Exercise & Sports Psychologist

Psychologists hold a doctoral degree (PhD, PsyD or EdD) and are licensed by a state board. They provide talk therapy and are the only non-physician group generally licensed to administer and interpret psychological testing, such as assessments for ADHD, learning disorders or personality. In most states they cannot prescribe medication.

The formal definition

A psychologist with a proficiency in sports psychology that uses psychological knowledge and skills to address optimal performance and well-being of athletes, developmental and social aspects of sports participation, and systemic issues associated with sports settings and organizations. APA recognizes sport psychology as a proficiency acquired after a doctoral degree in one of the primary areas of psychology and licensure as a psychologist. This proficiency does not include those who have earned a doctoral degree in sport psychology but are not licensed psychologists. Sport Psychology interventions are designed to assist athletes and other sports participants (e.g., coaches, administrators, parents) from a wide array of settings, levels of competition, and ages, ranging from recreational youth participants to professional and Olympic athletes to master's level performers.

Source: NUCC Health Care Provider Taxonomy code set. This is the definition used for billing and registration, which is why it reads the way it does.