How to Find a Therapist
Finding a therapist can be hard. You might be asking yourself, “where do I even begin?” Maybe you’ve never looked for a therapist before. Maybe you have had a therapist in the past and are looking to start therapy again. Maybe you’re even working with a therapist but looking for a change. Here are some tips and tricks for finding a therapist regardless of what stage you’re at.
Tried and true: Google search! When you first start the hunt in looking for a therapist the easiest and likely most natural place to start is Google. I recommend searching for counselors/therapists in your area. For example, type “counselors in Bend, OR” into your search bar. Look for counselors that have websites or profiles and referral sites rather than just listing their business information on Google Business. Browse through some websites and see if the therapist meets what you’re looking for.
Lesser known: A great way to find a therapist that is well known in the counseling community but not as well known to the general public is Psychology Today. Psychology Today offers a free therapist finder where you can filter by things such as: location, issues, insurance, gender, types of therapy, age, price range and more. Once you start your search you’ll find profiles for counselors where you can read more about the issues they work with, their approach to counseling, accepted insurance and/or fee rate, and even endorsements from what other counselors have to say about them. Psychology Today makes it easy to reach out to counselors by offering an email button directly on the profile as well as a phone number to call.
Word of mouth: Talking about mental health is becoming increasingly more common which means hearing about therapists by word of mouth is even more likely than ever before. Perhaps your friend, co-worker, barista, hairdresser or anyone in your community has a therapist they recommend. Ask around or keep your ears open for therapists that people in your community have enjoyed working with. But remember, just because a counselor was a good fit for someone else, doesn’t mean they will be a good fit for you and that’s okay! Reach out to therapists you hear about and set up an initial session to see if it’s a good fit.
Referrals: Another great way to find out about counselors in your community is by asking for referrals from your doctor, dentist, physical therapist, or any other healthcare provider. Typically your doctor’s office will have a list of therapists within the community that they refer to and can provide you with the contact information to reach out. Once again, remember that just because a therapist might be referred to you from your doctor, it doesn’t always mean they will be the perfect fit for you. I cannot stress enough the importance of meeting with a therapist for a few sessions to see if they are a good fit.
Now that you have some tips for how to start your therapist search, I recommend you dive in and see what works for you! Try out a couple different ways of searching and reach out to multiple different counselors. If you find yourself wondering what to be looking for in a therapist check out my blog on that topic as a launching point.
