How To Find a Therapist
by Rev. Jennifer Dawn Watts, MA, CPC
Finding the right therapist can feel overwhelming.
Once you’ve made the decision to ask for help, especially if you’re in distress and ready for change, you may not be in the mindset to complete complex research and it can be difficult to know who to trust. With many large multinational websites with the highest budgets offering the lowest quality or unvetted services, it can help to have other means of ensuring a good fit.
As someone who has been a therapist for two decades that has also lead a team of therapists, I get asked this question often. How do I know which therapist will be right for me?
There are five key areas I cover when helping people with this question: referral source, budget, experience, intuition and availability.
You can use the following information to help in your search for a good therapist, or if even this amount of information feels like too much, feel free to contact our intake department and fill out our one page form, and one of our experienced team members will personally assist you in finding a good match.
Or if you prefer to book based on availability, you can conveniently book online yourself for a free 20 minute consultation or a full one hour appointment to get started on your goals right away.
If you are still in the decision making process, and want to understand more about what goes into a good fit between client and therapist, feel free to read on.
5 Key Considerations in Choosing a Therapist
Referral Source, Budget, Experience, Intuition & Availability
The first area I consider when suggesting how people find the right therapist is the referral source. I recently had two friends in different cities make the decision to seek help, one friend struggling with anxiety and insomnia, and another who is a Mom looking for help for her daughter.
Here’s what we discussed:
1. Referral Source
While many clients are initially drawn to large budget multinational advertising platforms that have a ton of therapists listed, as they are often first on a Google search or suggested by AI, unfortunately these websites do little vetting to ensure the quality of work of the therapists on their platform.
They are usually solely financially driven meaning the higher the number of therapists on their platform, the more money they make, regardless of the quality of work being offered.
This leaves the entire vetting process to the client which can be a daunting task, especially when a client is in distress.
Clients can then experience “choice overload” which can lead to decision paralysis, increased anxiety, lowered satisfaction with the final choice and/or avoidance shutdown whereby the initial motivation is lost in the search process.
When a client is motivated to seek help, I want them to use that motivation for themselves. Instead, what I suggest is this:
(a) Look for a Reputable Private Practice
If you choose a reputable private practice with longevity in the field (of at least 5 years or more) this is a good indicator that they are offering quality therapy.
The therapy practice has to do the leg work of reviewing multiple resumes, conducting at least one and often two or more interviews, and reviewing references to ensure the best level of service.
Particularly if the therapy practice has built a strong brand, they are motivated to continue offering services that meet their standards. If there are complaints, they will usually find out quickly and address these accordingly.
Unlike large multinational platforms which have no instant feedback mechanism such as calling into a Director, most private practices have this built in accountability.
While no therapy practice is perfect, and we certainly have had experiences where there is a mismatch between therapist and client, or we cannot provide what a client is looking for… or one of our therapists is just happens to be human and we fail in some way, you can call into our offices and will hear back from a Director right away to assist with the problem.
Our practice has lasted nearly 18 years in the field and we receive 100+ resumes each year, only hiring 2-3 people to join our team depending on the availability of positions and client needs. We also have therapists that have stayed with us over a decade.
I know of many other practice owners that also take pride in the services they offer and they have been around as long or longer than we have.
The practices that are more financially driven and have lower standards for employment, often don’t last in the field.
Essentially, look for a strong practice that has already vetted the therapist so that you don’t have to.
If you’re unsure of whether the practice has had longevity in the field, or even if they do, if they are right for you, a few more things to note:
(i) At the private practice, what is your Intake experience?
Some practices are training institutes with interns without experience working as clinicians, or do not believe in investing in a well trained staff member to assist in the matching process.
When you submit your intake form, are you responded to within 1-2 business days?
If you have questions, is there a number you can call in order to speak to a real person in the intake department or the therapist you have been matched with, or is all communication handled by email or AI auto replies?
Are you given the option to begin with a free twenty minute consultation, or do you need to pay to meet your therapist for the first time?
All of this will help to inform you on how the practice is run.
(ii) Will the private practice assist you with a transfer if it’s not a good fit?
At our practice, we understand that research has shown time and again that—the fit between therapist and client is a significant predictor of why people improve in therapy.
Clients are often surprised to hear that the modality or type of therapy—in spite of all of the latest trends—is not the biggest predictor of client success. It matters less whether you get CBT, ART or EMDR, and more about what type of therapeutic relationship your form with your therapist.
That’s why we care a great deal about the match.
