How to Choose a Therapist
Written by Rahyne Motes-Greer, April 28, 2025
The process of beginning therapy can be scary, and finding the right therapist can be troublesome. It is important to find a therapist who can tailor to your specific needs, mesh well with your personality, and most importantly, earn your trust. There are steps you can take to make the process of choosing the right therapist a little less daunting.
Finding a Therapist for Your Needs:
Psychology Today is a prominent website to refer to when looking for a therapist. The website can provide you with as broad or narrow of results as you want, although the narrower, the easier it will be to choose. Once a city and state are chosen, Psychology Today utilizes filters in their results page to help list the best-matched therapists pertaining to your needs. (1) Filters used include, but are not limited to:
Specialties
Insurance
Types of therapy
Age
Gender
Cost
Appointment type (i.e., telehealth, in-person)
The other useful thing about Psychology Today is you can easily contact potential therapists by selecting “email me” or “call me” on the therapist’s profile. This is a user-friendly way to search for a therapist.
Another option for finding a therapist is obtaining a list of in-network clinicians from your insurance company. Some insurance plans are strict about the services they will cover and what provider(s) they’ll pay. Obtaining an approved list can help narrow down your options and ensure your appointment will be covered (partially or fully) by insurance. The best way to get an approved list is through the insurance company’s website or by calling the company directly. (2)
Once you have a list of in-network clinicians, you can look online to see if they have their own website or a Psychology Today profile. When exploring their website or profile, ask yourself these questions:
Do they specialize in what you need?
Is the cost for sessions listed?
Is your insurance company listed?
Has the therapist written any articles of interest?
Reach out to the therapist(s) you are interested in to verify they still accept your insurance and ask whether or not that clinician is accepting new clients.
Choosing a Therapist who will Mesh Well with Your Personality
Utilizing the resources above will help narrow down potential therapists for you; it is also important to remember that therapists are not a “one size fits all” type of deal. Sometimes, the best one doesn’t come the first time around, and that’s okay. Trying out different therapists until you find the right one can help you be your authentic self and meet your own needs.
When choosing a therapist, take into consideration the type of personality you have, and the kind(s) of people you connect well with. For example, if you are more quiet, would you benefit from a therapist who leaves the talking all to you? Ask yourself:
Do I want an assertive therapist or a reserved one?
Do I want someone closer in age to me, older, younger?
Do I prefer a gender-specific therapist?
A therapist should have expertise and educational tools to share with you, but if you do not mesh well with that person, they may not help you effectively.
Trusting Your Choice
The tell-tale sign that you have chosen the right therapist is trust. Trust is priority in a therapeutic relationship because it allows you, as the client, to openly express your feelings, while knowing your therapist will be honest about the therapeutic process. (3) It takes courage to pursue therapy, and having a foundation of trust can assist your therapist in helping you navigate the journey ahead.
Therapy is not always a comfortable experience. Sometimes, it can feel scary if you are processing triggering emotions or issues. A trustworthy therapist will guide you by remaining transparent and providing a safe environment. (4) With trust in your therapist, a sense of safety can follow, which ultimately sets you up for success.
Conclusion
Finding the right therapist can be a process. It can seem daunting at first, especially if you don’t know where to start. Understanding the resources available, such as Psychology Today or insurance-approved providers, and incorporating your wants and needs, can help ease the stress of the process and make the outcome a more positive one.
If you are still on your journey to finding the right therapist, check out Treasure Valley Therapy, LLC’s website to read more about our available clinicians. Call or email us today to schedule an appointment or ask any questions about our providers. We are here to help.
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