Finding a good therapist is essential if you want to heal.

By and large, therapists are good people and are good at their job… but not every therapist will be a good fit for your specific anti-diet needs.

So let’s walk through how to find a provider who matches your unique needs and personality style.

*This is not sponsored in any way, I just personally use and love this website. FYI: not every therapist is listed in the Psychology Today database, so keep that in mind during your search.*

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Psychology Today is a professional database for therapists, psychiatrists, treatment centers, and support groups. Individuals can search the database to find licensed mental health professionals in their area and for their needs.

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Things to Consider When Finding a Therapist

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Intuitive Eating and Body Image Considerations

Before we dive into the platform, I wanted to mention that Intuitive Eating and Health at Every Size® are specialty areas of professional skill. I have worked with clients who had their therapist, who is an eating disorder specialist, trigger their eating disorder by mentioning weight loss, calories, etc in session. This is why I am asking Psychology Today to add Intuitive Eating and Health at Every Size® as filters on their database.

Until this happens, you can find therapists and other health professionals certified in Intuitive Eating, here.

Keep in mind as well that therapists are products of our society just like everyone else… and since weight stigma and fatphobia are entrenched into our society, it is likely that individual therapists will say or do things in the name of “health” that are actually damaging. It is okay for you to educate your therapist about Intuitive Eating and HAES®.

It is okay for you to say, “I need you to read these books and work to provide a safe place for me to heal from my body image issues.” It is okay for you to advocate for your needs with the doctors and professionals around you. And it is okay for you to expect them to learn and grow with you… not just treat you in the same way they’ve treat everyone else.

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How Do I Know If My Therapist Is a Good Fit?

The first couple of visits with any therapist can be awkward. You are opening up to a stranger about the deepest parts of yourself… and that can lead to deep feelings of vulnerable discomfort.

If you visit with a therapist a few times and that gut feeling of I don’t know if we are a good fit doesn’t go away… find another therapist! It is perfectly okay to meet with a few therapists until you find a good client-therapist fit. I have had excellent therapists and I have had some pretty lackluster experiences as well. Don’t write off therapy because the first therapist (or two) you tried didn’t work out.

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How Soon Can I Be Seen?

Often, especially more recently, therapists will have a wait list for treatment. I always encourage people to call and ask the receptionist for guidance; they can give you information about local programs or put you on the schedule for a therapist who has more availability.

If your needs are more immediate, please call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

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Filtering Providers Based on Current Issues

On the Psychology Today website, you can filter your search based on the mental health issues that you are currently facing. For example:

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Filtering Providers Based on Insurance

Having quality insurance that can pay for therapy is a privilege. Many people don’t have insurance because it isn’t an option for them, particularly in marginalized communities. If you have Medicaid or Medicare, therapy may be an option for you.

Keep in mind that many therapists are self-pay. Often insurance will put a cap on how many therapy sessions someone can attend while on a specific insurance plan. This can lead to patients not getting the long-term help that they need. 

If you find a therapist you really want to work with, but are unsure of their insurance and payment policies… email them! It never hurts to ask, and sometimes therapists have a sliding scale for those with specific financial considerations. 

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Filtering Providers Based on Type of Therapy Offered

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I am not familiar with all of the above types that therapists offer, but personally, I have found incredible progress when utilizing the following therapeutic modalities:

• Art Therapy
• EMDR
• Emotion Focused Therapy
• Internal Family Systems & Parts Work
• Mindfulness-Based Therapy
• Motivational Interviewing
• Music Therapy
• Play Therapy
• Somatic
• Trauma Focused (Trauma Informed)

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A Note About EMDR:

EMDR is a specific type of trauma therapy that utilizes bilateral stimulation to process traumatic events. I have personally used EMDR… and while I can say it is highly effective, I offer a word of caution.

EMDR is not a gentle form of therapy. You are asked to recall traumatic events and embody those emotions as much as you can in order to neutralize them in a safe environment under supervision. And while this process works… it can leave you feeling incredibly vulnerable afterwards.

If you choose to do EMDR, please build-in extra gentle self-care in the days, weeks, and months following treatment. Also, it is crucial to have a safe therapeutic relationship with your EMDR provider. If a therapist tries to jump into EMDR work before you feel comfortable, express that clearly or switch providers! I had a therapist do EMDR in our first session (I didn’t know any better as it was my first time trying EMDR) and it was TRAUMATIZING. Emotional safety in trauma therapy is key.

Also, EMDR is not a quick fix. Those of us with complex trauma, as opposed to single-incident trauma, will not heal in a few sessions. EMDR can often be an even longer-term treatment than other forms of therapy.

Lastly, EMDR will not work for everyone. There are certain emotional needs that block the effectiveness of EMDR (such as dissociation). Your provider can talk you through these and determine if EMDR, or another type of trauma therapy, is right for you.

• Video #1: EMDR Overview
• Video #2: Jameela Jamil EMDR Experience [minutes 0-6]
• Video #3: Why EMDR Doesn’t Always Work

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Ketamine-Assisted and Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy

Substance-Assisted Therapy is not a type of therapy offered as a filter on Psychology Today… but I have had many conversations recently with practitioners and clients who are in awe of the healing it allows! If you want to learn more, Google “Ketamine-Assisted Therapy near me” or “Psilocybin Therapy” to do your own research and find a reputable provider near you.

• Video #1: TED Talk about Ketamine-Assisted Therapy
• Video #2: Psychiatrist Interview about Ketamine-Assisted Therapy

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Finding a Therapist Based on Other Factors

There are other filters you can use as well! I encourage you to use the website and see for yourself.

You can also filter based on:

• Location
• Languages the provider speaks
• Ethnic, sexual, and faith demographics
• and more!

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Finding a Therapist Case Study

For example: if you live in North Carolina, have Anthem BCBS, and need a therapist who is transgender allied… you would find Ryan Graumann (he/him).

*I don’t personally know this therapist, I simply found his profile and cross-referenced on the Certified Intuitive Eating Counselors website!*

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After reading Ryan’s Psychology Today bio, I can call/email to schedule right away or view the linked website to learn more.

And that’s it!
Easy as pie. 

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If you live in the US, use this link:  https://www.psychologytoday.com/us

To access the International databases, use this link:
Psychology Today International Database

[These countries are available as of August 2021]

If you want to know some of the therapists that I regularly recommend, please read through this blog post to see if any of them work with your unique needs!