There may also be a maximum lifetime amount, but usually this is only relevant if you are going to be hospitalized or if you are planning to see your therapist for more than ten years. Usually insurance companies will reimburse for the services of any licensed mental health professional, including psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers. Depending on the circumstances and which state you're in there may be a separate category for nurse practitioners, addictions counselors, or mental health counselors and insurance companies may also reimburse for them. It is important to know this before you schedule your first session, otherwise you will be scrambling to get this information afterwards and may be obligated to pay the full cost of something you thought your insurance company would completely or partly reimburse. There are some differences in the kind of mental health providers available in the United States that would be helpful for you to know as you begin to look for your own therapist.
Psychiatrists are physicians with specialized training in mental health.
These residencies are always based in hospitals, so psychiatrists are most thoroughly trained in the most severe mental health problems, but usually there are affiliated clinics where they get experience working with people who have less acute and severe problems during the last year of their training. Sometimes psychiatrists will take further training after residency in specialty areas like geriatrics or psychoanalysis. These training programs have unique requirements and you should ask if you want to know about them. Psychologists have training specifically in human behavior. Usually a one year internship follows or may be integrated into the program.