7 Steps for Finding a Therapist
You’re ready to find a therapist - now where do you look? How do you find someone to talk to? Where do you start?
Let’s be honest - finding a therapist can be difficult. There are so many mental health practitioners out there and lots of different places to look. Admittedly, the field is saturated with white, female therapists (like me) and all of their biographies start to sound pretty similar once you’ve been looking for a while. How can you tell who is worth trying out, let alone who is going to be the right match for you? Where do you even start??
Once you’re ready to start therapy, follow these 7 steps to start your search for the right therapist for your mental health journey:
Ask your current therapist!
If you have a therapist and you’re thinking about finding someone new, PLEASE TELL YOUR CURRENT THERAPIST. We won’t take it personally (at least, we’re not supposed to). One of the hardest parts about this job is getting ghosted. It happens, and life goes on, but ghosting your therapist is different than ghosting that bad Hinge date that wouldn’t stop talking about themselves during that crappy dinner they made you pay for. When you ghost your therapist, we genuinely need to know that you’re safe because we’re one of your health practitioners, so give your current therapist a heads up that you’re thinking of leaving.
Additionally, your current therapist will have a network of practitioners they can refer you to! Even if you’ve only seen them for one session, your current therapist knows some of your background information and what you’re looking for. They can provide you with personalized referrals based on their professional recommendations. If I’m not a good fit for you, I might know someone who is, and if I don’t - I know someone who knows someone who would be a good fit!
Call your insurance provider (if you have one).
If you have health insurance, you may want to utilize your benefits to cover the cost of services. Insurance is tricky, and everyone’s coverage is different based on their specific plan. The best way to verify if a practitioner is covered by your plan is to call your insurance provider directly. They should be able to give you a list of therapists that are in-network with your plan around your zip code. This prevents the unfortunate challenge of finding someone who seems like a good fit, only to find out they’re not actually covered by your plan.
Don’t have insurance? Look for providers who offer a sliding-scale, which is a reduced rate for services. A lot of practitioners offer reduced rates to a few clients who need care and can’t afford the usual rate. Group practices that have an intern program usually offer a sliding-scale if you see one of their qualified interns. Here are some places you can find low-cost therapy:
Howard Brown Health (Chicago)
Therapy Aid Coalition (for essential workers, healthcare providers, and first responders)
Find an online directory that is right for you.
There are a LOT of online directories for therapists - I have profiles on four different ones! Most of them are basic and list the provider’s name, contact information, credentials, biography, insurances accepted, and their specialties. However, there are a few directories that are specific to the population of clients who are looking for care. These are some commonly used directories and specialized ones:
Use the directory wisely.
Stick with whichever you pick! Once you choose a directory, try to stay with that one for your search. They all provide the necessary information you’re looking for, so keep it simple and stick with one directory so you’re not overwhelmed by options and can become familiar with it. Even though I have multiple online profiles, they all pretty much say the same thing with a little variance.
Check the boxes! Most online directories allow you to filter your search beyond zip code. Check the boxes for the area of specialty you’re looking for, your insurance provider (or sliding-scale), and other filters that might be important for you. This will narrow down your search and make your options more tailored for you.
Go beyond the photo! A picture is worth a thousand words…but I’m going to encourage you to look beyond the therapist’s profile picture and actually read what they wrote in their biography. This might take some time, but it will give you a feel for how they speak and the vibe they give off.
Select a few that seem promising.
Just like swiping on dating apps, you might have to go through quite a few profiles before you find some that you like. I would recommend finding 3-5 therapists who look interesting to you. Even if you think you’ve found THE ONE, there’s a chance that they might not have availability that matches your schedule, they might be booked for the next month, or they might not be as great as they seem online (just like dating). Give yourself some options!
Call them all!
Once you find a few options that look promising, contact them and ask for a consultation call. I firmly believe that every therapist should offer a free consultation call prior to the first appointment. Consultation calls are incredibly beneficial for therapists to make sure they accept clients who fall within their competency level and match their area of specialty. It is also a chance for you to ask the therapist questions to help you get to know them. These consultation calls usually last 10-15 minutes and are NOT a therapy session, so they should be free.
Give them a try!
You’ve searched high and low, you’ve had some calls, and you think you’ve finally found someone - wonderful! I hope it works out! Again, just like going on a few dates to see if you like them, it might take a few sessions to adjust to their therapy style. I like to consider the first three sessions as a trial period - for me to get to know the client, and for the client to get to know me. You can always change your mind - which is why it’s good to have a few options (see tip #5). If it doesn’t work out, you’ll at least have a better understanding of what you’re looking for, and that therapist should be able to provide you with more specific referrals based on your conversations (see tip #1).
I hope these steps help you with your search! Mental health is worth talking about, and I hope you can find someone to talk to who meets your needs. If you’re interested in seeing if I might be that therapist for you, please visit the Contact page on the Take Care Psychotherapy website to schedule a free consultation call (see tip #6)!