Most therapist directories let anyone with a credit card create a listing, then show a badge that means little more than "paid." We do it the other way around. Verification on Psychology.com starts from the federal NPI Registry, the U.S. government's identifier record for healthcare providers (an NPI number is not proof of a license), and every matched profile is dated so you know how current the check is.
What the two badges mean
License verified means we looked the therapist up on their state licensing board's public lookup, saw an active license in their name, and recorded the board, the status, the expiry the board shows and the day we looked. An NPI registry match means we matched the therapist to their entry in the National Provider Identifier (NPI) Registry, confirmed the profession on record there (which is not a check of license standing), and stamped the date we did it. The board check describes license standing on the day we looked. The registry match describes identity and the profession on record, and says nothing about standing. Neither is an endorsement of a particular therapist for your particular situation. That fit decision is always yours.
The steps behind every verified profile
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We match the therapist to the federal NPI Registry
The National Provider Identifier is a unique 10-digit number the U.S. government assigns to healthcare providers through NPPES, the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System. Holding one does not establish licensure. We match the therapist's name and credentials to their official NPI record.
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We confirm the profession on record
The registry records each provider's taxonomy, the profession on record, such as Clinical Social Worker, Marriage and Family Therapist, or Professional Counselor. We confirm it matches what the profile claims, so the credentials you see are the credentials the government has on record. The registry does not say whether a license is current, so this match is never a license check.
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We check the license with the state board
Where the state board offers a public lookup, we search it for the therapist, confirm the license is active, and record the board, the status, the expiry date and the day we looked. A profile whose license we could not confirm keeps the registry match only.
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We date-stamp the check
Every profile shows the exact date of each check. A trust signal with no date is just a sticker; ours tells you how fresh the check actually is.
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You can verify it yourself
Each profile links to that therapist's public entry in the federal NPI Registry, and a License verified profile also links to the state board's lookup page. You never have to take our word for it, the source is one click away.
Why this is different from a paid badge
- It is official, not internal. Verification points to a U.S. government registry and to the state licensing board, not a private seal only we can see.
- It cannot be bought. The checks are the same for every member and reflect what the registry and the board show, nothing else.
- The check has no separate fee. It is part of membership, and correcting or removing an older listing never costs anything.
- It is dated and independently checkable. You see when we checked, and you can confirm it at the source yourself.
Therapists in Canada
Canadian clinicians have no NPI, so a Canadian profile carries no registry match. Instead we check the registration number the therapist gives us against the public register of their regulatory college: in Ontario the College of Registered Psychotherapists (CRPO), the College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts (CPBAO) or the College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW); in British Columbia the College of Health and Care Professionals of BC for psychologists, the BC College of Social Workers, or the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors for the voluntary RCC designation; in Alberta the College of Alberta Psychologists or the Alberta College of Social Workers. A profile that passes shows Registration verified with the college and the date, and links to the register. Until the check is done the profile carries no seal.
What the badges do not mean
A License verified badge confirms license standing with the state board on the day of the check. An NPI registry match confirms identity and the profession on record, and says nothing about standing. Neither is a recommendation for your specific needs, and a listing in our directory is not an endorsement. For the single most authoritative and current record of a therapist's licensure and standing, you can also check the licensing board in the state where they practice. If anything on a profile looks out of date, tell us and we will look into it.
For therapists
If this is your listing, you can claim it; publishing requires membership, and correcting or removing an older listing is free. The registry match runs when you submit, the board check follows, and there is no way to buy either badge. Keeping your details current takes a minute and helps the right clients reach you.
Coaches are not licensed, so the board check does not apply to them. Coaches on Psychology.com go through the Verified Coach Standard instead: an independent review of training, supervision hours and ethics commitments. If you are deciding between a coach and a therapist, our guide to life coaches versus therapists draws the line.