Counseling

Outside providers and resources

How to find a therapist

What to expect:

  • It may require time and several communications to identify and schedule your first counseling session.
  • Many mental health providers are conducting remote therapy through secure telehealth platforms. This has created flexibility in scheduling and opened the geographic region for searching for a good fit in counseling services.
Places to start your search

There are several search engines that specialize in helping people find a therapist in private practice.

In addition there are several organizations that have a group of counselors. Many of these agencies accept multiple insurance plans including OHP. Here are some examples:

Searching tips
  • You can filter by insurance, gender, and specialty which can be helpful if you are seeking therapy for a specific aspect or area of your life (but be careful not to use too many filters as your options may become more narrow than you want!).
  • Keep an eye out for those that are not currently accepting clients.
  • Confirm the agency/counselor is able to bill your insurance at an “in network rate” if you are hoping your insurance will pay for the majority or all of the session costs. If not, ask questions to understand your financial responsibility per session.
  • If you find a provider who does not accept your insurance but you’d really like to work with them, you can always ask if they provide a sliding scale to see if they’d fit into your budget for therapy.
  • Some therapists will offer a free 15 minute consultation. If they do, think about some things that feel important for you to know if working with them will be a good fit, such as:
    • “What is your approach to working with clients?”
    • “What is your experience working with my specific concern?”
    • “How often do you meet with clients?” The ideal response is usually “as often as the client’s situation requires”. If the therapist is too busy to meet regularly, it’s very helpful to know that upfront.
    • If you’ve worked with a therapist before, think about what you liked about them.
    • If it doesn’t feel like a match after a few initial sessions, consider continuing your search!

Once you identify a therapist you would like to work with. Reach out to them by phone or email.

Template for reaching out

“Hello, I’m interested in setting up an initial session with you. Are you currently accepting new clients, or do you have a waiting list? I have [insert your insurance] insurance and want to confirm you can bill at an in-network rate. Thank you!”

Schedule an appointment

Once you have found a potential match, schedule your first appointment.

Resources for low-cost / no insurance therapy
Crisis resources