How to Find a Therapist: 4 Tips, Where to Start, & More

• Therapy improves the lives of those who experience a variety of mental health conditions and symptoms, including depression, anxiety, and grief . However, finding a therapist can sometimes be difficult.
• Once you've identified a prospective therapist, you may want to first assess whether you're a match - that is, whether they're a good fit for your needs, have a complementary communication style, and accept your insurance.
• Ahead, we outline how to find a therapist, including strategies to determine what type of mental health provider is right for you, places to find a therapist, and questions to ask when deciding between potential providers.

Therapy can decrease anxiety, stress, depression, and other mental health conditions . It improves the quality of life for many and even saves the lives of individuals who struggle with suicidal ideation. Yet finding a potential therapist and assessing if they're a good fit for your mental wellbeing, communication preferences, and insurance isn't always easy.

To help, we've gathered resources on different types of mental health providers, where to find a therapist, and how to determine if your insurance company will cover the costs. Accessing therapy can be challenging, but these tips will hopefully make it easier.

While we often use the term ​"therapist" as a catchall term for mental health providers, there's actually more than one type. The different types of providers include:

• Psychologists (Phd or PsyD): Psychologists have a doctorate in psychology and are the only provider type who can provide an official mental health diagnosis.
• Licensed professional counselor (LPC): Someone with a master's in therapy who focuses on individual talk therapy. The exact name varies by state, and they could also be referred to as a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC), licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC), or licensed professional clinical counselor of mental health (LPCC).
• Licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT): This provider focuses on talk therapy for couples or families struggling with interpersonal problems.
• Licensed clinical social worker: Someone with a master's degree or higher in social work who can assess mental health conditions and offer a range of treatments. Treatments can range from talk therapy to community mental health to social work case management.
• Psychiatrist: These providers are medical doctors trained in both mental health therapy and medicine. They have a doctor of medicine degree from an accredited medical school and are the only providers who can prescribe medication to treat a mental health condition.

Deciding which therapist is right for you can depend on cost, insurance coverage, and individual needs. For example, a marriage or family therapist is often best for problems related to close relationships, while the other types may be a better fit for individual talk therapy.

It's important to note that insurance will only cover therapy if your provider is a therapist licensed within your state. Also, only a psychiatrist or a mental health and psychiatric nurse practitioner can prescribe medication . If necessary, a therapist can provide a referral to one of these specialists.

Common Therapeutic Approaches

Individual therapists are trained in multiple therapeutic approaches, and they often choose the best ones based on an individual's needs, symptoms, and goals. Most of these modalities fall under the psychotherapy umbrella .

Psychotherapy, also called talk therapy, is when a therapist talks with an individual about their behaviors, emotions, and thoughts. They'll often suggest ways to adapt to your current situation, get rid of what's unhelpful with your current mindset, or suggest new behaviors and thought patterns in order to improve clients' mental well-being.

Psychotherapy has many subspecialties, and the American Psychological Association outlines the five most common :

• Psychoanalysis: This approach aims to change behaviors, emotions, and thoughts by uncovering and addressing unconscious motivations and desires.
• Behavior therapy: An approach where the therapist focuses on someone's behaviors , including how to learn more supportive behaviors and unlearn ones that aren't healthy.
• Cognitive therapy: A type of therapy focused on how people think, not the actions they take.
• Humanistic therapy: This patient-centered approach aims to help individuals meet their full potential and emphasizes that therapy is a collaborative process between the patient and provider.
• A hybrid approach: Most therapists take a hybrid approach, mixing and matching different skills and methods from the four approaches above.

Alongside talk therapy, some therapists may also utilize group therapy, which is where an individual discusses problems in a collaborative setting with others who suffer from a similar condition.

Whether you're new to therapy or looking for a different therapist, the search often starts by clarifying what you're hoping to get out of the counseling process. This includes reflecting on:

• Goals for therapy
• Specific mental health symptoms or problems you're facing
• Any special therapeutic approaches or provider types listed above that resonate
• Traits in your ideal therapist (ranging from things like gender or cultural background to specific styles of counseling and communication)

You may also want to clarify how much time you have to spend on your mental health outside of sessions. To reinforce the skills, behaviors, and thought processes developed in sessions, a therapist often assigns ​"homework" to clients, such as meditation, journaling on a specific issue, or boundary setting.

Knowing how much time you can spend outside of sessions, as well as what you aim to get out of therapy, helps you assess prospective therapists so you find one who best suits your needs.

After writing down what you hope to get out of therapy and preferred traits in a mental health professional, it's time to research different options. Below are four potential places to find a good therapist.

1: Primary Care Provider

Doctors and other primary care providers regularly see patients who struggle with mental health. As a result, they often have a list of trusted therapists that they can provide to patients. Ask for referrals in your next wellness check-up, or call your primary care provider's office and ask if they have any recommendations they can send.

