How Do I Find A Therapist? Here Are Five Places To Look!
So you’ve made the decision to start therapy? I know it may not have been easy to get there, but starting therapy is such a wonderful and brave decision to make! But, how do you even find a therapist? And how do you choose a therapist that’s right for you? These questions can be overwhelming, especially when you are already having a hard time. In this part of my Beginning Therapy Series, I’m going to break down how to find a therapist. If you haven’t already, make sure to check out part 1 of this series on Five Questions to Ask Yourself Before Starting Therapy. The answers to these questions will help you in the search for your therapist!
An important thing to consider, therapists are licensed within specific states, so make sure to be looking for therapists who are licensed in the state you will be in when receiving therapy.
Here are 5 places to look for a therapist:
Ask people you trust. The first place to start can be asking people who you trust if they know of any therapists. Maybe they have been to a therapist that was really helpful, or have a friend who went to a therapist that they highly recommended. You may also ask a trusted doctor or other medical provider. Many healthcare providers will have lists of therapists they may refer their patients to as needed. If you are currently enrolled in university, an academic advisor may also have some recommendations. Maybe you are a member of an active local Discord or online group where you could ask if anyone has a therapist they recommend. Whoever you trust in your life can be a good place to start!
Look into local resources. Beyond individual people you can ask, you can also ask and look into local resources and organizations. For example, if there are organizations whose events you attend, they may have lists of therapists or connections with therapists they know. Cultural and identity based organizations or groups may know of therapists within the community they serve that might be a good match. For example, an LGBTQIA+ organization may know of local LGBTQIA+ therapists. Some larger local organizations, such as local and state-based mental health organizations, may even have some resources on their websites.
Research through Online Databases. One of the most common ways that people find a therapist today is through online research. Searching for “therapists near me” or “therapists in [insert city/state]” can often find you a range of websites to choose from. There are also large databases online where you can filter and search for specific qualities in a therapist. Online databases, especially large ones, will often let you filter the results. Common filters that I find helpful and direct people towards using are filtering by therapist demographics, concerns or specialties, location, and insurance if applicable. Some of these filters may be more or less important for you depending on your situation. For example, if you are open to seeing therapists via telehealth then you only need to look for a therapist in the state that you are residing in who offers telehealth, they do not need to be located in your specific city. If you are not using insurance, then filtering by insurance is not important. Look through the filters offered at the top of the search in the directory you are using and see what is important for you.
There are a number of databases that I recommend to people. Here are three that I find the most beneficial:
Psychology Today: This is the largest database for mental health providers
Therapy Den: This database is similar to Psychology Today but offers some additional identity based filters that can be helpful.
Mental Health Match: This database will help you narrow down options for a therapist through a quiz.
Each therapist on the database will have a profile with various information about themselves, their practice, and the clients they work well with. Additionally, there will be contact information or a way to contact the therapist through the database, and often a link to the therapist’s website for more information if they have one.
Research Identity-Based Organizations and Databases. If finding a therapist with a shared identity or knowledge of an identity of yours is especially important for you, there are a number of directories online that can help you do this. Here are a few below:
Inclusive Therapists - Therapists committed to Racial, 2SLGBTQIA+, Neurodivergence, and Disability Justice
OutCare Health - LGBTQ+ affirming healthcare providers
National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network - A network and directory focused on improving mental health for Queer and Transgender Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.
Therapy for Black Girls - Dedicated to improving mental health care and wellness for Black women and girls.
Therapy for Black Men - Focuses on connecting Black men and boys with therapists who look like them.
Latinx Therapy - Includes a directory of Latinx therapists and other resources for Latinx mental health and wellness.
Asian Mental Health Collective - Focuses on healing and wellness for people across the Asian Diaspora in the US.
These databases will often function in similar ways to the general therapist directories with filters and individual profiles for each therapist with additional information. This is just a list of a few of the identity based or social justice focused databases. You can always search online for therapists for or with other identities as well. Try searching “[insert identity] therapists near me” or “therapists for [insert identity] near me.”
Look into reduced-rate and sliding-scale options if needed. Depending on your financial situation, you may recognize that you are in need of lower fees than many therapists offer. Sliding scale and reduced rate options allow therapists to consider your current financial situation and charge you a fee that is lower than their typical fee, and many therapists will state that they offer these on their website or directory pages. Some of the databases listed above will offer filters to search for sliding scale therapists. You can also often find reduced rate therapists by looking into therapists who are in training and under the supervision of a licensed psychologist or therapist. These therapists in training will often offer reduced rate sessions. If you have a local university with psychology graduate programs, that university may even have a clinic where a lot of trainees provide psychological services at reduced rates.
One other place I recommend looking for reduced rate therapists is Open Path Collective. By paying a one-time fee and filling out an application you can have lifetime access to therapists at lower rates ($40-$70/session, or $30/session with a student intern). This site functions in much the same way as other directories in that you are able to look at individual profiles and choose a therapist to work with and then agree on a rate within the range.
Now you know of ways to find a therapist, but how do you know if they are a good fit for you? And how do you reach out once you’ve found one you think might be a good fit? I’ll cover those topics in the next two parts of my Beginning Therapy Series. If you’ve come across my website and are interested in starting therapy with me, you can email me at carolyn@carolynmeillerphd.com, call (859) 433-9685, or request an appointment here.
About the Author:
Dr. Carolyn Meiller is a licensed psychologist in Lexington, KY. She received her PhD in Counseling Psychology from the University of Kentucky. At her private practice, she provides virtual therapy to adults with difficulties around interpersonal trauma, relationship concerns, anxiety, identity development, and LGBTQIA+ issues. Carolyn has a passion for working with people who are new to therapy, and has worked with many clients who are nervous about starting therapy.
