Your Mental Health Matters, So Here's How to Find a Therapist

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Self-care can often masquerade as an elaborate skin-care routine, double tapping reels that explain childhood trauma or purchasing the latest self-help book. And while these practices can be beneficial, the question remains: How are you really doing?

One of the best ways to tend to your emotional and physical well-being is by speaking to a mental health provider. According to Mental Health America, over half (54%) of adults with mental illness did not receive treatment, equating to more than 28 million individuals. The youth of today are not exempt from these challenges with 1 in 10 experiencing depression that affects their daily lives. Yet, 59.8% have not received any mental health treatment (Mental Health America).

Your mental health matters, yet often it is deprioritized and overlooked in favor of life's (seemingly) never-ending to-do list. If the thought of starting therapy overwhelms you, know that you’re not alone.

The high rate of individuals not receiving treatment is alarming. While the reasons for this are varied, one significant challenge is not knowing where to begin. Half the battle is getting started, which is why ahead, you’ll discover resources to assist you in receiving the help and support you deserve.

Whether you’re longing to heal familial or relational issues, connect with your inner child, adjust to a new life chapter, or become more self-aware (the list goes on, as therapeutic incentives and goals are endless), we have got you covered on the best practices to find a therapist, be it online or in-person.

Breaking the Big Silence

The silence surrounding mental health issues is deafening. Cofounder of Tone It Up, wellness entrepreneur, and New York Times bestselling author Karena Dawn knows this all too well, having grown up with a mother who was diagnosed as schizophrenic. Throughout her childhood, Dawn experienced traumatic events that culminated in a suicide attempt. She overcame a dark period of depression, anxiety, and substance abuse and has since created The Big Silence Foundation to help erase the stigma surrounding mental health.

The Big Silence Foundation offers resources, including a mental health helpline, to anyone who is directly or indirectly impacted by mental health issues. If you're in need of help, text HERO at 741741 to receive free and confidential support from a counselor. For Dawn, therapy turned her life around and she believes it ought to be normalized.

"Every time, I wanted an excuse to turn around and not [go to therapy], but you have to be open, vulnerable, and honest," says Dawn. "Then after you leave the session, it's like a weight is lifted off your shoulders. It's important for people to know that you're not going to be so pumped and excited to be driving to your therapist meeting. It's not supposed to be comfortable."

If you're feeling resistant, know you're not alone. Take note of any stereotypes you possess, which have wrongly plagued the field. Common misconceptions are that therapy is for “crazy” people or that to go, something must be actively wrong. You don’t need a diagnosis to go to therapy.

“Just like physical health the sooner you come in the better,” says Lindsay Fleming, a licensed therapist in Chicago who treats children, teens, and young adults. “If you have a broken foot and you keep walking on it, the pain and injury is going to get worse. Why suffer more if you know there is help that is out there?”

A potential reason why? Shame. It underpins the stigma and can make us feel inherently flawed. Defined by psychologists as a self-conscious emotion, shame can make you believe that you're inadequate and unworthy of being loved or accepted. But just like joy and sadness, shame, too, is an emotion—one that we all experience at some point or another. Even the folks who appear to have it all together and beam with confidence can fall prey to shame.

"If someone gets diagnosed with cancer, there's no shame, everyone runs to support you, but for those with a mental illness, a disease of the brain, it's looked down upon," says Karena.

Even with awareness, overcoming shame and finding a therapist can be really difficult. That's why we have crafted the ultimate guide on how to find a therapist, so without further ado, here's the 411, everything you need to know.

How to Find a Therapist

1. Check your insurance.

While it may not be fun, it’s important to know what your insurance will and won’t cover. “The first step is begin scouting out therapists that accept your insurance, identify if you prefer particular gender, specifications, or credential,” explains Arron Muller, a licensed clinical social worker, adjunct professor, and CEO of Modify Wellness, Inc., a nonprofit that provides resources and information on mental health to individuals, families, and programming for corporations around mental health.

It's also worth noting that therapists may offer a sliding scale, which is is treatment priced based on person’s income. “This exists to help make therapy more attainable to those with hardship,” explains Muller. “For those who cannot afford to pay, you may reach out to your human resources department for referral to the Employee Assistant Program; many times they offer six to 12 free sessions.”

Also, there are organizations that offer free services, like Silence the Shame, Black Men Heal, Boris L. Foundation, and Muller’s organization, Modify Wellness, Inc.

2. Identify any immediate needs.

Therapists may specialize in a particular need, like marital issues or grief, which is great should you be hoping to heal or grow within a specific realm. So, ask yourself, what are you looking to gain from therapy?