How Do I Find The Right Therapist Near Me?
Author: Kaitlyn Shelp, MA, LMHC
Reviewer: Dr. Mary Perleoni, Ph.D., LMHC ✓
You probably found this article because you are in the process of finding a therapist that is right for you in Tampa or St. Petersburg. Congratulations on taking this step! Taking your mental health seriously is worth it. Quality mental health care can be hard to find. We hope this guide helps you in your search for a therapist.
What Makes a Therapist Good?
This answer depends on what you're looking for. Generally, a "good" therapist keeps up with the licensing requirements, has clear boundaries and policies with their clients, and is able to facilitate a safe and supportive environment.
Depending on what you're hoping to work on, you may want a more passive approach, someone to listen and validate you. Someone you can talk to and just feel connected with. Sometimes, the idea of a therapist "just listening" sounds like a waste of time. In that case, you are probably looking for someone with a more active, directive approach.
The right therapist for you will have experience with what you are hoping to work on, be able to tell you a clear way they plan to approach helping you with your goals, and help you feel safe, respected, and understood whenever you spend time together.
How Do You Know Which Therapist is Right for You?
It might take a few tries, and this is nobody's fault. A therapeutic process and relationship is based on two people being comfortable with one another, at the end of the day. Sometimes you just don't "click". Be sure to tell a therapist when you feel this way! They will not take offense to this and will work to help you figure out what might be a better fit.
7 questions to consider for choosing the right therapist
Here are some helpful questions you can ask yourself to help you firm up the idea of who might be a good fit for you.
Does it matter to me that my therapist is close to my age?
What role do I see therapy playing in my life? Am I looking for something short-term and specific or am I looking to have a long-term provider that I can turn to through life's ups and downs? The answers here can cause practical considerations to be weighted differently. For example, if you are looking to work through a trauma event with ART or EMDR therapy you may be able to afford an intensive therapy package or be willing to drive a bit further since this is considered to be a shorter-term treatment method.
Do I have a preference for a male or female therapist? We can feel comforted in sharing parts of our identity with our therapist or be therapeutically challenged and healed in indirect ways.
Are there any specific cultural backgrounds, spiritual, or religious beliefs that I want my therapist to share with me so we can incorporate it into treatment? Some therapists may not be comfortable answering personal questions like this. Best to know ahead of time if this is a salient point for you.
Will I be paying out of pocket or using my health insurance? There are pros and cons to consider that are specific to your circumstances. Make sure the cost of services are affordable and sustainable for you.
Do I prefer in person or virtual meetings? Some therapists only offer tele-therapy, while others prefer on in person as some treatment is best done face-to-face.
Is there a type of therapy I know I want? CBT, EMDR, ART, CPT, DBT. There are many to choose from and therapists specialize in at least one. If you don't know, don't worry.
Exploring Therapy Approaches
When looking for the best therapist, it’s important to consider different therapeutic approaches, especially if you already have one in mind. Therapy is not one-size-fits-all, and different methods are designed to address specific challenges. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is widely used for anxiety, depression, and negative thought patterns by helping clients reframe unhelpful thinking. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) are highly effective for trauma, utilizing guided eye movements and visualization to help process distressing memories. Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is another trauma-focused approach that helps individuals rework the way they think about past experiences, reducing feelings of shame and fear associated with them.
For those struggling with emotional regulation, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) provides structured skills in mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. Each of these approaches serves a unique purpose, and most therapists specialize in at least one. If you already know which therapy type resonates with you, finding a provider trained in that method can be beneficial. However, if you’re unsure, that’s completely okay. A skilled therapist will assess your needs and recommend the approach best suited to your situation, ensuring that therapy is tailored to your specific goals and experiences.
How Do Most People Find a Therapist?
There are a handful of trusted and verified platforms that organize available therapists based on gender, insurance, specialty, location, and other factors. For example, you can search for therapists within 10 miles of you who have availability and focus on concerns like anxiety and depression.
You can also search the internet for some of the characteristics you want in your therapist such as "female therapist for women's mental health" or "holistic mental health services near me". Websites will have a phone number, email, and or/form that you can submit with preliminary information about yourself for the prospective therapist to review before reaching out.
If you are in search of a therapist in Tampa or St. Petersburg, we would be honored to be a part of your journey.
Consultation
Most therapists offer a free 15 minute consultation phone call. These calls are less about getting deep into personal matters and more about taking the time to ask the potential therapist about their experience, any specialized trainings they might have, what you should expect from your first session with them, and how they have helped others with similar issues in the past. You can also assess how they communicate and if you initially feel comfortable with them as a person. Most new patients or new clients say this part of the process helps them feel more at ease when on the path to finding the right therapist for them.
First Session
It is normal to have questions and concerns about how your first session will go. What if you don't know what to say or where to start? This may be your first session, but your therapist has had plenty of practice and will be prepared to ask you questions and help you feel comfortable talking about personal matters. No matter what, therapy treatment moves at whatever pace is comfortable for the client. The first meeting is about getting to know one another, building rapport, and your therapist gathering more information about what brings you in and makes you who you are. The therapist will be able to offer you a plan for moving forward together including how often you should be seen around the second or third session.
Be proud of initiating this process and taking the steps toward starting therapy. Depression, Anxiety, Trauma, PTSD, ADHD, OCD, and other mental health concerns are not issues you have to face alone. Therapy can help you gain the tools to grow and give you a safe and supportive place to practice using them.
