How to Find a Rad Therapist: Using Directories to be Efficient
I was first introduced to the idea of therapy by a friend back in 2012. Before then, I had no idea what it meant to see a therapist, let alone how to find one. They introduced me to therapy directories so I could embark on my own search to find a rad therapist, and eventually inspired me to go back to school to become a therapist myself.
Search engines are often not the most effective way to find a therapist that matches your specific needs, as it can be difficult to refine your search. I usually encourage folks to use therapy directories to find a potential match. Not all therapist directories are created the same, though. Some are general directories where any therapist can join regardless of specialty or common characteristics, while others are identity, values, or location specific. We may not share 100% of our values with each directory on this list (i.e. Psychology Today is a corporate, conservative behemoth, but also has the biggest selection of therapists), but I thought it’s important for our community to be aware of what exists out there in order to make informed decisions about how to utilize them.
Nokdu Therapy is dedicated to the liberation of all people through holistic healing, effective and ethical services, interconnectedness, interdependence, and joy. As such, we hold a few of these therapist directories particularly close to our hearts and spirits. In addition to these directories providing an important resource to our communities, they also are a part of a larger movement for Healing Justice to transform the conditions that contribute to much of our pain and anguish. Here’s a little bit about them:
Inclusive Therapists is a directory with explicit social justice and liberation-oriented values. They have a thorough application process so that therapists on the directory share values around racial justice, disability justice, neurodivergence, anti-occupation and gender justice. You can access Inclusive Therapists here. They also have a sibling organization, the Mental Health Liberation Fund, where they provide stipends to BIPOC folks to access therapy.
Latinx Therapists Action Network is a directory that sees its role as part of a larger migrant rights movement. Acknowledging how ICE, xenophobia, colonialism, and racism enacts multiple types of violence upon Latinx and Latinx migrant communities, they endeavor to make therapy accessible to those who may seek it. All therapists on LTAN are committed to providing sliding scale fees for at least 6 sessions. You can access the directory here.
The National Queer & Trans Therapists of Color Network is best known for their directory of QTIBIPOC therapists. They are also a healing justice organization that seeks to transform mental health for QTIBIPOC folks recovering from trauma, violence and systemic oppression. Their comprehensive directory creates access for QTIBIPOC people to find QTIBIPOC therapists (I myself have been so thankful to find my own therapists through this directory). They also organize therapists through political education and field building so we can continue to disrupt the harm perpetuated by the medical-industrial complex. Click here to check their directory out.
Take a look at the list below to see what else is out there, and to find a therapist who may match what you’re looking for.
Asian Mental Health Collective
Abolition Centered Care Provider Database
CBT Therapy Directory
Directory of Black Muslim Mental Health Professionals
EMDR Therapy Directory
Fil-Am Mental Health professionals Directory
InnoPsych (Therapists of Color)
Kink Aware Professionals Directory
Latinx Therapists Action Network
Medi-Cal Directory (Free Services for Medi-Cal)
National Queer Trans Therapists of Color Network
NAAPIMHA AANHPI Service Providers
No More Gatekeeping (Letters for Gender Affirming Procedures)
Open Path Collective (Low Fee)
The Open List (For Open Relationships)
The OutList LGBTQ+ Affirming Healthcare Directory
The Polyamory-Friendly Professionals Directory
Therapists of West Los Angeles Referral List
This is by no means a comprehensive list. If there’s a directory missing from this list that you believe should be included, please don’t hesitate to email us and let us know. If you need support in navigating some of these directories, contact us and we’ll do our best to help. Or you can keep it simple and hit us up at Nokdu Therapy for a consultation call with one of our awesome therapists.
