How to Find the Right Therapist in Your Town or City

Many of us are contemplating making changes that will allow our best selves to shine through. And in most instances, we know exactly how to get the help we need to facilitate this change.

For instance, if we want to get into good physical shape, we know to head to our local gym and get help from a personal trainer. If we want to eat better to prevent disease, we ask our doctor to refer us to a licensed nutritionist.

And when we want to work on our mental and emotional health, we know we should seek support from a licensed mental health counselor. But finding the right one can seem overwhelming to many and stop them from getting the help they need.

With this in mind, here are some tips on finding the right therapist online or in your local town or city:

Ask for Personal Recommendations

There was a time the topic of mental health was considered taboo. But luckily, those days are behind us, and many of our friends and colleagues are in therapy or have had positive experiences with their therapist. 

Ask Your Doctor

Suppose you already have a good relationship with a doctor, dentist, or medical professional who honors your confidentiality. In that case, they are a great resource to tap into about a mental health professional referral since they are connected to many people in the medical field. 

Use Online Directories 

There are many services where licensed psychologists and therapist place their profiles about their services.  Psychologists or therapists cannot be listed on these sites unless they can prove they have a legitimate advanced degree in their discipline and an up-to-date professional license.

Therapy Den, Inc.: known for inclusivity

Psychology Today: Largest

Gottman Connect: Known for couples counseling

Do an Internet Search

If you have no one you can personally ask, then you’ll need to do an internet search for therapists in your local area. Remember that often the listing that shows up at the top of search engine results are paid advertisements and that many quality therapists are far from the top of the search engine results.  

If you live in California or Washington and would like to discuss the possibility of working together, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me at david@practicalpsy.com or (650) 378-5217.  I would be more than happy to discuss how I may be able to help or give you some pointers for your search.