Comprehensive Guide to Finding a Great Therapist
Finding a therapist can feel a little bit like looking for a needle in a haystack. Or maybe it feels like trying to find Waldo in those old Where’s Waldo books. In either case, the experience is the same - totally overwhelming and usually information overload. You might start mixing up therapists and forgetting which ones you really liked, and you might even just give up on looking for a therapist at all. That’s what we don’t want to happen.
Looking for a therapist doesn’t have to be difficult, but it can feel that way when you’re not sure if you’re getting a good therapist for the time and financial investment you’re putting in. Here’s a few tips that will help you find a good therapist for yourself.
1. Identify the Issue You Want to Work On
For the best possible outcome in therapy, it’s important that you match well with your therapist. This doesn’t just apply to financial expectations, but also to things like their level of training and their experience in helping folks with issues similar to yours. This is why the first step to really finding a good therapist is to focus on yourself. It’s important to make sure you understand why you’re going into therapy to begin with and (vaguely) what you want to accomplish while you’re there.
And I don’t just mean “because everything is awful.” Like, really try to pinpoint what you think the problem is that’s making everything awful, so that you can find a therapist who is knowledgeable in that area and prepared to address that with you. While most therapists can help most clients with most issues, you’ll probably have a better connection and a better experience in counseling if you can identify your core concern and find a therapist who specializes in that kind of work.
2. Consider Your Budget
Most people probably start their therapist search by focusing on the cost of services, but I actually recommend focusing on this second. I get it, money doesn’t grow on trees and money is a precious resource. But so is your time and energy. By finding a therapist who specializes in your concerns first, you might actually spend less time in therapy and have a better outcome than going to the cheapest therapist you can find. In some cases, you really do get what you pay for and therapy can be one of those areas.
With that said, it is perfectly okay to go with a cheaper option if that’s all you can afford and you need the help. Some therapy is better than no therapy if you’re needing support. However, if you have some time to shop around and a really awesome therapist is outside your price range - reach out! Many therapists will offer some clients reduced fee agreements if the therapist sees that you’re a good fit, but you just can’t make the finances work.
In terms of actually budgeting for therapy, I highly recommend treating the cost of therapy as if it were something like your internet or electric bill. By prioritizing therapy and adding a line for it in your monthly or weekly budget, you’ll likely be more motivated to attend and work on your issues which will also reduce the time and money you spend on therapy in the long run.
Remember, good therapists are working themselves out of a job - we want you to get better and move on with your life! But the same way we maintain our prized possessions (like getting our cars serviced or washed when it’s time), we should also maintain our mental health. Think of this as an investment in your current and future wellbeing.
3. Decide How You Want to Pay for Services
This one kind of falls in line with considering your budget. When thinking about your budget, it’s important to determine whether you want to pay for services out-of-pocket, with insurance, or through a Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA). Here’s a table to help you determine what option might be best for you:
This blog does not constitute as financial advice and discusses information that is true in most cases - your health plan may be different, so you should consult with your health plan representative before spending on services. Your health insurance card should have a number that you can call to speak to a representative who can help you understand your options and explain your specific benefits.
I do not accept insurance so that my clients can expect simplicity and consistency regarding payments. Additionally, I want to ensure my clients retain as much control in the therapy process as possible, such as controlling when and for how long they want to be in therapy and making sure their record stays confidential where possible. However, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has some helpful resources about utilizing insurance to pay for services that you may find helpful if you choose to go this route: https://www.nami.org/Your-Journey/Individuals-with-Mental-Illness/Understanding-Health-Insurance.
4. Look for Preferred Therapist Qualities
Okay, now for the fun part! It’s time to consider the possible options and choose the best therapist available to you. The best therapist for you may vary based on the current issues you want to work on and what’s most important to you - this means your ideal therapist could actually change over time! However, there are some basic things I encourage all clients to look for when choosing a therapist.
