Counsellor is one kind who works through conversation. For medication or diagnosis, see a psychiatrist or a clinical psychologist. Choose by fit, language, pace, and setting.
Short answer. People in India use therapist as an umbrella; counsellor is one kind who works through conversation. For medication or formal diagnosis, see a psychiatrist or a clinical psychologist; for talk-based help, pick a counsellor or therapist whose style fits you. I am a counsellor in Bengaluru who works with adults roughly 25 to 45, in English and Hindi, over video and in person.
In short:
Words shape our expectations. In India, therapist is a loose umbrella for people who help through conversation, and counsellor is one part of that set, a steady, practical title I use because it matches how I work day to day. Different platforms sort by degrees, languages, fees, or years practised, and labels shift across cities and companies. Expect variety.
Names point to roles. Across India, psychiatrist means a medical doctor who can prescribe, and clinical psychologist means someone who does structured assessment and formal reports; I'm neither, and when medication or assessment looks useful I refer. Many counsellors, me included, work without diagnosis because the focus is how you live, decide, and relate. That is the lane.
Start with the shape. Think about whether what hurts is heavy and constant or whether it surges with work, sleep, alcohol, or a breakup; then add language, timing, budget, and whether you want video or a room. Read a profile and send a short note about what you want to work on. Ask how they usually begin.
Real fit shows up in conversation. Book one session and treat it as a trial; during that hour, notice whether you feel rushed, whether your questions are heard, whether examples from your life are used, and whether you leave with a workable next step. If money is tight, say it so you can plan together.
Hi, I'm Satlaj Sachan, a counsellor in Bengaluru, practising since 2015. I work with adults roughly 25 to 45, in English and Hindi, over video and in person in Bengaluru. Rafiq means the friend who walks with you rather than correcting you. I keep that posture in my room.
No diagnoses from me. I'm not a doctor and can't prescribe; when medication or formal assessment looks helpful, I refer to a psychiatrist or a clinical psychologist, and we decide together how to line up your counselling with that care. If you are a working adult wondering if you qualify, read this: Do working professionals qualify for counselling?.
Safety first. If you are at risk of harming yourself or someone else, or feel you might lose control, call Tele-MANAS on 14416 for India's free 24/7 mental health helpline, or go to emergency care in your city. Do that now and keep yourself here.
Some needs fit elsewhere. For medication, structured assessment, inpatient support, or close medical monitoring, look for a psychiatrist or a clinical psychologist; DocVita has psychiatrists, Amaha runs a psychiatric hospital in Bengaluru, and Mindtalk / Cadabam's offer 24/7 psychiatric and inpatient infrastructure in Bengaluru. Ask what coordination looks like.
To compare many named practitioners, use TalktoAngel, Practo, TheMindClan, or DocVita. For couples and relationship work, try Untangle or Heart It Out. Remote-first platforms such as MindPeers, Manastha, BetterLYF, and HopeQure offer online counselling; Wysa is an Indian AI-first mental health app that can escalate to a human when needed.
My room is ordinary. A conversation, pauses, sometimes a short exercise, and maybe a few notes to take away; you are free to ask direct questions, bring notes, set a boundary, or say you want to park a topic. I don't fix people. Patience with silence helps.
We set pace together. Many people begin weekly and then review frequency based on energy, money, sleep, and what life is throwing at them; if you want a longer read on cadence, I wrote about it here: How often should I go to therapy?. You can always pause and return.
Keep it very small. Write two lines about what hurts and what you hope could feel lighter, then send that to one person whose profile felt steady and book one hour. Leave out the epic life story and the long list of past hurts. You are starting; there is nothing to audition for.
Small moves count today. Open your notes app, type a few words for yourself, add two short lines you could send, and copy that into a message to a counsellor or therapist you choose tonight; if you feel unsafe at any point, call Tele-MANAS on 14416. That is enough for today.
Is there a difference between a counsellor and a therapist?
Therapist is an everyday umbrella for people who help through conversation. A counsellor is one of those people. Some using therapist are counsellors, others are clinical psychologists. Ask how they work, how they handle medication questions, and what happens if you need a referral. Then check language, pace, and whether you feel understood after the first meeting.
Should I see a psychiatrist or a counsellor first?
If you want medication, you start with a psychiatrist. If you want a formal diagnosis or structured assessment, look for a clinical psychologist. For conversation-led work, begin with a counsellor or therapist and see how it feels. Good practitioners refer across when needed and can coordinate so your care lines up.
Can I do counselling in Hindi?
Yes. I work in English and Hindi. Many services support many languages too; YourDOST is often available through employers or universities and covers 20+ Indian languages, and DocVita lists practitioners across 17 languages. Pick the language you think in when you are most honest. The words you reach for matter.
How many sessions will I need?
There is no fixed number. We decide pace together and you can stop or change frequency whenever you need. Many people start weekly and then review based on energy, money, sleep, and what life is throwing at them. For more on cadence, I wrote about it here: How often should I go to therapy?.
What if I am in crisis tonight?
Call Tele-MANAS on 14416, India's free 24/7 mental health helpline. If you are in immediate danger, go to emergency care in your city. Staying alive and safe comes first. You can return to choices and next steps after the edge passes and you have another adult with you.
Written by Satlaj Sachan, a counsellor in Bengaluru working Book a first conversation.