A therapist is someone trained to treat an illness or difficulty by working with the patient over time, rather than by cutting or prescribing. The word covers a wide range and almost always appears with a word in front telling you which kind: a physical therapist retrains a body after injury (British English says 'physiotherapist'), a speech therapist works on speaking and swallowing, an occupational therapist helps someone manage daily life again.

A therapist is therapist指的是 someone trained to treat an illness or difficulty by working with the patient over time 一個受過訓練、透過長時間跟病人互動來治療疾病或困難的人，rather than by cutting or prescribing 而不是靠開刀或開藥。The word covers a wide range 這個字涵蓋的範圍很廣，and almost always appears with a word in front telling you which kind 前面幾乎都會加一個字告訴你是哪一種：a physical therapist retrains a body after injury physical therapist是幫身體受傷後重新訓練的人 (British English says 'physiotherapist') （英式英文說'physiotherapist'），a speech therapist works on speaking and swallowing speech therapist專門處理說話和吞嚥，an occupational therapist helps someone manage daily life again occupational therapist幫助一個人重新學會處理日常生活。

When 'therapist' stands alone with nothing in front, English speakers — especially in America — normally take it to mean a talking therapist for mental and emotional problems, so 'I'm seeing a therapist' means counselling sessions. Note the ranking inside that field: a psychiatrist is a medical doctor who can prescribe medicine, a psychologist holds an advanced degree in psychology, and 'therapist' is the broadest and least specific of the three.

When 'therapist' stands alone with nothing in front 當'therapist'單獨出現、前面沒有加字時，English speakers — especially in America — normally take it to mean a talking therapist for mental and emotional problems 說英文的人，尤其是美國人，通常會理解成處理心理和情緒問題的談話治療師，so 'I'm seeing a therapist' means counselling sessions 所以'I'm seeing a therapist'指的是去做諮商。Note the ranking inside that field 要注意這個領域裡的位階：a psychiatrist is a medical doctor who can prescribe medicine psychiatrist是能開藥的醫師，a psychologist holds an advanced degree in psychology psychologist擁有心理學的高等學位，and 'therapist' is the broadest and least specific of the three 而'therapist'是這三個字裡範圍最廣、最不specific的一個。

In American speech, going to therapy is ordinary and openly mentioned; in Taiwan it still carries more weight, so the same sentence can land differently in the two places.

In American speech, going to therapy is ordinary and openly mentioned 在美式口語裡，去做治療是很平常、可以公開講的事；in Taiwan it still carries more weight 在台灣這件事還是比較有份量，so the same sentence can land differently in the two places 所以同一句話在這兩個地方聽起來會不太一樣。

Countable: a therapist, two therapists.

Countable: a therapist, two therapists 可數名詞：a therapist、two therapists。