Atlanta’s psychology market serves a metropolitan population of over six million with more than 1,500 licensed psychologists operating across private practices, hospital-based programs, university counseling centers, and community mental health organizations, reflecting both the depth of mental health need in a major urban area and the city’s long-standing academic strength in psychology through programs at Emory University, Georgia State University, and Georgia Tech. The city’s diverse corporate and startup workforce creates substantial demand for performance-focused therapy addressing executive stress, burnout, imposter syndrome, and life transitions, while Atlanta’s large African American professional community has driven growth in culturally affirming therapy practices led by Black psychologists and therapists. The metro area’s high rates of trauma exposure in lower-income communities, combined with Atlanta’s significant immigrant and refugee population, also generate demand for trauma-specialized psychology across community mental health and private practice settings. Georgia’s participation in PSYPACT, the multistate agreement allowing licensed psychologists to practice telehealth across state lines, has further expanded access by enabling Atlanta-based psychologists to serve clients throughout the Southeast.
When selecting a psychologist in Atlanta, verify licensure as a Licensed Psychologist with the Georgia Board of Examiners of Psychologists, and look for doctoral-level training from an APA-accredited program as the quality benchmark above the minimum licensure requirement. For specific therapeutic needs including eating disorders, trauma, OCD, or personality disorders, ask specifically about the psychologist’s training and caseload in that area, since generalist training does not ensure competency in specialized evidence-based treatments like EMDR, Prolonged Exposure, or DBT. The modality of therapy offered matters for specific conditions: CBT has the strongest evidence base for anxiety and depression, DBT for borderline personality and self-harm, and EMDR for trauma. Red flags include psychologists who cannot describe their theoretical orientation or specific treatment approach for your presenting concern, and practices that do not offer any form of outcome monitoring to assess whether therapy is working.
Top Psychologist Companies in Atlanta
1. Evolve Health Psychology
Address: Atlanta, Georgia (serving all of Georgia)
Phone: (404) 436-2207
Email: drfeit@evolvebehavioralpsych.com
Website: evolvebehavioralpsych.com
Leadership: Dr. Rachel Feit, PsyD (Founder); Ferran Dennis, LCSW
Awards & Recognition: Best of Georgia Nominee for Mental Health & Therapy
Services:
- Health psychology and medical psychology
- Cancer and psycho-oncology therapy
- Trauma therapy and EMDR
- Women’s health psychology (pregnancy, fertility, motherhood, life transitions)
- Depression and anxiety treatment
- Grief and loss therapy
- Adolescent therapy
- Lifestyle and wellness counseling
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Interpersonal psychotherapy
- Group therapy
- Executive coaching and business consulting
- Workshops, lecture series, and speaking engagements
- Telehealth across 40+ states via PSYPACT (AL, AZ, AR, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, ME, MD, MI, MN, MO, NE, NH, NV, NJ, NC, ND, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WV, WY and more)
- About: Evolve Health Psychology is a specialized health psychology practice in Atlanta founded by Dr. Rachel Feit, who holds a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology with a specialty in Health Psychology from Nova Southeastern University. Dr. Feit completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Health Psychology and Bone Marrow Transplant at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, giving her specialized expertise in psycho-oncology and the emotional impact of cancer treatment, chronic illness, and medical diagnoses on patients and their families. She has held faculty appointments within graduate medical education in Indiana, Michigan, and Georgia, training primary care physicians on addressing psychological needs, and has served on hospital Wellness Committees working with executive leadership to create community mental health initiatives. The practice also includes Ferran Dennis, LCSW, who brings over 10 years and 10,000+ hours of experience in trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, CBT, and EMDR, with a background as a forensic interviewer and expert witness in trauma therapy within the judicial system. Evolve Health provides both virtual and in-person therapy sessions with evidence-based, individually tailored treatment approaches, and collaborates with psychiatric nurse practitioners, psychiatrists, and specialty physicians in the Georgia area. The practice’s unique specialization in the intersection between medicine and psychology means patients working through cancer, chronic illness, medical diagnoses, caregiver stress, and health-related life transitions receive care from clinicians who understand their medical experience without needing additional explanation.
2. Atlanta Medical Psychology
Address: 5555 Peachtree-Dunwoody Road, The Medical Quarters, Suite 251, Atlanta, GA 30342 Services:
- Psychotherapy for adult patients
- Depressive disorder treatment
- Anxiety disorder therapy
- Sexual disorder evaluation and treatment
- Personality disorder therapy
- Adjustment disorder management
- Consultation-liaison psychiatry
- About: Atlanta Medical Psychology is led by Dr. David Adams, a board-certified clinical psychologist (ABPP) and Fellow of the Academy of Clinical Psychology, the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, and the American Psychological Association, reflecting a level of professional distinction that goes well beyond standard licensure. The practice’s location in The Medical Quarters at the Peachtree-Dunwoody corridor places it within the Sandy Springs medical hub near Northside Hospital, facilitating coordination with the psychiatric and medical providers nearby. Dr. Adams’ board certification through the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP), held by only a fraction of licensed psychologists, indicates verified specialty competency beyond the doctorate and state license. The practice focuses on adult psychotherapy across a range of conditions with particular depth in consultation-liaison work, which involves psychological assessment and treatment of patients with co-occurring medical conditions where psychological and physical health are intertwined.
