November 26, 2018 — Besides alternative medicine such as yoga and meditation, or using energy healers, tarot guides, or curanderas, sometimes we need the help of Western medication or talk therapy as well. It can be hard for those who identify as LGBTQ+ or POC (myself included) to find a therapist that they connect with and trust, because if the therapist doesn’t have experiences being LGBTQ+ or POC themselves, they might not understand our community’s needs, or have cultural biases, assumptions, or discriminatory thoughts. Having therapist directories such as Latinx Therapy, Therapy for Latinx, Therapy for Black Girls, and National Queer & Trans Therapists of Color Network that are culturally specific allows us to pick from therapists who see our identities not as problems, but as strengths.
For the holiday season, I decided to try out those four different culturally specific therapist directories, and one that is generic called Psychology Today, to compare them to each other in terms of which is the most user friendly in assisting LGBTQ+ and POC in finding a therapist. The things I looked for most were the ease to search for specific things such as specialties, insurance, zip code and radius, session rates, as well as if they allow reviews of their therapists.
Below are my reviews of Psychology Today, Latinx Therapy, Therapy for Latinx, Therapy for Black Girls, and National Queer & Trans Therapists of Color Network directories.
The scale I used was:
Very User Friendly = The easiest to search for therapists.
Moderately User Friendly = Less easy to search for therapists.
Minimally User Friendly = Difficult to search for therapists.
Click here to see the criterion scale I used to rate and review each one.
*November 30, 2018 – Update
I am currently still trying out these directories myself, and have discovered that on Psychology Today, for some therapists that are listed as taking a specific insurance, when I called them they said they don’t take that insurance. I’m not sure if this is an issue of the therapist not updating their Psychology Today profile, or a malfunction in Psychology Today’s site. See the end of this article where it says “Closing Notes” for more updates on difficulties I’ve faced in using the directories and finding a therapist.
Psychology Today
TSIB’s Rating:
User Friendly: Very User Friendly
What needs work: Lack of culturally specific search options in their “Issues” section, which should be instead called “Specialties.”
What the site offers
A therapist directory.
They also have a “get help” section where they explain different mental health realities, a magazine, and news.
Cost
Free to find a therapist.
It costs therapists $29.95 per month to join.
# of Therapists
Not sure.
Search Options
Search Options are the options you select to find a therapist that is a good match for you, and that is in your area.
– Location
City / Zip code, no radius option
– Payment
35 insurance options
– Issues
74 options ranging from addiction, to domestic violence, to racial identity, to transgender
– Sexuality
3 options: Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian
– Gender
2 options: Show only women, Show only men
– Ages
6 options: Adolescents / Teenagers (14 to 19), Adults, Children (6 to 10), Elders (65+), Preteens / Tweens (11 to 13), Toddlers / Preschoolers (0 to 6)
– Languages
34 options including ASL
– Faith
7 options: Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Islam, Jewish, Mormon, Other Spiritual or Religious Affiliations
– Types of Therapy
61 options including Art Therapy, Biofeedback, Culturally Sensitive, Dance/Movement Therapy, Expressive Arts, Feminist, Mindfulness Based, Somatic, Trauma Focused, and Online option.
Ease to Navigate on Site (Scale of 1-5)
On Desktop: 5
On Mobile: 4
The option to pick multiple different search options is harder on mobile, and harder to find. It is the “Refine” button in the top right hand corner, but it is annoying to do it on mobile even when you click “Refine” because it refreshes after each choice instead of waiting for you to select all the choices first.
When you click on a therapist profile, it shows:
A photo of the therapist
Biography
Certifications / Qualifications
Phone number
Option to email them
Address
Plus their specialties and any other info that Psychology Today lists in the search engine.
Ex. Specialties, Issues, Mental Health, Client Focus (Age, Ethnicity), Treatment Approach – Types of Therapy, Modality.
Finances (how much they charge)
License number and state
Their site
Ability to leave reviews
No
What I feel is missing / should be changed
I think it would be helpful if people could leave reviews so others know if that therapist wasn’t culturally competent or trauma-informed, or made them feel uncomfortable in any way.
Also, the sexuality and gender categories should have more options for those who identify as non-binary. Would be helpful to include cultural specific issues – such as ones that Latinx Therapy including Family Separation / Conflict, Immigration, Cultural Oppression, First Generation Professional Issues, Incarceration/Re-entry, English-Speaking Anxiety – and to offer the option of “Do not accept any insurance. Superbill option” like Latinx Therapy offers for insurance. It would be useful to have the option to pick a therapist by ethnicity.
