Therapists in California, what the licenses mean and where to look

The Board of Behavioral Sciences licenses marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers and professional clinical counselors. The Board of Psychology licenses psychologists. Both boards offer public license lookups.

• LMFT, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist: one of the most common therapy licenses in California, not limited to couples work.
• LCSW, Licensed Clinical Social Worker: a master's level social worker licensed for independent clinical work.
• LPCC, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor: the California version of the professional counselor license.
• Licensed psychologist: doctoral training, including psychological assessment.

You may also see AMFT, ASW or APCC. These are associate registrations for clinicians gaining supervised hours toward full licensure, and the profile should name a supervisor. Compare credentials on our pages about marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, licensed professional counselors and psychologists.

Medi-Cal is California's Medicaid program. Depending on the kind of care, Medi-Cal mental health benefits may come through a Medi-Cal managed care plan or through the county mental health plan, and the plan can explain which applies to you. Private plans differ widely. Ask the practice which plans they accept, and read our guide to a therapist that takes insurance.

A therapist generally must be licensed in the state where you are located during the session. A California license covers clients anywhere in the state, but if you travel or split time with another state, ask the provider before booking an online session from there.

Profiles claimed by therapists come first, with a "License verified" badge, specialties, fees and insurance. Registry listings from the NPPES NPI Registry follow, showing name, credential, practice address and phone.