Finding A Therapist
Before Starting Your Search it can be helpful to answer a few questions for yourself:
What am I looking for in a therapist?
What do I want help with? (e.g. anxiety, sleep, mood, adjustment to college or graduation, relationship issues, trauma, family relationships, and learning difficulties are some common things people want help with...)
Individual, relationship/couples, or group therapy?
In-person or remote/telehealth?
Do I want someone with specific skills or experience? (e.g. cognitive behavioral training, experience with sexual trauma, etc.)
Do I want the provider I chose to hold particular identities or serve a particular population?
Do I want to use my insurance?
Use the Checking Your Insurance Worksheet to understand your coverage and possible out-of-network benefits.
Helpful Search Tools
Once you have a sense of what you are seeking, you can use the Psychology Today Find a Therapist tool to help you find a therapist in your area.
Go to Psychology Today webpage: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists
Click on "Find a Therapist" or scroll down to the "Find a Therapist" search bar
Enter your zip code (or neighborhood if you are in larger place)
Use the filter to choose your insurance (if you are using insurance)
It may be helpful to check out other Mental Health Provider Directories, such as:
Melanin and Mental Health Directory
National Queer & Trans Therapists of Color Network
Therapy for Black Girls Directory
Therapy for Black Men Directory
Asian Mental Health Collective Directory
National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association
South Asian Mental Health Initiative and Network Provider Directory
Black Emotional and Mental Health (BEAM) Virtual Therapist Network
Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation Resource Directory
Black Mental Health Alliance Database
Tips for Choosing a Therapist
If you choose, many directories allow you to filter by therapy type, gender, and many other categories. If you do not have specific requirements, it can be a good idea to start with a wide search and refine if too many results come back.
Read about therapists who interest you. Choose three or four that you are interested in exploring further. Some therapists also have video introductions!
Call or email (usually easier) the therapist using the information listed on their profile.
If you choose email, you may see a form to complete. You can write “I’m a college student looking for help with (my mood, stress around my classes, difficulty with my friends, worry about my future, etc).” You may include days that work best for you or times that will never work. Include your insurance type as well. If you call, you may want to leave similar information, and be sure to say when you might be available for a return call. Make sure your voicemail is set up. ****Remember that email and voicemail may not be private/secure ***
You may need to follow up a second time, as many therapists are solo practitioners and handle all their email and phone calls after their workday. Be persistent. If someone does not return your call or email after two tries, consider looking for another person.
If you use your insurance website, you will see ALL therapists who accept your insurance, however these lists are updated infrequently and depending on the insurance, less information may be available about individual providers (You can look up more info about providers referred by your insurance using the Psychology Today Find a Therapist tool also)
Some therapists offer free consultations from 15-30 minutes. Consider using these free consultations to find a good match!
For more info on finding a therapist (including questions to ask the therapist), check out these resources: https://theshrinkspace.com/faqs