Find a Counselor Near Me
Updated: 9 hours ago
How to Find a Therapist Who Fits More Than Your Insurance Plan
By Sarah Plassman, MSW, LISW-S
Sheesh! And Other Thoughts on Being Human
Maybe You Typed “Counseling Near Me” Into Google
So you've finally Googled it.
Welcome.
Which means one of two things.
Either things have gotten uncomfortable enough that you are finally considering therapy, or someone who loves you has gently suggested it seventeen times and you are now conducting your own independent investigation.
Either way, hi.
You have entered a very strange process.
You are about to choose a person you may eventually tell about your childhood, your marriage, your mother, your anxiety, the thing you said seven years ago that still wakes you up occasionally at 2:00 a.m., and possibly why you cried in the Target parking lot last Tuesday.
And how will you choose this person?
Naturally, you will look at a tiny headshot and approximately three paragraphs on the internet.
Seems reasonable.
Welcome to finding a therapist.
First, You Encounter the Therapist Bio
Therapist bios are a strange genre of literature.
We all seem to enjoy coffee, nature, spending time with our families, and “walking alongside people.”
Nobody is entirely sure where we are walking.
But apparently we are deeply committed to the journey.
There will also be words like safe space, collaborative, authentic, strengths based, person centered, and meeting you where you are.
All good things.
But when you are sitting on your couch thinking, I haven't slept properly in three weeks, I am fighting with my husband, and yesterday I cried because Target was out of the yogurt I like, you may be wondering:
But do I want to talk to this person?
That is actually a very reasonable question.
Credentials and experience matter.
But so does being able to imagine sitting across from this human being and saying something true.
Before You Search, Ask What You Actually Need
You do not have to diagnose yourself before calling a therapist.
Please do not feel like you need to arrive with a perfectly organized PowerPoint titled Reasons I Am Like This.
We can work on that part together.
But it helps to know what is making you look for counseling now.
Maybe anxiety will not turn off.
Maybe grief has changed the shape of your life.
Maybe your marriage feels disconnected.
Maybe your child is struggling.
Maybe something painful happened and you are realizing it is still affecting you.
Maybe everyone thinks you are doing great and you are beginning to suspect that “great” is doing a considerable amount of heavy lifting.
Or maybe nothing catastrophic happened.
You just don't feel like yourself.
That counts too.
Start there.
Yes, the Boring Practical Stuff Matters
Then comes the decidedly unromantic portion of choosing a counselor.
Insurance. Cost. Location. Availability. Telehealth or in person. Schedule.
None of this is inspiring, but it matters.
You could find the most wonderful therapist in Ohio, but if she only has appointments Tuesdays at 11:00 a.m. and you teach third grade at 11:00 a.m. every Tuesday, we have encountered a logistical problem.
Love may conquer many things.
Scheduling is apparently not one of them.
If you are using insurance, ask whether the therapist is in network with your specific plan, not simply whether the office “accepts” that insurance company.
Ask about expected costs too, while remembering that your insurer is ultimately the best source for confirming your individual benefits.
Surprise medical bills are not particularly therapeutic.
Experience and Credentials Matter Too
A therapist does not have to have personally lived your exact life to help you.
But the clinician's training and experience should make sense for what you are bringing into the room.
If you are seeking help for panic, trauma, grief, your marriage, your child, or something more specialized, ask whether they routinely work with those concerns.
If you want Christian counseling, it is okay to ask what that actually means in their practice.
Therapists also tend to have an impressive collection of letters after our names.
LISW. LPCC. LPC. LSW. PhD. PsyD.
Sometimes our business cards look like we lost a fight with a Scrabble bag.
Those letters matter because they tell you something about education, licensing, training, and scope of practice.
You do not need to decode the entire alphabet.
The practice should be able to tell you who the clinician is, what credentials they hold, what they treat, and whether their experience fits what you need.
And if you are unsure?
Ask.
You are allowed to ask questions before telling us your life story.
Five Questions You Can Ask a Potential Therapist
You do not need to conduct a formal interview.
Please do not arrive with a clipboard unless that brings you joy.
But a few questions can tell you a lot.
1. Do you have experience working with what I am dealing with?
You want someone's training, experience, and scope of practice to fit the concern bringing you to therapy.
2. What does therapy with you usually look like?
Some therapists are structured. Some are conversational. Some teach skills. Some give homework.
Some will apparently send you home with enough worksheets to start a small office supply store.
It is okay to ask.
3. How will we know if therapy is helping?
Therapy does not move in a perfectly straight line, but there should be some shared understanding of what you are working toward.
4. What happens if I disagree with you or something isn't working for me?
A healthy therapeutic relationship should have room for questions, disagreement, feedback, and repair.
You should not have to perform Good Client in therapy.
5. Is there anything about what I need that makes you think someone else would be a better fit?
A good clinician should be able to recognize the limits of their own training.
Sometimes one of the most helpful things a therapist can say is:
“I think someone else may be better equipped to help you with this.”
That is not rejection.
That is good clinical care.
Then There Is the Harder-to-Measure Part
Fit.
