Helping Give Away Psychological Science/Resources/Annotated List of Where and How to Find a Therapist

Overview
This page outlines the main ways to find a therapist in the United States of America, along with some pros and cons of each website. We start with a general outline of the process of finding a therapist, then we offer many links to find the right fit for you!

Start Here:
The links below provide comprehensive step-by-step guides on how to find a therapist that is right for you, as well as provide other information on finances and what therapy may look like. Read one or all! It would be a good idea to take notes on each section as well for when you use our links to find a therapist later on.
 * Finding a Mental Health Professional Steps (link to the National Alliance on Mental Illness)
 * How To Choose A Therapist (link to the American Psychological Association)
 * Finding the Right Therapist - The Ultimate Guide (link to Cultivating Confidence)
 * Tips for Choosing a Psychologist (from the North Carolina Psychological Association)

Next: When You Contact Them
Some basic starting information:
 * Know what type of insurance you have
 * Ask your insurance what your "behavioral health" copay is. This is the amount you pay at each session.
 * Ask what types of insurance they can accept
 * Finding a therapist within your insurance network is a great way to save on costs.
 * If you are not sure you can afford it, ask if they have a sliding scale of fees
 * A sliding scale is a pricing method that is based on your income. Typically, the less money you make, the lower the cost of therapy. This is a great option if you are uninsured.
 * Do they offer teletherapy/online therapy?

Questions to Ask
These questions can be helpful to get an idea of what kind of therapist they are and if they will suite your individual need.
 * Ask if they are licensed and how long they have been practicing
 * Ask what their expertise is in and whether they will be able to help with your specific concerns
 * Ask about fees and what types of insurance they accept
 * Ask what types of therapy they offer
 * Some methods are more likely than others to help with specific issue. Some have more research supporting them. Specifically, look for the words "evidenced based;" this means that researchers and scientists have "checked off" on the type of therapy. This means that this type of therapy is proven to help you get better. Here are a few links of different evidenced-based approaches.
 * List of Top Evidence-Based Practices in Mental Health - TheraNest
 * Guide to Evidence-Based Treatment Methods: An Indepth Study (sbtreatment.com)
 * Resource Center | SAMHSA

Main Links

 * SAMHSA
 * Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
 * "Welcome to the Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator, a confidential and anonymous source of information for persons seeking treatment facilities in the United States or U.S. Territories for substance use/addiction and/or mental health problems."
 * Psychology Today
 * Great place to find a therapist based on many filters, including issue, types of therapy, insurance, gender of therapist, age, ethnicity served, sexuality served, language, faith served, and price.
 * Services offered: in-person therapy, telehealth therapy, psychiatrists, treatment centers, support groups
 * Network Therapy
 * Find a therapist via telehealth or in-person, find a treatment center, or use their resources to get better informed on various mental health disorders and treatment styles.
 * Services offered: in-person therapy, telethealth therapy, treatment centers, mental health library, support groups, hotlines.
 * TherapyRoute
 * Find a therapist based on many filters, including filtering by profession, ethnicity, clients served, issues treated, and language.
 * Services offered: psychotherapy, counsellors, psychologsts, psychiatrists, mental health clinics, telehealth, non-profit
 * TherapyByPro
 * Find treatment based on profession and condition. Offers mental health quizzes to help you decide on a course of action for your own treatment.
 * Services offered: counselors, psychiatrists, psychologists, psychotherapists, treatment centers, holistic healers
 * American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
 * Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies
 * Anxiety and Depression Association of America
 * International OCD Foundation
 * The International OCD Foundation provides a comprehensive guide for OCD with sections including: What at is OCD?, Who Gets OCD?, What Causes OCD?, How is OCD Diagnosed?, How is OCD Treated?, How do I Find Help for OCD?, and Related Disorders. There is also a More Resources section which includes: Fact Sheets & Brochures, Books About OCD, Expert Opinions and Other Resources
 * American Psychological Association (APA)
 * TherapyTribe
 * DBT - Linehan Board of Certification - Find a Certified Clinician
 * The unique value of this list is that Dr. Marsha Linehan, as the Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) treatment developer, has participated in and approved the certification standards of the DBT-Linehan Board of Certification (DBT-LBC). The Board has created high standards and rigorous protocols for assessing and recognizing the knowledge and capacity of the clinician to deliver DBT in the form Dr. Linehan and colleagues developed from years of evidence-based research.
 * You can always ask your therapist if they are involved in becoming certified by DBT-LBC. The certification process requires that they meet certain prerequisites, pass a knowledge exam on information specific to DBT and submit three consecutive video tapes of actual therapy sessions with that same client. These sessions are coded to an adherence standard for delivering DBT consistent with the treatment model.
 * TherapyTribe
 * DBT - Linehan Board of Certification - Find a Certified Clinician
 * The unique value of this list is that Dr. Marsha Linehan, as the Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) treatment developer, has participated in and approved the certification standards of the DBT-Linehan Board of Certification (DBT-LBC). The Board has created high standards and rigorous protocols for assessing and recognizing the knowledge and capacity of the clinician to deliver DBT in the form Dr. Linehan and colleagues developed from years of evidence-based research.
 * You can always ask your therapist if they are involved in becoming certified by DBT-LBC. The certification process requires that they meet certain prerequisites, pass a knowledge exam on information specific to DBT and submit three consecutive video tapes of actual therapy sessions with that same client. These sessions are coded to an adherence standard for delivering DBT consistent with the treatment model.

Find a Mental Health Provider in North Carolina
North Carolina Psychological Association’s “Find a Psychologist” Directory

Find a Therapist - Triangle Area DBT Psychology Today: Find DBT Therapists and Psychologists in NC
 * You can choose as many or as few search filters as you would like.
 * Search engine helps find psychologists with a variety of educational backgrounds, areas of expertise and types of services offered.
 * If looking for a particular type of specialist (for example, someone who works with children or who specializes in addictions), adjust search accordingly.
 * To see a list of all psychologists in a certain area, enter zip code to see a complete list.
 * A resource to find a Dialectical Behavior therapist in North Carolina cities: Raleigh, Durham Chapel Hill/Carrboro, Hillsborough, Pittsboro, Cary, Apex, Greensboro, Charlotte/Davidson, Wilmington, and Fayetteville.
 * Website also has a find a Skills Group subpage.

Low-Cost Options

 * Care For Your Mind:
 * A resource for navigating low-cost treatment
 * Find a Health Center:
 * A resource for finding an HRSA-funded provider near you, whose priority is to provide quality care regardless of one's ability to afford services.
 * Open Path Collective:
 * Find a therapist near you who provides affordable care both in-person and online.
 * BetterHelp:
 * Professional counseling that is accessible, affordable, and convenient. Financial aid is available.
 * Feeling Kinda Blue:
 * A free online community where individuals who are living with mental illnesses can seek support and resources.
 * 7 Cups:
 * A free online resource where you can connect with caring listeners (both volunteer and professional) for emotional support