How to Find an Online Therapist

So, you decided that it’s time to make a change. You’ve worked up to courage to finally get some help with your depression, anxiety, or other mental health issue and then… COVID happens. Suddenly everything shuts down and there are no more in-person appointments. What can you do? Luckily, the field of psychotherapy has adjusted well to this change and moved primarily online. I actually did my dissertation on internet-based therapy and have been working with clients online for years, so this is well-known territory for me. Online therapy works. The research indicates that it has similar efficacy to in-person therapy for a wide variety of issues. But how do you find a therapist? Check out this quick 5-minute video where I explain how to find a private therapist that works online.

One of the really convenient things about using a tool like Psychology Today to find a therapist online is that you can technically work with anyone within your state. This allows you to find practitioners that may have specialties that you can’t find in your local area. For instance, if you are looking for someone with a focus on LGBTQ+ issues, but you live in a conservative small town, you might search for providers near a bigger city in your state.

There are also many therapy apps out there, such as BetterHelp, Talkspace, and 7Cups that give you several options to quickly speak with professional counselors. If you decide to go with one of these apps, I suggest that you try to schedule video sessions with your therapist, as this is the format that is most supported in the clinical research.

If you run into any issues, feel free to leave a comment or shoot me a message!