How to Find a Therapist

Has life become overwhelming? Are you having trouble communicating with your significant other? Or maybe you’d just like someone to talk to besides your friends and family; someone who can offer a fresh perspective. Whatever your reasons, you’ve decided to find a therapist. But the question is how?

A great resource is Psychology Today. You can search for a therapist by zip code then by various filters such as insurance, issues, gender, and more. You’re able to tailor your potential therapist by things that matter the most to you. For example, I personally prefer a female therapist who has experience with anxiety and family trauma.

Once you’ve narrowed down your options, you can click on each therapist to read their bios including how long they’ve been practicing. These bios give you an initial idea if the two of you would be a good fit. I usually make a list of a couple therapist that I like. The next step is to email or call to discuss how to progress. Maybe after an initial conversation you both realize it wouldn’t be a good fit after all. And that’s okay! Or maybe you decide it could work, and you schedule your first appointment!

At this point, congratulations are in order! You’ve taken the first difficult step in finding a therapist and have officially started therapy! However, after a few meetings, if you don’t feel like you’re connecting, that’s alright and nothing to be ashamed of. What seems like a match at first sometimes doesn’t work out through no fault of anyone. Just be proud that you’re moving in the right direction!