We tell all new clients to try a free consultation first and, if for any reason it’s not a good fit, to contact our Intake department and we’ll happily set you up with a second free consultation with a therapist of your choice.
Even if clients are several sessions into treatment with their therapist and prefer a transfer, we can help with this to. Whether the referral is within our practice, or if we suggest better options beyond what we can offer.
Our number one priority is to ensure clients are given the best chance to get to what they are looking for.
So, if you contact a reputable private practice, it’s worth asking: What do I do if the therapist you match me with does not feel like a good fit?
(b) Insurance Provider Website or other reviewed source
Another great source for finding experienced therapists is your benefits provider website. Many of our therapists with multiple years experience are listed on websites such as Sun Life and you can see anonymous client ratings based upon client experiences with them.
You can also directly Google a private practice name to see if they have any online public reviews and if so, if there are particular therapists names that are recurring that you would like to meet with for an initial consultation.
(c) Other Professionals
A third excellent referral source is other professionals in your city.
(i) Other Psychology Professionals
If a therapist is full and not accepting new clients, or if they don’t work in the area you’re seeing help, you can ask them—is there anyone else that you would recommend?
Therapists themselves are often a great referral source.
(ii) Family Doctor
You can also ask your Doctor to see if they have therapists they commonly refer to.
Because the doctor has an ongoing relationship with their patient, this is also usually a healthy feedback loop for the doctor to know if the therapist is effective or not. If not, they likely will not continue with referring to that practitioner. If they are, you know that you have an unbiased source you are receiving the referral from.
(iii) Family and Friends
While it can be hard to reach out to friends to ask if they know of any good therapists in your area, this kind of vulnerability can also be an opportunity to bond if you feel safe in the relationship to do so.
Many clients have found my services because one friend shared with another about the significant changes they were experiencing in their life. This increased the bond through mutual experience, which only deepened the growth experienced by both clients, as they could now share in their vulnerabilities as well as their positive outcomes.
(d) Written Expertise
A final potential referral source is written online content. Many years ago I found my supervisor, an excellent Psychologist based in Texas, through his writing online. As I read what he wrote, I learned a lot and I could see that he had expertise in areas of interest for me. While this wasn’t my only criteria for ultimately choosing him as my mentor, it was a good start in getting to know him better and learning what his practice was all about.
If you are interested in working with a Living Well Counsellor or Psychologist, you may want to check out their writing on our blog. From there you can see the areas they specialize and learn more about their unique perspective to see if it resonates with you.
2. Budget
The second area to consider when asking the question: how do I find a therapist? Is what is your budget for investing in your mental health and do you have any extended benefits coverage?
(a) Benefits Coverage
The first place to explore is extended health benefits through your employer and/or your parent’s or spouse. Many clients have between $500 to $3000 per year to see a registered professional. This is often per calendar year, so if you begin therapy part way through the year, it often renews the following January or February. Some people are married or live common law with their partner, so they have extended coverage through their partner’s plan, which can double what’s available if they also have their own.
And some couples have four times the benefits to apply to their therapy.
For example, if Bob works at an oil company, and Julie works at the telecom company. Bob might have $1500 each for himself and Julie through this oil company (total $3000) and Julie may have $1500 each for herself and Bob through her own job at the telecom company. This would mean $6000 total for couples counselling per calendar year. This can help a lot to invest in a relationship.
By making a simple call or two, you can find out how much you have available, when it renews, and exactly what credentials your therapist requires to be covered.
(b) Personal Investment
We invest in our homes, our vehicles, our vacations and our education, so why wouldn’t we prioritize this investment in ourselves?
It’s unfortunate that we don’t teach kids more in school about how to have healthy relationships, how to repair after a rupture or how to process grief and trauma so that we can heal in natural ways. That said, we do have professionals in our culture that are highly trained and often very experienced in helping people with these issues and a lot more.
Prioritizing our mental wellness affects every aspect of our lives.
You are worth the investment.
(c) Outside Resources
Some clients have had family members that were able to help with their therapy costs, others have received assistance from their faith community’s benevolence fund. I’ve also known of a client that collected bottles to help pay for their sliding scale session fees. I have a lot of respect for that.
Sometimes it may be worth taking on a small part-time job.
Although it can feel difficult to consider outside resources to invest in this change, often it is only temporary to get you into a place where you’re feeling better in your life again.
