Therapist Near Me: How to Find a Therapist for Mental Health and Individual Therapy
Finding the right therapist that matches your needs can be challenging, particularly if you live in a rural area without many therapists or are limited by the coverage from your insurance. The factors you may consider when choosing a therapist include the cost, distance, the therapist’s specialty or training, and the preferences you have when looking for a therapist in your area. Here are the ways you can get started in your search for a licensed therapist.
Choosing the best therapist near me for mental health and effective individual therapy
When you start your search for a psychologist or therapist in your area, whether you live in a rural area or near popular cities, consider the following steps.
How to find a therapist near me for your mental health needs
Individuals attend therapy for various purposes, whether they hope to work with a therapist to address life stressors, mental health concerns, distressing symptoms, or just improve their lives overall. Someone in a mental health crisis will need a different type of care than someone who is looking for help with stress management. Think about why you want to attend therapy and what you’re looking for in a therapist. You might create a list with factors that are non-negotiable to you, such as:
- Distance
- Specialty
- Experience
- Cost
- Insurance coverage
When you meet with your therapist, they may ask you what you want to discuss and work on in your sessions. If you’re experiencing a mental health condition, such as depression, you might come with a list of symptoms that have been bothering you.
Use cognitive behavioral therapy to improve mental health with a therapist near me
Many therapists specialize in a particular area of mental health, whether it’s depression, anxiety, trauma disorders, or a unique type of therapy like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or addiction counseling. Therapists with experience in treating conditions like bipolar disorder and substance abuse may also offer specific forms of care tailored to those issues.
To decide what you’re looking for in therapists, pinpoint your symptoms. You may choose to do research into effective types of therapy for your condition or symptoms. One standard counseling method is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), often referred to as talk therapy.
Once you’ve nailed down your needs, search for therapists in your area using your preferred search engine. Try to personalize your search by including the specialty you’re looking for. For example, if you’re looking for a licensed clinical social worker, you could search for “licensed clinical social worker near me in (city name).” If you’re looking for a therapist to provide individual therapy sessions, rather than group settings, be sure to inquire about this as well.
How to find and contact a therapist near me for individual therapy
When you’re just starting your search, you may need to contact several therapists before you find a match. If you’re looking for therapists through a search engine, write down the phone numbers and emails of the therapists that stick out to you.
Once you’ve found options, reach out through email or by phone. If you email a therapist, you might say something like:
Reaching out through email can show therapists you are ready to get started. You may not hear back from some but keep trying. Someone could be a match.
How to find a therapist near me for cognitive behavioral support and better health
When wondering how you can find therapists or psychiatrists near you or young adults counseling near you, it can feel like there are no community mental health options in your town. At times, searching for therapists can be challenging. You might come across blocks, such as living in a small city or not having insurance. In these cases, your pool of potential therapists could be smaller. Try the following tips to widen your therapy possibilities.
Online search
Some websites have a therapist search tool that can assist you in finding a therapist in your area. In learning how to check if a therapist is licensed, the American Psychological Association has its therapist finder tool that can connect you with practicing licensed therapists.
Searching for therapists on a mapping service like Google Maps may yield some results. The National Register of Health Service Psychologists also has an online search tool for finding therapists licensed to practice.
Medical referral
Word of mouth
If you know someone in your personal life who attends therapy, ask them if they have any therapist recommendations. You might not want to meet with a therapist who works with your friends or family. However, you could learn about a clinical director or someone’s past therapist who helped them.
Different types of therapists near me for mental health and therapy needs
There are multiple types of practicing therapists and psychology professionals. If you’re looking for a therapist, you may choose between the following:
Counselors
Counselors generally have a master’s degree in psychology. They may be labeled as:
- LPC: Licensed Practicing Counselor, or Licensed Professional Counselor
- NCC: Nationally Certified Counselor
- LCSW: Licensed Clinical Social Workers
- LCP: Licensed Clinical Psychologist
- LMHC: Licensed Mental Health Counselor
- RPT: Registered Child Therapist
- LMFT: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
- Addiction Therapist
- Behavioral Therapist
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapist
A licensed counselor or therapist will go through the city, state, and country-wide licensure requirements, such as a certain number of hours in a clinical setting and a passing score on a licensure exam.