Licensure, Certification, and Training
When it comes to licensure, certification, and trainings, the first thing you want to look for is whether your therapist is licensed by the state to provide counseling. Anyone practicing counseling without a state license is acting outside their scope of practice and could be subject to legal issues.
In Indiana, most clinicians providing talk therapy will be Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHCs), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs), Licensed Social Workers (LSWs), and Licensed Psychologists (LPs). For clients seeking help with addictions, there are also Licensed Addictions Counselors (LACs) and Licensed Clinical Addictions Counselors (LCACs).
You may see some clinicians with any one of the above licenses, but with the word “Associate” at the end (e.g., Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate). Associate licenses are given to new clinicians who have completed the educational requirements, but need to gain more experience in the field. All Associates are required to practice counseling under supervision of an independently licensed clinician. Though Associates may have less experience, they are all adequately trained to provide counseling and can be a good option for you (see more about experience below).
Next, you might consider whether your therapist has any certifications or trainings about your concerns. Certifications are advanced trainings beyond the minimum requirements to be licensed by the state, but don’t necessarily guarantee high quality care. Typically certifications are intensive educational experiences that happen over a longer period of time (usually about 8 hours or more) and provide advanced information about how to treat a specific issue or population. Trainings are usually shorter educational content and might be an hour or two long.
You can think of certifications kind of like being CPR certified - many folks know how to provide CPR, but aren’t certified unless they’ve formally taken the class and paid the money to receive their certification. However, just because someone is CPR certified doesn’t mean they’re a good replacement for a medic in an emergency situation. In any case, getting CPR certified is a way to show a good-faith effort to be knowledgeable and prepared to help in certain situations.
Therapy certifications are a lot like this - you can look at them as a good-faith effort to show competence, but know that it doesn’t guarantee high quality care. Additionally, many clinicians know how to treat concerns you may have through experience, but might not have taken a formal class and paid money for a certification.
Prior Experience
Next, you may want to consider how much experience different clinicians have. Generally, clinicians who are independently licensed by the state of Indiana have completed a graduate degree (like a master’s or doctorate) and about two years of experience under supervision. As I mentioned above, Associate clinicians have completed their graduate degree and are in the process of gaining experience under supervision.
Most people will prefer their clinician to have more experience, but sometimes it can be good to have a fresher perspective. For this reason, Associate-level clinicians may be a good fit for folks who’s issues are not as severe. For example, if someone is wanting to explore difficulty building intimate relationships, an Associate may be a good fit. However, for more serious issues like someone who has severe PTSD and is wanting to work through that, an advanced clinician might be a better way to go.
On the flip side, clinicians who have recently graduated are more likely to be trained in cutting edge practices because they have been trained with the most recent research data. State licensure only requires licensed counselors to receive 20 hours of continuing education per year. This means it can be easy for advanced clinicians to fall behind in best practices unless they are actively seeking out training in these areas. A lot of this really boils down to personal preference and what you’re comfortable with - I recommend that you follow your gut, so you feel content with the choice you make.
However, experience isn’t everything and the single most (research-proven) important factor in therapy is the connection between you and your therapist. For that reason, it’s important to ensure your therapist has personal qualities and identities that you can relate to.
Identity and Personality Characteristics
Most clients prefer therapists who look, sound, and live like them. That doesn’t mean that you have to see a therapist just like you, but having some factors in common can make it easier to connect with your therapist. For example, if race has a large influence on how you see the world or what your current issue is, you may prefer to find a therapist who shares a similar racial identity. Or, if you’re working on stretching your comfort zone, you might intentionally seek out a therapist who has a different racial identity than you.
Other characteristics I encourage clients to look for in a great therapist include things like clarity, organization, openness, responsiveness, and humility. Here are some ways you can determine whether the therapist you’re considering has these qualities:
When you read your therapist’s website or profile, do you get “warm, fuzzy” feelings? Do you feel like they kind of nailed it when describing what your life is like right now? Based on what you’ve heard or read, do they seem like someone you could have a deep conversation with?
