how to find a therapist
If you just googled, “how to find a therapist” and landed here, I’m sure glad you did. You’re taking an important step. Whether you are seeking mental health support for yourself or for someone else in your life, I hope this post can help you organize your thoughts and identify a path forward. This article will cover:
Crisis Resources
Where to Look
What to Look For
How to Get Started
First, take a deep breath. You’ve got this!
disclaimer - crisis resources
If you are at risk of harming yourself or others, you need urgent attention. If you or someone you love is experiencing a mental health crisis, please seek immediate assistance using one of the following options:
Call 9-1-1
Call or text 9-8-8, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Safely make your way to the nearest emergency room
Where to Look
Psychology Today: If you visit psychologytoday.com you will see a “Find a Therapist” search tool on the homepage. What I love about this search function is that there are many filters you can use to narrow your search. I’ll get into those specifics more in the next section.
Your Insurance: If you have health insurance, you should be able to find therapists in-network with your insurance by logging into your insurance portal, or by calling the number on your insurance card.
Word of Mouth: If you feel comfortable, ask a friend, family member, or medical provider for a recommendation. No one is entitled to your private health information, so you can choose how much detail to share, if any.
What to Look For
There is no such thing as a perfect therapist. What works for me, may not work for you. My needs are different from yours and different from your neighbors’. For this reason, it is important to reflect on what you are looking for, specifically. A lot of the time people seeking therapy, counseling, or mental health support don’t know exactly what they’re looking for. That’s okay! In this section, we’ll review some priorities:
Your chief concern
Your sense of comfort and connection
Your location
Your budget
Let’s start by focusing on what is prompting you to seek treatment. Have you been anxious lately? Feeling down? Irritable? Did you recently lose your job or a loved one? Are you struggling with substance use and addiction? Have you experienced a trauma? Are you stressed or burnt out? Is there strain in your relationship?
The list of possible needs goes on and on, but whatever is prompting you to seek support, I know there is a caring provider out there with the skills and qualifications to help you. Oftentimes, people come into therapy with a lot of different stressors at once. Most therapists will be equipped to help you navigate all the interrelated factors that arise in therapy. Let’s just start with your top one or two concerns as you start your search.
Once you find therapists that specialize in the right areas, you can further narrow the list by reflecting on who you may feel most comfortable with. Do they seem warm and friendly? Do they seem wise and trustworthy? Does something about their profile intimidate you or put you off?
It will also be important to consider where you’d like to receive therapy. Would you prefer online or in-person? You can read more about the differences in an upcoming article, but ultimately a great therapist will provide great care in either setting. If you are seeking teletherapy services, it will be important to remember that the therapist or counselor must be licensed to serve clients in the state you are located in at the time of your sessions. You can use your zip code when you search for virtual therapy options, or you can search statewide.
Lastly, consider your budget. How much money are you willing and able to invest in your well-being? Many therapists accept insurance for their services. Many other therapists are considered out-of-network, meaning they do not accept insurance. I help to demystify the topic in this article about obtaining reimbursement for out-of-network services. Considering your budget will help you narrow the list of potential therapists further.
Next Steps
Alright! You’ve found some folks who may be a good fit. I would recommend choosing your favorite 3-5 options, and reaching out to all of them at once. It is good to reach out to multiple therapists for a few reasons:
Sometimes the first therapist you reach out to will have a full caseload or be slow to respond. You deserve help right away.
Sometimes you need to speak with a person to better assess if you’ll be a good fit.
Many therapists offer free consultations these days, so you can take the opportunity to chat with them, learn about their approach, and ask questions free of charge.
Most therapist’s profiles or websites will describe their ideal form of contact, but you can usually call or email using this simple script: “Hi my name is ___ and I’m reaching out to ask if you are accepting new clients. I can be reached at ___ phone number or ___ email address. Thank you!”
you can do this
I am so glad you are looking into starting therapy or helping someone in your life to do so. I know it can feel daunting at times, or even tedious to search for the right person, but it will be well worth the effort. You deserve excellent care. If you want more tips on what to expect when you start, I’ll share more about that in an upcoming post. As always, thank you for being here and take good care!
with love, hlp
Disclaimer: The information in this blog is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for mental health care nor a recommendation or endorsement for any particular treatment plan, organization, provider, professional service, or product. The information may change without notice. No claims, promises, or guarantees are made about the completeness, accuracy, currency, content or quality of information linked. You assume all responsibility and risk for any use of the information.