(d) Sliding Scale or Reduced Session Fees
While not every therapist has sliding scale availability, some do. The Psychologists Association of Alberta fee schedule recommends $235 for a 50 minute session, and to charge for 10 minute increments, so this is $282 for a full hour,
Our therapists charge between $200 to $255 for a full one hour session. So this means our Psychologists already offer reduced rates.
Our therapists may also be able to offer sliding scale lower than their current rate directly to their clients, if benefits coverage runs out and their client is still in need of treatment.
I suggest having this conversation at the beginning of treatment with the therapist of your choice before you get started, to ensure you are aware of whether they can offer you sliding scale if needed.
Sometimes a therapist’s available sliding scale spots are full, and you may need to choose another therapist if this is important to you.
There are also training centres in our city which train interns and these usually accept clients at much lower rates. The intern will not have the same level of experience as a registered therapist, however for someone who is in need that truly cannot find any other financial means, this can be better than seeking no help at all.
3. Experience
While experience isn’t the only determinant of whether therapy will go well, often it helps.
I often explain to clients that a therapist is like a sherpa, the people who guide climbers up mountains like Mount Everest. The climber is going to do the climb, but it really helps to have an experienced guide.
Additionally, experience doesn’t necessarily equate to years in the field.
Someone may have been a therapist for 20+ years, but has never worked with teens.
Where as a newer therapist to the field that specializes in work with children and adolescents, and has an experienced supervisor, may be excellent because they have worked with a large number of these cases in a shorter period of time.
When I was a new therapist in my late 20’s, I worked for a large organization that specialized in anxiety disorders. By my early 30s I had experienced the opportunity to help people in many countries throughout the world overcome panic attacks, insomnia, severe hypochondria and many other anxiety related disorders. I was then training therapists with decades of experience on how to work with these concerns even though I’d only been in the field 4-5 years.
Just because someone is younger, it doesn’t mean they aren’t effective. But it does help to know their level of experience in the area you’re seeking help, and it’s totally appropriate to ask.
4. Intuition
The most important thing to consider above all else when choosing a therapist: trust your intuition.
Sometimes there is something about the person’s picture that you’re drawn to, or the practice website. Other times it’s how they’ve written their bio or a review that you’ve read about their work. There are many ways people ultimately find the therapist that is a good fit for them, to me intuition is often the most powerful.
You are the expert on your own life.
You will know what personality type you’re drawn to, and ultimately how you feel in that therapists’ presence. And you usually can tell, if given the time to check in with yourself, if something feels “off”.
If you’re not 100% sure, here are some questions that could help you tap into how you feel:
- Do you feel welcomed and accepted? Or do you feel judged?
- Is the therapist hearing what your goals are, and willing to tailor their treatment plan to what you need, or does it feel more like a ‘one size fits all’ approach?
- How did you feel after the 20 minute consultation? Are you feeling hopeful? Or is something nudging you to move on and try another fit?
Some anxiety is normal when meeting your potential therapist for the first time. But if it really doesn’t feel like a match to you, don’t be afraid to meet with a few other professionals before making your decision.
5. Availability
The final area to consider is your therapist of choice’s availability.
Sometimes clients want to get in right away and are urgently seeking help because they are in distress. However the therapists that are great at what they do, can often be booked up several months in advance.
Just because someone is available and can fit you in right away, doesn’t not guarantee they are the best fit.
Ask yourself:
- Am I willing to wait on the person’s waitlist if I believe it’s quality therapy, or is working with someone sooner important to me so that I don’t lose motivation?
- Do I have a second or third choice if the therapist that I’m hoping for is unavailable?
- If not, can the person in the intake department help me to find other options?
I believe that there are several therapists that could be helpful to you, just as I have found in my own journey as well. Each offers a unique lens to what you are facing, and methodologies that all have merit. It’s great to work with a therapist who specializes in Somatic Experiencing, but you may also benefit from EMDR or CBT. So just know that while you’re looking for a good fit, it doesn’t have to be a perfect fit, and it’s likely that there is more than one therapist out there who can meet your needs.
If you need to capitalize on your motivation and need help right away, you may need to accept working with a therapist that wasn’t your first choice, but may still be very good at what they do.
I understand choosing a therapist can feel like a daunting task, so I hope you’ve found this information helpful.
If you need further assistance or would like to be be matched with a Living Well therapist, feel free to fill out our one page Intake Form and you will be contacted shortly. While we aim to respond to all requests within one business day, sometimes we take up to 48 hours depending on the volume of intake we receive.
If you know who you’d like to meet with and are ready to book, you can book using our easy to use online booking platform.
