chatbot really compare to a human therapist? —Zoya Hasan, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025

Writer-director Mary Bronstein’s Montauk-set film is not always an easy one to sit through, placing the viewer at claustrophobic proximity to Byrne’s Linda, a therapist with a young daughter with a mysterious eating disorder, who is struggling to retain her grip. —Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 21 July 2025

Support for emotional dysregulation and crashing out could involve seeing a therapist to learn new coping skills or engaging in therapies as mentioned above. —Angelica Bottaro, Verywell Health, 20 July 2025

Hulu Renewed for a third season, Harrison Ford and Jason Segel lead the series about a grieving therapist trying to get his life back on track. —Danielle Directo-Meston, HollywoodReporter, 18 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1880, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing therapist

• behavioral therapist
• massage therapist
• physical therapist

Rhymes for therapist

• physiotherapist
• psychotherapist

Kids Definition

therapist

noun

ther·​a·​pist ˈther-ə-pəst 

: a person who specializes in therapy

especially : a person trained in methods of treatment other than the use of drugs or surgery

a speech therapist

Medical Definition

therapist

noun

ther·​a·​pist ˈther-ə-pəst 

: a person specializing in therapy

especially : one trained in methods of treatment and rehabilitation other than the use of drugs or surgery