Additionally, some insurance providers require a referral from a primary care provider to cover therapy. An insurance policy should state if this is the case.

2: Friends and Family

Almost one in four Americans saw a therapist in the last year. This means someone in your social circles or family may be able to provide therapist recommendations. When asking a friend or family member for a referral, ask what exactly they liked about their therapist. Their response can help you decide if their mental health provider may be a good fit for your needs.

3: Health Insurance Provider

Insurance providers often have a list of in-network therapists, providers who accept insurance. In-network providers are often more affordable, making them cost-friendly options. To get a list of in-network providers, head to your insurance provider's website or call their customer service number.

Medicare Part B also covers providers who accept Medicare assignments. While their website doesn't have a directory of therapists who do, they list the different types of mental health providers they cover.

4: Online Resources

You can find many great online resources to help you find a therapist who specializes in your specific needs. Some directories even offer an online portal and/​or options to meet directly with that provider, either on their website or in person. Free online therapy directories to explore include:

Once you find a few potential therapists, it's time to compare your options. When doing so, consider factors like cost, cultural backgrounds, and your comfort level with a provider. Follow the checklist below to compare the providers you've curated.

Check Insurance Benefits

All insurance providers must cover mental health services when deemed medically necessary. This is a federal law , though legislation doesn't detail how many sessions they must cover and how many providers have to be in-network. To learn these details, consult your insurance policy.

If you don't have insurance or insurance won't cover all therapy costs, consider low-cost therapy options. Some therapists offer sliding scale-based pricing, which is where they price their services according to a patient's income or financial aid. States also have some funding set aside to provide mental health services to those without insurance coverage, and the SAMHSA website has a search tool that can connect users to their state's agency.

Online vs In-Person Therapy

Another logistical concern is whether you prefer teletherapy or in-person therapy. Both are equally effective , and the right option comes down to personal preferences.

Online therapy might be right for:

• Those who feel more comfortable talking about their mental health from their home
• Anyone who doesn't have transportation to and from a therapist's office or prefers not to commute
• People with a good grasp on technology and a solid wifi connection

In-person therapy may be a better option for:

• Those who prefer to be in the same room as their therapist
• People with adequate transportation to and from appointments
• Those seeking a structured physical environment where they can pick up on subtle nonverbal cues

Cultural Considerations

Someone's cultural background is an important part of who they are, and a suitable therapist will be sensitive to any cultural considerations, including someone's religious beliefs, race, ethnicity, identities, the way they were raised, their personal values, and more. A therapist doesn't necessarily have to be from the same culture as their patients, though this could be useful, but they should demonstrate some training and thoughtfulness toward their clients' cultures.

Comfort

Before choosing a therapist, make sure you feel comfortable talking to them, since therapy involves personal questions and conversations. To help clients assess a therapist's style, many therapists offer a free fifteen-minute call. During this call, you can ask about their approach and determine if you feel comfortable opening up to them.

While free calls to learn about a therapist are useful for many clients, it can be confusing to know what to ask on these calls. To get a sense of a therapist's style and if you would develop a good relationship, these questions may be helpful:

• What would be your approach to helping me?
• Have you helped clients who have experienced similar issues?
• What does a typical therapy session look like?
• What is your communication style like?
• What timeline can I expect for booking a first appointment and treatment as a whole?

That first call or reach out via email is also a chance to explain who you are and what you're looking for. Ideally, you should briefly:

• Introduce yourself and explain why you're seeking therapy
• Explain what you're hoping to achieve from therapy
• Detail why they may be a good fit
• Ask any questions regarding logistics (next steps, if they're in-network with your insurance, etc.)

While talk therapy can be a powerful tool for healing, it isn't the only way to improve mental well-being. Here are some additional resources to check, many of which can be used in tandem with therapy:

For immediate assistance, contact:

What's the difference between a counselor and a therapist?

The terms counselor and therapist are often used interchangeably. Both are trained and licensed mental health providers who utilize talk therapy in order to help their clients address unhelpful thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

How can I tell if I need a therapist?

Those who have experienced stress, hopelessness, sadness, or another negative emotion that interferes with their work and/or personal life in the last few months may benefit from therapy. If in doubt, bring up any mental health concerns with a primary care provider during your next wellness check. This provider can provide a second opinion, possibly recommending therapists who have helped other patients.

What is the best way to find a mental health therapist?

The best ways to find a mental health therapist are to ask your insurance company for in-network providers, to ask friends, family, or a primary care provider for recommendations, and to search online therapist directories. Ideally, you want to take your time with this research, compiling a list of options and scheduling introductory calls or emails to assess who is the best fit.