If you know someone who goes to counseling regularly, they may be comfortable giving you the name of their therapist, or someone who they believe would be a good fit for you.

Asking friends and family can help break down the stigma of seeking treatment for mental health issues and provide good options for your own treatment.

Health care professionals form a well-connected community. Your doctor may have one or more reputable names to offer you regarding therapy.

When asking, you don’t even need to go into detail as to why you’re requesting therapists’ names.

Many times, larger insurance companies will have a list of therapists on their website. If you have trouble finding it online, call a customer service representative and request the list.

If you are covered by Medicaid or Medicaid, your state's Health and Human Services Department may maintain a directory of providers who will accept this insurance.

These lists are great resources for finding therapists nearby and for cross-referencing any names suggested to you through another source.

Some benefits packages will cover a set number of appointments with an EAP therapist. Seeing an EAP therapist is confidential. Once you use your allotted appointments, they can refer you to someone covered by your insurance for additional sessions if needed.

This resource is twofold. If you have a child in grade school, the school nurse can easily direct you or your child to a therapist in your area.

For University students or faculty and staff, the health center on your campus most likely has a counseling division. Trained professionals within that division are available to you at set prices, or are covered by your school fees.

The internet has made searching infinitely easier with the invention of qualified listings.

Websites like Psychology Today and WebMD have searchable lists of licensed therapists for you to choose from. Just make sure to cross-reference your findings with another source to ensure its reliability.

Yellow Pages ads are expensive and outdated. And what’s worse is that there are no set requirements for placing a professional advertisement. Anyone with a little disposable income can post an ad offering counseling services, which makes it a hazardous place to look.

The same goes for Craigslist. While some professionals do use Craigslist to reach a younger audience, there are also many fraudulent accounts that just want your money.

Use good judgment and always cross-reference your findings with another resource.

Once you have a fair amount of names, try Googling them.

Many, but not all, reputable therapists have work published that is available for public consumption. Reading someone’s research can give you a good idea of their style.

You may find a website for their practice that includes information about their training, areas of specialty, or testimonials from other patients.

All of this information can help you decide whether someone is potentially a good fit for you.

When you've found a few therapists you would be comfortable meeting, book an initial appointment.

Try out several therapists on your list.

Are you comfortable talking with this person? If they have office staff are they welcoming and knowledgeable? Are the location and hours convenient?

Exploring these and other questions can help you get a feel for what it is you want out of the experience.

It can sometimes be a challenging road to finding the therapist that’s right for you, but the difference it makes will be well worth it.

We believe everyone has the ability to recover if they have access to quality treatment.

And we know that being supportive of someone in recovery sometimes means accessing your own treatment.

Recovery is a process and a journey worth taking.