As mentioned prior, the mobile version of the site should be changed to make it easier to search for multiple options.
I think switching the search option called “issues” to “specialties” would be beneficial because instead of saying, these are the client’s issues, it’s saying, these are the therapist’s specialties. In that way, it rids of placing blame on the person struggling, and also does not label their realities as problems.
**Definition of Superbill: a form from your insurance that you submit for reimbursement.
What I love
I love that it gives so many initial search engine options! Especially for the insurance, that can be so difficult to find a match.
My experience using it
When I searched for myself, I first typed in my zip code. Then I chose “women” as preference, and wanted to choose queer or LGBTQ but they only had bi, lesbian or gay. I also wanted to choose ethnicity – Latinx specifically – but wasn’t able to choose that either, so I ended up choosing the issue I wanted to work on instead. There were 20 listings that popped up for me once I had narrowed it down to that specifically, but I wish there were more options to choose a queer or Latinx therapist.
Latinx Therapy
TSIB’s Rating:
User Friendly: Very User Friendly
What needs work: Add option to review therapists, and more therapists in directory (though they just launched recently, so I’m hoping to see it grow xox).
What the site offers
Bilingual database of Latinx therapists with the intention of helping people find help in their language and budget. They just recently launched this year and are still in the process of adding more therapists to their directory.
They also offer resources (Bilingual Non-Profits, Mental Health Podcasts and YouTube, Mental Health Apps, Recommended Books, Mental Health Screening that directs you to Mental Health America’s Mental Health Screening, resources for professionals, and two images to download), the founder’s therapy info, Latinx Therapy podcast, and a Latinx Therapy blog page.
# of Therapists
5 states, 19 total therapists so far (they just launched).
12 California, 1 Texas, 3 Florida, 1 Washington, D.C., 2 New York
Cost
Free to find therapists.
Costs $21 per month or $181 per year for therapists to join.
Search Options
Search Options are the options you select to find a therapist that is a good match for you, and that is in your area.
– Location
City or zip code and 10, 25, 50, 100 or 250 radius options.
– Languages
English or Spanish
– Specialties
69 options including Latinx specific ones such as Family Separation / Conflict, Immigration, Acculturation, Cultural Oppression, Legal System, First Generation Professional Issues, Incarceration/Re-entry, English-Speaking Anxiety, and Racial Identity.
– Age Speciality
6 options: Young Adults (18-25), Adults (25-59), Tweens & Teens (11-17), Children (5-10), Older Adults (60+), Infants/Toddlers (0-5)
– Payment
25 insurance options
– Session Rates
30-300
Ease to Navigate on Site (Scale of 1-5)
On Desktop: 5
On Mobile: 4
On mobile, when you type in the zip code on the homepage, the text goes over the magnifying glass icon that users would click on (though I was still able to click on it). However, I do like the feature on mobile for the filters (to pick specialties, ages etc.), it works much better than Psychology Today’s mobile filter options.
When you click on a therapist profile, it shows:
Photo of therapist
Social links and LinkedIn
Online sessions or not
Whether or not they speak Spanish
Support/Service Animals Allowed or Not
ADA Accessible
Home-Based Therapy or not
Practice Information: Phone number and address
Office hours
Licensure and Certification (includes License number and state)
Education
Option to email therapist
Option to visit the therapist’s site
Welcome message and preferred pronouns
Skills and expertise (Specialities, ages, session types)
Rates and insurance
Gallery
Location (includes map)
Contact form – I guess you can contact each therapist directly from their site.
Ability to leave reviews
None
What I feel is missing / should be changed
In the specialties, there a few repeats (Immigration, Acculturation, Marital & Premarital Issues, Trauma & PTSD, Tweens & Teens) that could be rid of for clarity. I’m excited to see more therapists join! Would be great if people could leave reviews. I noticed that some of the therapists in the “Rates and Insurance” part of their profile only included their rate, not the insurance they take. It would be helpful to have each therapist include the insurance they take as well so as to not waste potential clients time.
What I love
I love the Latinx specific specialties: Family Separation / Conflict, Immigration, Acculturation, Cultural Oppression, Legal System, First Generation Professional Issues, Incarceration/Re-entry, English-Speaking Anxiety. Those are all categories that Psychology Today doesn’t have (they do have Family Conflict, but not Family Separation). Both Psychology Today and Latinx Therapy gives the Racial Identity option.
