What is a therapist?

A therapist is someone trained to support people with emotional wellbeing, mental health, and communication. They may work with individuals, families, or groups, and in a variety of settings including schools, homes, clinics, or online.

Therapists use different approaches depending on their training and the needs of the person they’re supporting. Some therapists are also trained in specific creative methods like play, art, drama, or movement.

Therapists help people explore their emotions, understand challenges, and develop strategies to feel safer and more regulated. A typical day may include:

• One-to-one sessions with children, young people, or parents.
• Using conversation, play, art, or games to explore thoughts and feelings.
• Liaising with families, schools, or other professionals to support the wider environment.
• Offering emotional support and co-regulation during challenging times.
• Supervising trainees or working within a therapeutic team.

Sessions are often tailored around what the individual is able to manage on any given day.

The word therapist can be used by anyone. But safe therapists usually hold specialist training and have a protected title. By this we mean a title you can only use if you have a particular qualification and are registered with a regulatory body.

Qualification such as:

• A postgraduate qualification (e.g. MA in Dramatherapy, Diploma in Counselling).
• Registration with a professional body like HCPC, BACP, or NCPS.
• Ongoing CPD (Continuing Professional Development).

Some therapists have backgrounds in education, mental health, or social care, and may also have additional training in:

• Neurodivergence and PDA.
• Trauma-informed practice.
• Sensory processing and regulation.

Therapists can:

• Create a safe space for exploration and expression.
• Offer indirect, creative ways of working when talking is too much.
• Help families understand the PDA profile and shift expectations.
• Build trusting, low-demand relationships that support emotional safety.

For many PDAers, having a therapist who meets them where they are can make therapy feel possible.

Therapists shared a wide range of adaptations they use to support PDAers:

• Offering flexibility in session format (face-to-face, online, walk-and-talk, or creative).
• Letting the client lead the pace, topics, and tools used in sessions.
• Avoiding traditional demands, instead creating choice and autonomy.
• Adapting the environment to suit sensory needs.
• Providing options for communication, including drawing, metaphor, play, or silence.
• Being okay with slow progress, missed sessions, or unconventional engagement.
• Framing therapy as a shared exploration rather than a structured intervention.

Some therapists also support parents of PDAers, helping them to feel confident and less alone.

We asked some therapists to answer this question. Here is what they said:

“For many PDAers and their families, therapy can be a life-changing support. When delivered in an affirming, adaptable way, it can:

• Build confidence and identity.
• Help make sense of experiences.
• Support communication, self-awareness, and emotional regulation.
• Provide consistent support when other systems feel overwhelming.”

PDAers and their families often tell us how confusing and unsettling it can be to meet new professionals – especially when it’s not clear what their job is or what good support looks like. That’s why we asked professionals themselves to tell us, in their own words, what they do. You’ll find their honest, personal answers in the ‘What professionals do’ section of our site.

This is a growing resource, so if you don’t see the role you’re looking for yet, you could ask the person you’re working with to fill in this short form.

Please note: these insights come from individual professionals, not official organisations, so you might find some variation in how people describe their roles. If you’re wondering whether a service you’ve been offered is the right fit, our guides to finding helpful support can help.