What to Look For When Using a Therapist Finder

Using a therapist finder could potentially be the safest way to find a therapist online.  There are many services that offer this feature.  But it is important to know what to look for before putting your faith in any single tool.  The therapist finder should consider many of the same characteristics you’re looking for when searching for a therapist.  This will reduce some of the time and effort involved in researching therapist credentials as the tool will have done part of it already.  Typically, a survey is filled out and the tool searches the therapist database for the therapists that more closely match the selections chosen. 

The services that provide a therapist finder tool often have requirements that therapists must meet in order to obtain a membership.  For example, some services require that the therapist have a graduate level education, as well as a professional license.  Many therapists are actively involved in organizations that align with the services that they provide.  As an example, a therapist that specialized in ADHD patients may be involved in their local Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) chapter.  CHADD is recognized nationally as the authority on ADHD and a therapist’s participation or membership may indicate dedication to the services that they provide.  A therapist finder may provide options for associations or networks that the therapist is actively involved with.

Some therapist finder tools attempt to match a therapist to your needs based on your personal preferences and communication styles.  This can be a very helpful feature as relationships tend to be much easier to develop when these styles match up.  The potential for building rapport with the therapist and developing trust may be effectively gauged with questions that measure personal style and communication methods.  Often questions can be creatively formed to provide scores on these that can provide a means for comparison with that of the therapists.  This allows the therapist finder to more closely match the therapist to the patient.

The following considerations are recommended for a therapist finder:

·         Educational background has been verified

·         Licensure status of therapist has been verified

·         User friendly tool, not overly complicated to figure out

·         There is no charge to use the tool

·         Includes questions regarding personal style

·         Includes questions regarding communication style

·         Matches therapists in specific geographical locations

·         Asks about gender preferences

·         Considers treatment orientation preferences

·         Searches for specific access needs (bus service, wheelchair access, etc.)

·         Insurance requirements

·         Language preferences

·         Experience with various clinical issues

·         Experience with certain cultural groups

·         Professional network or association memberships

When using a therapist finder, longer questionnaires are better as they tend to do a more comprehensive search and may more efficiently match with the most suitable therapists.  Choosing the right therapist is vital as they will significantly impact the life of the patient.  The relationship between therapist and patient is a very personal one and it is important that personal styles and communication styles are a close match for the best chances of success.  Much of the legwork involved in finding a therapist can be eliminated when using the right therapist finder.

TIPS ON CHOOSING A THERAPIST