I also like that it gives the “superbill option” for out of network. That’s super important to know !! (no pun intended…). Psychology Today does not offer that option.
Lastly, I love that Latinx Therapy calls it “specialties” instead of “issues,” like how Psychology Today calls them.
My experience using it
When I tried to find a therapist for myself on this site, once I typed in my zip code, there was a lot less insurance options. At first I thought this was an error in the website coding, but then I realized the site shows only the specific options that therapists in that area have said they offer, which I think is awesome and efficient! With the zip code I used, my insurance is currently not covered by any therapists in the Latinx Therapy directory (yet). I did find one that accepts superbill, and another that does sliding scale, however I’m not sure how low their sliding scale actually is because another therapist on this directory that I contacted who was also “sliding scale” said the lowest they can go is $90, which I can’t afford. I was also confused by the PPO-Out of Network option, because my insurance is United Healthcare PPO…I found out fast that the PPO-Out of Network option didn’t apply to my insurance (I called a therapist and she let me know she doesn’t accept my insurance lol). I think the more this directory grows, the more it will be able to help people because there will be increased options for therapists to choose from in different areas.
Therapy for Latinx
TSIB’s Rating:
User Friendly: Minimally User Friendly
What stands out: Only one to allow ratings of therapists.
What the site offers
“We have created a Latinx Mental Health Practitioner directory that is nationwide who are licensed, culturally conscious of the Latinx community, and provide quality service to their patients.” – Therapy for Latinx.
They also offer a blog, podcasts, mental health hotlines, apps, links to other resources and organizations, therapist job postings, professional organizations, professional events, and community / other healing events.
# of Therapists
121 Therapy for Latinx listings
1 Autism
7 Community Mental Health Services
18 states: Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona, Wyoming, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, Washington DC, New York, Massachusetts, Hawaii
Cost
Free to search for a therapist.
It was initially free for therapists to join, and is now $15 per month or $120 yearly price.
Search Options
Search Options are the options you select to find a therapist that is a good match for you, and that is in your area.
– Payment options available
Unsure.
– Location
Zip code and radius of 1, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50.
**The only other option that they offer initially are typing in “Keywords” of your choice.
Ease to Navigate Directory on Site (Scale of 1-5)
Desktop: 3
Mobile: 3
There is a confusing form that pops up when you search a therapist, and the directory lacks search options (I like having options I can pick from vs. thinking of keywords on the spot). See more in “What I feel is missing / should be changed.”
When you click on a therapist profile, it shows:
Name
Rating (it looks like they haven’t started the ratings yet)
Category (whether it’s Therapy for Latinx or not…unsure what that means)
Phone number
License type and number (doesn’t include state)
Specialties
Address
Site
Short Bio
Ability to leave reviews
Yes! You can rate each therapist. <333
What I feel is missing / should be changed
The initial layout of the site is beautiful! However, it gets a bit confusing when you start to search for a therapist. For example, the “keywords” thing was confusing to me, and I wish instead that it provided options to select from like Psychology Today and Latinx Therapy offers. Also, the order of “Keywords – Radius – Zip code” was confusing as well, and it would have been clearer to have “Keywords – Zip code – Radius.”
When I used the search engine, it led to a confusing page that said “Find a listing,” and yet the questions it asks sounds like it’s asking a therapist who is trying to join the directory. For example, it asks for “First and Last Name” and yet shows the keyword I had inputted there, “Contact Phone Number for Patients,” “License Type and Number,” “Short Bio,” etc.
I tried searching again without a keyword, and I did find many therapists in my area at 10 and 20 mile radiuses.
I think if they can fix that section of the site and allow options to select from including city/zip code, insurance, and specialties (including culturally specific ones like Latinx Therapy has such as Family Separation / Conflict, Immigration, Cultural Oppression, First Generation Professional Issues, Incarceration/Re-entry, English-Speaking Anxiety) vs. using keywords, that would be much more helpful and easier to navigate.
What I love
I love that they’re partnered with Mental Health America and that the cost for therapists to join is lower than PsychologyToday and Latinx Therapy. I also love that it includes the benefits therapists will receive from being on that directory including how many clicks their site receives per month currently. The option to choose a one mile radius is very important to me because some people don’t have a car or reliable and safe bus transportation. Lastly, the option to review each therapist IS SO IMPORTANT !!! It’s crucial to hold all people accountable, even in the Latinx community. LOVEEEE that aspect so so so much.