I wish Google had a filter that said:
Clinically competent. Appropriately credentialed. Available Thursdays. Accepts my insurance. Understands my sense of humor. Won't stare at me strangely when I make inappropriate jokes during uncomfortable moments. Somehow knows when to challenge me and when to leave me alone.
Search.
Unfortunately, we are not there yet.
You may prefer someone warm and conversational.
Or structured.
Direct.
Gentle.
Funny.
Someone who incorporates faith.
Someone who absolutely does not.
Someone who gives homework.
Someone who does not because you already have three children, a job, laundry on your couch, and frankly enough assignments.
None of those preferences automatically makes one therapist better.
People are different.
Which is terribly inconvenient for algorithms.
What Should Therapy Actually Feel Like?
Your first session will probably feel a little weird.
You are meeting a stranger and discussing things most people do not cover within the first hour of acquaintance.
So if you leave thinking, Well, that was vulnerable, congratulations. #Therapy.
You do not have to know during minute twelve whether this person is going to change your life.
Give the relationship some room to develop.
But pay attention.
Do they listen?
Do you feel respected?
Can you ask questions?
Can you disagree?
Do they seem interested in understanding you rather than immediately fitting you into a theory?
And maybe most importantly:
Can you imagine eventually telling this person the thing you are currently hoping you will never have to tell anybody?
You do not have to tell them today.
But can you imagine getting there?
That matters.
Over time, healthy therapy should feel respectful, collaborative, and safe enough for increasing honesty.
Notice I did not say comfortable.
Terrible marketing, I know.
A therapist may ask a question you would rather avoid. They may notice a pattern you were perfectly content not noticing.
Occasionally you may sit in your car after therapy staring through the windshield thinking:
Well. I did not particularly enjoy learning that about myself.
Also therapy.
Challenge can be useful.
Shame, belittling, pressure, or feeling controlled are different things.
You should understand what you are generally working toward and have room to talk about whether therapy is helping.
You Are Allowed to Say, “I Don't Think This Is the Right Fit”
This can feel surprisingly difficult.
Especially if you are a people pleaser.
You may worry about hurting your therapist's feelings.
Which is adorable.
But no.
Please do not attend six months of counseling you dislike because you are trying to protect the emotional wellbeing of the person you hired to help with yours.
Sometimes a clinician is competent, kind, and simply not your person.
That is okay.
You can talk about it.
Sometimes the therapist may even help you find someone who fits better.
Also, You Do Not Need to Be Falling Apart
People sometimes wait until life is on fire before deciding they are “allowed” to go to therapy.
You can come before the fire.
You can come because you are anxious.
Because your relationships could be healthier.
Because you are facing a transition.
Because you keep repeating a pattern you do not understand.
Because grief is heavy.
Because parenting is hard.
Because you want to understand yourself better.
Because your life is actually pretty good and you would like to keep it that way.
Therapy does not require an audition.
There is no panel in the waiting room determining whether your problems are sufficiently problematic.
So... You Searched “Counseling Near Me”
There you go, Google.
I said it again.
But if that phrase brought you here, maybe what you were really looking for was not simply the counselor with the shortest driving distance.
Maybe you were looking for someone who understands what you are carrying.
Someone appropriately trained to help with it.
Someone you can afford to see and realistically fit into your life.
Someone who feels human.
Someone you might eventually trust enough to say:
“Okay. This is the part I usually don't tell people.”
That is a much better search.
And yes, it may require a little more work than clicking the first smiling headshot Google gives you.
Sheesh.
Looking for a Counselor in the Dayton Area?
If you are looking for counseling in Centerville, Dayton, or the surrounding area, Agape Counseling Center has a team of mental health professionals with different backgrounds, personalities, specialties, and approaches.
Which is helpful because, as it turns out, human beings do not come in one convenient therapeutic flavor.
Our administrative team can help you think through practical questions such as insurance, availability, age, scheduling, and which clinicians may be appropriate for what you are looking for.
Then you get to decide whether the fit feels right.
Because finding a therapist should not simply be about finding a counselor near you.
It should be about finding someone who may actually be able to help. Wherever and however you find them.
Find the quick guide for finding the right therapists here:
For Further Reading
A helpful overview of psychotherapy, what to expect, and how the relationship between therapist and client contributes to treatment.
General information about psychotherapy, common treatment approaches, and considerations when looking for mental health treatment.
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About the Author
Sarah Plassman, MSW, LISW-S, is a therapist and owner of Agape Counseling Center in Centerville, Ohio, and the author of Sheesh! And Other Thoughts on Being Human.
Being a therapist has shaped the way she sees people, relationships, pain, joy, growth, and all the complicated things we carry with us. Through her writing, Sarah shares some of what she has learned from years in the therapy room, her own life, and simply paying attention to what it means to be human, with clinical insight, compassion, curiosity, and usually a little humor.
Because apparently, if she goes too long without saying something weird, she starts becoming suspiciously well adjusted, and nobody wants that.
Educational Disclaimer
This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized mental health assessment, diagnosis, treatment, or professional advice. The therapeutic relationship and appropriate treatment approach will vary based on each person's needs and circumstances.
