How to choose a mental health professional

Whether you’re coping with stress, working through trauma, managing a difficult relationship, or experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition, a mental health professional can help. Finding a provider with the right expertise to meet your needs is important. Following these steps can make it easier to determine what kind of mental health support is ideal for you.

1. Evaluate your goals and needs: Determine your most important needs before you begin looking for a mental health professional. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Are you experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition like depression or anxiety?
• Are you recovering from a traumatic event?
• Are you grieving?
• Are you struggling with a relationship?
• Are you coping with extreme stress?

Take the time to briefly write a description of what you hope to gain from meeting with a mental health professional. Putting your goals into words can help you identify which providers are best able to meet your needs.

2. Get familiar with the types of practitioners: Mental health practitioners have varied areas of expertise. Deciding which kind of professional is right for you is an important step in choosing a mental health provider. Provider types include:

• Psychiatrists: A psychiatrist earns a medical doctoral degree and receives training in diagnosing and treating mental health conditions. Psychiatrists also have the necessary education and licensure to prescribe medications. Some psychiatrists also provide talk therapy to their patients, but some may refer patients to other mental health professionals for these services instead.
  
• Psychologists: A psychologist is a mental health professional who has a doctoral-level degree in psychology. Psychologists conduct evaluations to diagnose mental health conditions and provide psychotherapy services. A few states may allow licensed psychologists to prescribe medications as well. In other states, psychologists refer patients to other medical providers if they believe they would benefit from medication.
• Counselors: A counselor must earn a master’s degree in counseling and licensure to practice different types of talk therapy. Counselors usually focus on providing long-term counseling services as part of a mental health treatment plan. People may see counselors when struggling with relationships, grief, stress, decision-making or other issues. Like psychiatrists and psychologists, counselors are trained to diagnose and treat mental health conditions. However, they aren’t licensed to prescribe medications, so they must work on a team with a prescriber or refer their patients to a professional who can offer that service.
• Social workers: Like counselors, licensed social workers must earn a master’s degree and attain licensure. They are most often trained to work in a larger system, such as a hospital or social services agency. They may also provide therapy in a private setting. Social workers are skilled at connecting people with government, educational, medical and community programs, and resources that may benefit them. For example, they may help clients find affordable housing, psychological services or employment.

3. Consider types of therapy: Mental health professionals often specialize in one or more forms of therapy. Knowing the difference between the most common types can help you evaluate the services of mental health professionals in your area. The most commonly practiced forms of therapy include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): This form of therapy focuses on understanding the root causes of unhealthy thinking and behaviors, and then taking steps to address them.
• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): An offshoot of CBT, DBT encourages acceptance of oneself while striving for improvement in areas of concern.
• Interpersonal therapy (IPT): This form of psychotherapy focuses on improving relationships and interactions with others.
• Person-centered therapy (PCT): A person-centered therapist focuses on empathy, genuineness and unconditional positive regard for their client.
• Psychoanalysis or psychodynamic therapy: One of the oldest forms of psychotherapy, psychoanalysis focuses on uncovering unconscious motivations and drives that lead to unwanted behaviors, feelings and thoughts.

Mental health professionals may provide therapy to individuals, groups, couples or whole families. While most offer in-person therapy, many provide virtual therapy through phone or video sessions.

4. Conduct research: Once you’ve explored the providers and therapies most likely to meet your needs, you’re ready to conduct some research. You can search lists provided by your healthcare provider or insurance carrier or use a website such as Psychologytoday.com or openpathcollective.org to filter providers by many factors, including location, type of session, form of therapy, cost, insurance coverage, gender, specialization and more. 

After compiling a list of mental health professionals in your area who provide the type of therapy you’re looking for, you can explore their web sites and read online reviews to learn more about their approaches and services. Reach out to them with any questions you may have. Some professionals provide a brief consultation to determine if they’re the right match for your needs and preferences.

Asking others for referrals may also be an effective way to find mental health professionals in your area. Your primary healthcare provider, family members or friends may have personal or professional recommendations of trusted practitioners who provide the services you’re seeking.

5. Check with your health insurer: If you have health insurance coverage, cross-reference your list of prospective providers with your insurer’s list of participating providers. While you can meet with a provider who doesn’t accept your plan, there will likely be extra costs involved to consider. It’s important to ask each prospective provider whether they accept your coverage if your insurer’s list isn’t up to date.

6. Interview providers: Contact each of the providers on your list and ask some basic questions, such as:

• What are your specializations?
• What is your approach to therapy?
• How long have you been a mental health professional?
• When are your office hours?
• Do you offer virtual appointments?
• Will I always see you for appointments or will I see other providers as well?
• How will we establish goals and monitor my progress?
• What are your rates?

When choosing a mental health professional, rapport is as important as qualifications and expertise. After each conversation, consider how easy it was to talk to the provider and how comfortable you felt asking questions. If your personality, beliefs or needs don’t mesh well with a particular provider, remove them from your list and continue to explore other options.

7. Schedule an initial appointment: After gathering and reviewing the above information, select a mental health professional as your first choice. Schedule and attend an initial appointment and then evaluate your experience. This process can take time and patience. If the first professional you choose isn’t a good match, don’t hesitate to contact other providers from your list. The counseling process will most likely benefit you if your counselor has the expertise to meet your needs and is skilled at building a sense of trust and connection.

Updated July 2024.