My experience using it
For this one I put my experience using it in the “what we feel is missing / should be changed” section.
Therapy for Black Girls
TSIB’s Rating:
User Friendly: Minimally User Friendly
What stands out: Has over 300 therapists.
What the site offers
Therapy for black women and girls.
“The Therapist Directory is a listing of mental health professionals across the country who provide high quality, culturally competent services to Black women and girls.”
They also offer Therapy for Black Girls podcast, The Yellow Couch Collective (a space for black girls to support, encourage, and learn from one another), and merch.
# of Therapists
39 states total
Over 300 therapists
Cost
Free to search for a therapist.
Costs therapists $15 a month to join.
Search Options
Search Options are the options you select to find a therapist that is a good match for you, and that is in your area.
*The only search option was to click on your state. See more in “How it works.”
Ease to Navigate on Site (Scale of 1-5)
Desktop: 4
Mobile: 4
Lack of search options.
How it works
Visit the main page.
Hover over “Therapist Directory” and click “Find a Therapist.”
Click on your state, and then you get a list of therapists in your state.
Each profile initially shows: photo, name, address, site, number.
When you click on a therapist profile, it shows:
Photo
License Type (does not include # and state)
Address
Phone number
Site
Specialties (their bio)
Ability to leave reviews
No
What I feel is missing:
More options to search for a therapist including city/zip code, insurance, and specialties (including culturally specific ones like Latinx Therapy has such as Family Separation / Conflict, Immigration, Cultural Oppression, First Generation Professional Issues, Incarceration/Re-entry, English-Speaking Anxiety) would make it more user friendly. Also, it would be helpful to have more information about each therapist in their profiles including the rates they charge and insurance they accept. The ability to leave reviews would be lovely too.
What I love
It’s so impressive how many therapists are in this specific directory! I’m excited to see it grow more. Also, I love that it only costs $15 for a therapist to join, the same as Therapy for Latinx.
My experience using it
I felt stressed out when I got to the listings in my state because there were so many, and I wanted a way to search for one that was close to me, without having to go through each listing. Once my anxiety calmed down (lol) it was fairly easy for me to go scroll through each listing and find many that were close to me.
LGBTQ+ Therapy Directories
I found a couple of databases in specific states (Utah, Minnesota) but none that are throughout the U.S. and are reliable. I thought maybe Gaylesta was throughout, but it’s a bit confusing because they don’t list the states that they have therapists in their directory, though I did find some in California. NAMI suggests this directory, but I also didn’t find anyone close to me in that directory. The National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network was another one I came across, and though easy to use, I wish it included a lot more information on each therapist, and more search options. Because this one is a national directory that is still very active, I am going to review that particular one.
National Queer & Trans Therapists of Color Network
TSIB’s Rating:
User Friendly: Minimally User Friendly
What stands out: Their Mental Health Fund that helps people afford a therapist.
What the site offers
Therapist directory of queer and trans therapists of color that started in 2017.
They also offer a Mental Health Fund to help people afford a therapist, and a list of other resources including hotline numbers.
Each therapist has to agree to their “Agreements for NQTTCN QTPoC Mental Health Practitioners.”
# of Therapists
Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Louisiana, Illinois, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Washington DC, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachussetts, Vancouver in Canada
About 100 total (was a bit hard to keep track when counting all the stars).
Cost
Free to search for therapists.
For a therapist to join the directory, it costs them $0-25 sliding scale to be on the Basic Listing (Google Maps only), and $60 for Featured Listing (Google Maps plus featured listing on their site and social media). No one is turned away for lack of funds. It is unclear if it is a one time fee, or a yearly fee.
Search Options
Search Options are the options you select to find a therapist that is a good match for you, and that is in your area.
Payment options available
Unsure.
Ease to Navigate on Site (Scale of 1 – 5)
Desktop: 3
Mobile: 2
Lack of search options on Desktop and Mobile.
Lack of option on homepage to click “Find a Therapist” from their directory on Desktop and Mobile.
Difficulty searching for a therapist on the map on Mobile.
How it works:
Visit their homepage.
Click “Directory” which takes you to a map with instructions.
Zoom in on the map to your state and city. Then you click on one of the blue stars (or possibly the only blue star if there aren’t many in your area) to view the therapist’s info.
When you click on a therapist profile, it shows:
Name
Pronouns
Therapist type
Race/Ethnicity
Sexual Orientation
Credentials
License No. and state
Supervisor name & License No.