✅ If you answered yes, these are all green flags. This person is likely resonating with the type of support you may need, and it seems like they’ve probably got a good understanding of your issues and will likely have experience supporting clients like you.
Does your therapist have their fees clearly posted? Do they have information about what to do if you want to work with them even if their fees are outside your budget?
✅ If you answered yes, these are also green flags. Great therapists will have their fees openly available and should have a standard expectation of how much counseling will cost. That doesn’t mean that therapy will cost the same for every client, but if they use a sliding scale that information should be clearly provided so that you can determine where you fall in that scale. Transparency about their work is a good sign that your therapist is being faithful and fair in their practice.
When you read your therapist’s website or profile, do you still have lots of questions? Are you unclear about how to get started with this person or what to expect when you call or email this person? If you reach out to them, does it take them a long time to respond (if at all)?
❌ If you answered yes, these are red flags. I encourage you to look for a better therapist who is more organized, has clearly laid out the onboarding process, and who responds to your inquiries in a more timely fashion.
Does your therapist have their practice policies easily accessible? If you ask for a copy of their practice policies, do they provide them without any pushback?
✅ If you answered yes, these are green flags. Not all therapists will publicly post their practice policies, but all therapists should always provide you access to practice policies before requesting that you pay for services or begin services. Great therapists will also go over these policies with you and patiently answer any questions you have about the policies. If you ever feel rushed or pressured into beginning counseling, you’re likely not dealing with a good therapist.
Lastly, does your therapist just generally seem like a human? Do you get a sense of their personality from reading their website, blogs, Instagram, etc.? Did you find a spelling or grammatical error in their website or profile?
✅ If you answered yes, these are green flags, as well. Therapists are humans! We do our best to proofread, be professional, and put our best foot forward, but sometimes we make mistakes just like anyone else. If your therapist makes a mistake, but is able to graciously navigate the situation or own up to their mistakes, this is another sign you’re working with a great therapist. A therapist who is willing to be humble and accountable is more likely to be collaborative and work hard to make sure you get the help that you need.
And there you have it! Hopefully once you’ve sorted through all these things, you’ll have a great therapist that will be able to help you work through the difficult stuff and support you in a way that is useful. This can be a lot of work, but just remember that it will pay off. And if all else fails, my number one recommendation is to go with your gut - we usually have pretty good instincts, so if it doesn’t feel right you don’t have to go through with it.
Where to Look for Therapists
Now it’s time to locate your potential options. There are a lot of therapist directories out there, but here are some reputable websites that I recommend:
Inclusive Therapists (therapists dedicated to social justice and centering marginalized populations) - https://www.inclusivetherapists.com/
Therapy for Black Girls - https://therapyforblackgirls.com/
Black Female Therapists - https://www.blackfemaletherapists.com/
Neurodivergent Therapist Directory (all therapists on this directory identify as neurodivergent) - https://ndtherapists.com/
Therapy for Therapists Collective (a network of therapists who exchange services for services to help fight burnout in the field) - https://www.therapyfortherapistscollective.com/
Therapy Den - https://www.therapyden.com/
Open Path Psychotherapy Collective (clients pay a one-time $65 fee and all therapists offer individual services at $70 or lower) - https://openpathcollective.org/
Mental Health Match - https://mentalhealthmatch.com/
Good Therapy - https://www.goodtherapy.org/
I hope you’ve found this guide to be helpful and that it gives you some peace of mind in making sure your investment in your mental health will be worth it. Good luck finding your next therapist and I’m wishing you all the best in your self-improvement journey!
Dr. Ashley Burks is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Counselor Educator who provides online and in-person counseling to Indiana residents. She is passionate about LGBTQ+ mental health, sexual mental and physical health, and first responder families‘ mental health. Ashley’s approach is all about promoting wellness through simplicity, building connection, and down-to-earth solutions from a trauma-informed lens.