Social workers
Social workers can be divided into two categories (LCSW: Licensed Clinical Social Workers or LSW: Licensed Social Workers) often utilizing the acronyms LSW or LCSW. They are mental health care professionals who may practice social work with social groups, under-represented communities, treatment centers, human welfare organizations, non-profits, or as therapists in a counseling setting.
Psychiatrists
Psychologists
Psychologists may work in a research-based setting, in a laboratory, or as medical doctors in some cases (such as neuropsychology). They may, at times, prescribe medication or perform diagnostic testing.
Behavioral specialists
School or work counselors
Alternative resources to find a therapist near me for individual therapy and support
If you’re struggling to find a therapist due to life transitions or another reason, there are a few options you can consider.
Meet with a medical provider
If you cannot find a psychologist or therapist due to your location, insurance, or cost barriers, you may be able to meet with your primary care physician for some types of treatment. Although general medical doctors are not licensed to provide therapy, they are often able to prescribe mental healthcare medication for common conditions, such as anxiety, depression, stress, and insomnia.
Additionally, a psychiatrist in your area may benefit you if you cannot find a therapist. Psychiatrists can provide therapy, medication, and psychological testing. Although many psychiatrists do not provide therapy services, there may be one in your area that does.
Find a sliding scale provider
In some cases, finances can be a barrier to finding a counselor. If this is the case for you, search by location for a “sliding scale.” Sliding scale often means you can pay what you can afford. In some cases, they may be able to lower your co-pay or work with your insurance company to reduce any financial burden.
See a school or work counselor
Commute to an office
You may consider commuting to counseling or therapy if you live in a rural area. If there’s a large city within an hour of your home, look into therapists in that area. If you do not have a vehicle, cannot commute, or don't come up with options in your search for a therapist, you might consider trying online therapy.
Try online counseling
You can sign up to see a therapist through online counseling in a few minutes through platforms like BetterHelp for individuals or Regain for couples therapy. BetterHelp allows you to search for a therapist through our online directory of some of the best therapists, trained in a wide range of therapeutic techniques, with a variety of credentials including licensed clinical social workers and licensed professional counselors.
Takeaway
Read more below for answers to questions commonly asked about this topic.
How do you know if BetterHelp therapists are right for you?
How do I know what kind of counseling I need?
Finding the right therapist for you depends on your specific needs and goals from therapy. To figure out what kind of therapist you would benefit from seeing, you may want to make a list of therapeutic goals or search online for therapy modalities that you are interested in trying. From there, you can ask your therapist in consultation if they can provide the services you’re seeking. Here are a few different kinds of therapists to explore:
How do psychologists and counselors differ?
The difference between a psychologist and a therapist is that a psychologist has a doctorate-level degree, like a Ph.D. or PsyD, while a therapist has a minimum of a master’s degree.
What is the best way to choose the right counselor?
Therapists and counselors will likely provide similar services, and the most important part of selecting a counselor or therapist may be whether they offer the services you’re seeking. You may also want to make sure you feel a sense of reliability with your therapist and feel that your sessions are a safe space to open up. If you are looking for local help, consider searching for a therapist in your area through online directories.
Should I see a psychologist or a psychiatrist?
How often should you go to counseling?
There is no set number of times per week or per month that someone should see their therapist or counselor. Everyone’s situation differs, so it’s important to work out a schedule with your therapist that works well for you and the situations you’ll be addressing in therapy.
More questions to explore in therapy:
How can I find the best therapist near me who specializes in mental health counseling?
What factors should I consider when choosing therapists near me for effective mental health support and counseling?
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