Find a Therapist in Seattle or Washington State
Congratulations- You have decided to seek out a therapist in Seattle or greater Washington State! The good news is that therapy tends to help those who engage in it! The bad news is that finding a therapist can be a bit challenging. The search often entails considering the complex health insurance industry as well as looking for one provider amongst many with different educations, licenses, therapeutic approaches, specialties, and personalities. Plus, to use the real estate analogy, therapy is a bit of a sellers’ market in Seattle and Washington State these days. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, therapist supply did not meet the high demand for mental health support. If you have limited flexibility in your schedule or want to see an in-network therapist, it will be even more difficult to find a good therapist match. Consider your broadest availability and out-of-network therapists to increase your provider options and get started quickly!
How to search for a therapist in Seattle or Washington State
So, how do you find a good therapist? There is no Amazon for therapy services yet (get on it, Bezos & company!). You might want to start by asking around. Check with friends or acquaintances who are therapists or folks who may have contacted a therapist at some point. While seeking therapy is common these days, social stigma associated with mental healthcare might create discomfort for you. You may prefer to check with acquaintances indirectly. LinkedIn is an option for searching your network more discretely, but therapists don’t tend to focus much on their LinkedIn presence.
You can Google or Bing therapists utilizing keywords specific to your concerns and preferences (ex. anxiety, depression, trauma, LGBTQ) but search results will primarily populate with large counselor listing sites and group psychotherapy practices that invest in search engine optimization and advertisements. You will miss out on most of the great independent and experienced local therapists if you don’t look deep down in the search results!
Psychologytoday.com and Therapyden.com are two popular therapist-specific listing sites with decent interfaces for searching based on location, specialties, and keywords. In Seattle, many therapists (but not all) pay a fee to list themselves on Psychologytoday.com.
Whichever way you search, you will end up viewing different therapists’ pictures, profiles, and websites. Therapy listing profiles require a structured format and offer only limited text, so make sure to visit the websites for your top candidates to get a good feel for them!
Read on for important criteria to consider when selecting a therapist.
Therapist Office Location
Continuing the real estate market/therapy analogy… therapy office location is prime! Since people usually engage in therapy routinely (once/week), the location should be convenient for you. Having said that, telehealth/online therapy has become commonplace and has proven effective since the start of the COVID-19 Pandemic. If you live in Washington State, you can legally see any therapist in Washington State. Don’t wait for the Pandemic to end just to see a therapist in-person.
Therapist Experience
How long have they worked as a therapist? What types of people/concerns/goals are in their wheelhouse? Do they have a specialty that meets your needs/goals? Do they have relevant work experience prior to becoming a therapist? Years of relevant experience will likely prove invaluable for your therapy.
Therapist Education and Licensure
You will see therapists with different education backgrounds and licenses. Don’t hyper-focus on a particular degree, but a master’s level therapist (Psychology, Counseling, Social Work, Marriage-Family Therapy) from a reputable school/program is a very reasonable prerequisite. You might consider the selectivity/rating of the master’s program, but it may not be easy to determine.
I recommend you seek out more experienced “Independent” licensed therapists with the following designations: LICSW, MHC, LP, & MFT. You will also see newer therapists with “Associate” licenses in the process of becoming licensed. They will generally have the following license acronyms after their names: LASW, MHCA, MFTA. “Associates” with less experience and supervision history might offer lower rates. If you can afford it, I think independent licensure and more experience is well worth the premium for your mental health.
Therapist Personality and Clinical Approach
When you look at therapists’ profiles and websites, try to get a sense for the therapist’s personality, how they operate, and how well their approach would work with you. Sometimes you will get a vibe for the therapist and their approach and other times you won’t! Their descriptions might be unclear, comprised of big clinical words and acronyms or a non-descript set of vague/fluffy words. If the therapist is unable to communicate who they are and how they operate, or if your gut doesn’t feel right about their profile, they are probably not the therapist for you.
On the other hand, if you find yourself shopping excessively for a therapist, remember that you’re delaying the potential benefits of therapy. Before entering an infinite search for “the perfect therapist,” consider this: research correlates only 10% of therapy “success” from the specific approach in therapy. The most important therapy ingredient is “engagement” loosely described as the attentiveness of your therapist and how actively you engage in the therapy (inside AND outside of the sessions). Find a therapist who you think would understand you well and motivate you to make changes for the better.
Many therapists will offer a free brief phone call to help determine if you are a good fit to work together. Talking briefly is super valuable and will build your confidence about scheduling an initial appointment.
Cost of Therapy
The cost of therapy with an “independent licensed” therapist in Seattle varies from around $150-$225 (per 45-50 minute appointment), depending on the therapist’s experience and specialization. Some clients prefer to pay out-of-pocket for therapy due to privacy concerns, personal reasons, or social stigma associated with mental health diagnoses. If you pay out-of-pocket, therapy does not require a diagnosis. Others utilize their mental health benefit which varies with different insurance plans. If you are interested in using your health insurance, contact your insurance company to determine how many sessions are covered, the financial details of your benefit, and provider options. They may offer you direct referrals or a website to access “in-network” providers. Due to high demand for therapists, it can be extremely difficult to find an in-network therapist with openings for new clients.
I recommend that you inquire about “out-of-network” insurance benefits. Often, insurance companies will reimburse you for a large percentage of an “out-of-network” provider’s appointment rate. In Seattle, and nationwide, many therapists are choosing to be out-of-network providers because they don’t get reimbursed well enough by the large insurance carriers to stay in business. You will find that considering “out-of-network” therapists makes for a smoother search with greater choice.
I hope this information helps your therapist search. Therapy can make a huge difference in your life. The sooner you start your search, the sooner you will reap the benefits!