Name of Organization or Practice
Address
Office accessibility (ADA Accessible Building, Accessible by public transportation, All gender/gender neutral bathrooms, Fragrance-free, Low scent/limited scent, Non-fluorescent lighting, Parking available, Single stall bathroom, Size positive, Wheelchair accessible bathroom)
Phone
Site
Email
Provides telemental health (yes or no)
If yes please provide more information
Areas of clinical work
Accepted payment methods
Average cost per session
Languages spoken
They also have a different page called “Featured Therapists” where it shows the therapist’s photo with their city, state, and license name, and when you click on them it goes to their site.
Ability to leave reviews
No
What I feel is missing
More search options – including culturally specific ones like Latinx Therapy has – and the ability to leave reviews. Each therapist profile should also include the insurance they take, and if they don’t take insurance but use superbill.
What I love:
I love the options for office accessibility and the race/ethnicity. The race/ethnicity part really caught my attention because I could only imagine my joy if I found a queer Peruvian therapist. The other directories aren’t as specific, for example, Therapy for Latinx and Latinx Therapy categories them all as Latinx. Also, I like that they say “Pronouns” vs. “Preferred Pronouns” because preferred makes it sound like the therapist can choose to not use their preferred pronouns. I loveeee that they have a whole team and advisory committee to help guide and maintain the site to further growth. Their “Agreements for NQTTCN QTPoC Mental Health Practitioners” is super radical, and their Mental Health Fund to help people afford a therapist is everythingggggg <333.
My experience using it:
It is very easy to use on Desktop, and I hope more queer and trans therapists of color register with them! I did have issues trying to use it on mobile because the map kept malfunctioning and wouldn’t let me zoom in to the area I wanted to zoom in to see. I also wish there were more search options as I mentioned prior.
Closing Notes
Very excited to see all of these directories increase their therapist memberships over time, and continue to update their sites to make it more user friendly. A note for all the directories I reviewed, I noticed in one of the LGBTQ directories I found – that I didn’t review – that it had the option to select female abusers, male abusers and perpetrators for domestic violence categories. This is a super helpful option, and one that all directories should consider adding.
I hope this helps you use these directories, and find a therapist that meets your needs. Even with the help of these directories, please make sure to ask therapists questions before choosing to work with them, and in your initial meeting. Questions to consider asking them are:
1. Do you have experience treating people from my cultural background?
2. Do you have experience working with people with (things you’d like to work on with them).
3. How would you include aspects of my cultural identity, age, faith, gender identity or sexual orientation, in my care?
A checklist for what to look for during therapy is here. It is directed to survivors of sexual trauma, but I believe it can apply to people with mind obstacles who are looking for culturally conscious and trauma-informed care as well.
Also, consider researching different modalities of therapies to see which one connects with you.
If you’re using the superbill option, a form from your insurance that you submit for reimbursement, please consider asking your insurance what percentage they cover, and the length of therapy that they cover (45 min or 60 min sessions). *November 30, 2018 – Update – I called my insurance and asked these questions about the superbill, and my insurance only covers 50% of out of network providers (aka therapists) AFTER I’ve met a $1,000 deductible (meaning, after I’ve paid for $1,000 worth of therapy sessions out of pocket first). My boyfriend called and asked his insurance the same question, and they told him the same thing except his deductible is $5,000 !!!! That’s insane, and doesn’t make ANY sense. Many therapists I have called do not take insurance and only take superbill, so it has been very frustrating and annoying to try and find a therapist that I can afford. I can see why many people do not end up going to therapy. I will post more updates as I continue looking for a therapist <333 I heard today in the Mental Health First Aid training I took that Medical offers a lot of help with covering therapy, so if you have Medical, please look into that and let me know if this true. <333
For The Strange is Beautiful, we hope to build a more thorough recommendation based alternative healer directory for you through our in-depth interviews of healers. We strive to continue to base it around recommendations from you, our readers and community, to ensure that the healers we interview are safe for our TSIB community, and actually help. If you have any recommendations of tarot guides, yoga instructors, energy healers, massage therapists, acupuncturists, curanderas, herbalists, or any other alternative healers, please email us at strangeisbeauty@gmail.com. We’d love to interview them and you about how they helped your mind obstacles <333
Sending you positive vibes,
Shannen
Founding Editor-in-Chief
The Strange is Beautiful
Article by Shannen Roberts.
Shannen Roberts is the Peruvian-American, founding editor-in-chief of The Strange is Beautiful, musician and yogi.
Learn more about her here.