3. Psychiatric Consultants of Atlanta – Psychology Services
Address: 990 Hammond Drive, Suite 525, Atlanta, GA 30328 Phone: (770) 234-0981 Website: https://www.psychiatricconsultantsofatlanta.com
Services:
- Comprehensive psychological assessment and evaluation
- Evidence-based therapy
- Counseling for anxiety, depression, stress, ADHD
- Life transition counseling
- Self-esteem and relationship counseling
- Coordination with psychiatric medication management About: Psychiatric Consultants of Atlanta provides psychology and counseling services alongside its psychiatric medication management program, creating a coordinated behavioral health model where psychological therapy and medication management are integrated within the same practice rather than requiring patients to coordinate between separate providers. The practice’s collaborative clinical team approach, under the leadership of triple-board-certified psychiatrist Dr. Bryon Evans, means therapists and psychiatrists can communicate directly about shared patients rather than relying on records releases and external coordination. The practice accepts 20 insurance plans including major commercial plans and government programs, providing broader insurance access than many Atlanta psychology practices that operate exclusively on a self-pay basis. Services span children, adolescents, and adults across the range of common mental health presentations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I find a psychologist in Atlanta who accepts insurance? A: Many Atlanta psychologists operate on a self-pay basis and do not accept insurance, partly because insurance reimbursement rates for outpatient therapy in Georgia are low and the administrative burden of credentialing and claims management is substantial for small practices. The Psychology Today directory at psychologytoday.com allows you to filter specifically for Atlanta psychologists who accept your insurance plan. Zocdoc’s therapist and psychologist search similarly filters by insurance. Alternatively, if your employer offers an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), EAP typically covers six to twelve free therapy sessions per year with no copay, and many Atlanta psychologists maintain EAP contracts. Community mental health centers operated through the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health provide sliding-scale psychology services for patients without commercial insurance.
Q: What does therapy with a psychologist cost in Atlanta? A: Individual therapy sessions with a licensed psychologist in Atlanta typically cost $150 to $300 per 50-minute session on a self-pay basis, with rates varying based on the psychologist’s experience, training, and practice setting. Boutique and specialty practices in the Buckhead and Sandy Springs areas tend toward the higher end of this range. Therapy sessions with master’s-level licensed clinical social workers or licensed professional counselors in Atlanta typically cost $80 to $150 per session, offering a more affordable option for patients without insurance coverage who still need evidence-based therapy. Many Atlanta psychologists offer sliding-scale fees for clients with demonstrated financial need, so asking directly about affordability is appropriate and expected.
Q: What is the difference between a psychologist, a therapist, and a counselor in Atlanta? A: In Georgia, a licensed psychologist holds a doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) in psychology and can perform psychological testing and assessment in addition to providing psychotherapy. A licensed therapist is a broad term that can apply to Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW), Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC), and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT), all of whom hold master’s degrees and are qualified to provide psychotherapy for common mental health conditions but generally cannot perform formal psychological testing. A counselor is similarly a master’s-level professional. For most outpatient therapy needs including anxiety, depression, relationship issues, and life transitions, a master’s-level therapist provides evidence-based treatment equivalent to a doctoral psychologist’s therapy. A doctoral psychologist is specifically needed for comprehensive neuropsychological testing, formal diagnostic evaluation for complex presentations, and research-based specialty treatment requiring the advanced training that doctoral programs provide.
Conclusion
Atlanta’s psychology community provides adult patients and families with access to doctoral-level psychotherapy, specialized evidence-based treatment, and integrated behavioral health across a range of practice settings. Evolve Health Psychology brings a specialized health psychology practice with doctoral-level expertise in psycho-oncology, chronic illness, women’s health, and trauma therapy, with PSYPACT telehealth reach across 40-plus states and a collaborative care model integrating with medical providers. Atlanta Medical Psychology provides ABPP board-certified clinical psychology services with consultation-liaison expertise in the Sandy Springs medical corridor. Psychiatric Consultants of Atlanta integrates psychology and counseling with coordinated psychiatric medication management for patients needing both modalities within one practice. Contact each practice to discuss your therapeutic goals, confirm insurance or fee structure, and determine which psychologist’s training and approach fits your specific needs.