Trying to find a therapist can be daunting. To find a mental health provider who’s right for you, ask for referrals from loved ones or your primary care physician. You can also search online for a therapist based on cost, whether they accept insurance, and location. It’s common to see a few therapists before you find the right person. Don’t give up or blame yourself if things don’t work out. Once you connect with someone, you can begin the journey of therapy and the process of healing. It’ll be worth the effort.

<aside> 🌱 Looking for more general mental health resources? Head back to Mental Health Resources.

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How to find the right therapist support for you

Psychology Today: This website is a great starting place — like the Yelp for therapists. You can filter therapists based on location, insurance, approach, demographic, etc.

Alma: This is a great place to look, and is aesthetically pleasing and user friendly 😊. You can also filter specifics.

GoodRxHealth: This article is a helpful guide to finding your best fit.

Insurance company: Your insurance company can give you a list of providers in your network. E.g if you are on United Health, visit here.

• GoodTherapy

• Grow Therapy

• Therapy Den

• Inclusive Therapists

• InnoPsych (therapists of color)

• American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

• American Psychological Association

• Open Path Psychotherapy Collective (low-cost therapy)

• National Queer & Trans Therapists of Color Network

• QPoC Therapist Directory (for queer people of color)

Types of therapy

Common types of therapy for specific areas

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): anxiety, relationship problems, anger issues, stress
• Attachment-based Therapy: anxiety, relationships
• EMDR: trauma, anxiety, panic, depression, dissociative disorders, eating disorders, personality disorders
• Internal Family Systems Therapy: anxiety, depression, panic, phobias, trauma, general functioning & well-being
• Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy: anxiety, emotional distress
• Somatic Therapy: anxiety, stress, depression, grief, addiction, trauma & post-trauma

Questions to ask yourself

1. What do you need help with? Are you changing careers? Dealing with anxiety? You may want to search for a professional with experience in that area.
2. What can you afford? Before you head to Google, contact your insurance company and see what coverage you have for mental health treatment. If you don’t have insurance, figure out what you can pay out of pocket. And if Superbills will work in your situation.
3. What kind of personality works best for you? Think about the type of person you’re most likely to feel comfortable with and respond to. Kind and nurturing? Or someone more straightforward and blunt?