Let’s be honest.
A lot of therapist websites can look exactly the same.
It’s overwhelming.
Here’s how I choose a therapist:

Specialization & Continuing Education

No therapist can be good at every thing for every client. If a therapist is passionate about your area of concern, they’ve likely specialized in this topic with continuing education. I look for a therapist that has 3-4 approaches or specializations. Therapists who love their job probably also love learning to get better at their jobs. Therapists who relate to ongoing training like it’s a burden could be perhaps feeling more stagnant or burned out.

Relational Fit

Checking in with yourself during and right after your first meeting can be the very best way to determine fit. It’s critically important that you actually want to move forward with the therapist. Some key questions you might ask yourself include, “Does it seem like I could trust this person? Do I like how they carry themselves? Do I think they ask good questions? Are they empathetic and do I like spending time with them?” (adapted from Jeff Guenther at Therapy Den)

Cultural Humility

The mental health profession is predominantly made up of white people. If you belong to a minority group, you can use your consultation to ask as many questions as you want to determine if your therapist is engaged in cultural humility. Some examples might be: “What have you done to learn about my specific culture? As a person of color, why should I trust you? Would you feel uncomfortable if I talked about how white people have been racist to me? What is your understanding of diverse sexualities and gender identities? Do you have supervisors or therapists in the LGBTQ community that you consult with?” (adapted from Jeff Guenther at Therapy Den)

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    What's Not So Important?

    Research is pretty clear: The number of years in practice & the type of modality used are less important factors. Age and theory don’t determine outcomes, so don’t be afraid to try a clinician fresh out of graduate school or someone who practices a different approach than you expected.

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    Accessibility & Logistics

    Making sure that your therapy office is accessible — that the chairs were designed with you in mind, it’s a ground floor office, and that bathrooms are gender neutral — can be important factors to consider.

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    Safety

    You have a right to your therapist’s license number, information on how to report them to their licensing board in case of inappropriate behavior, and a clear and accessible copy of all confidentiality policies. You have a right to request copies of your medical record. It’s unlikely your therapist will mention this in a consultation, but if they don’t provide this information to you during your first full session, consider if that’s important to you.

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“Therapy is not about becoming, it’s about unbecoming all the things you believed you had to be, to be loved.”

— Dr. Hillary McBride