27 of the Best Therapist Directories (2024)
Updated August 30, 2023
Whether you’re a therapist starting your own private practice or a therapy-seeker on the hunt for a therapist, you’ve likely considered using a therapist directory.
Therapist directories are one of the simplest and quickest ways for therapists and clients to connect, so why not give them a shot, right?
In this list, I’ve broken down 27+ therapy directories so you can start to market your practice online or find a therapist. Each directory has its own pros and cons, and I’ll try my best to highlight those here.
Are you a therapy seeker?
Are you a therapist?
Keep scrolling for the list of counseling directories and my assessment of each.
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→ 3 things to know about therapist directories
→ List of directories
Therapy for Black Girls (and other directories for black therapists)
Therapy for Latinx (and other directories for Latinx therapists)
Asian Mental Health Collective (and other directories for Asian therapists)
Before we dive in, a few things.
Just because you have a listing on a therapy directory does not mean that potential clients will find you. There is a lot of competition—I mean hundreds if not thousands of other therapists competing for the same clients as you. Best Therapists is the only directory that I know of that limits the amount of therapists per page.
Since signing clients from counseling directories every month isn’t a guarantee, one of the most significant benefits of a counseling directory listing is getting a backlink to your website. Backlinks are a huge part of improving your website for search, aka SEO.
Finally, be careful. Some of these directories make big promises that they can’t keep. Proceed with caution, and don’t always take their word for fact.
Side note
Note that in this guide, I do not break down platforms like BetterHelp. Since I do not agree with the way they treat therapists or clients (have you heard about the lawsuits?), I will not be promoting them here.
Best directory for private pay therapists
Cost: Free.
Pros: Best Therapists is a brand new therapist directory created by our founder. Best Therapists vets therapists, so therapy-seekers can focus on fit, not quality. They host an out-of-network mental health benefits checker—so no matter which insurance plan your dream client has, you can get your full fee—making Best Therapists the best choice for private pay therapists (assuming they pass the directory’s rigorous vetting process). On top of that, therapists are one of a handful of other providers on each results page, not thousands (unlike the other guys).
Cons: Best Therapists is a newer directory, so they get less traffic than other more established directories.
Backlink: ✅
Free directory for all types of therapists
Cost: Free.
Pros: TherapyDen is a highly authoritative website with thousands of backlinks. It also ranks for over 10,000 lucrative keywords. TherapyDen’s brand is friendly and easy-to-use. 140+ filters allow users to hone in on the type of therapist that they are interested in working with, so if a client were to find you on TherapyDen, they would likely be more qualified.
Cons: None that I can think of.
Backlink: ✅
for non private pay therapists in select states
Cost: Free.
Pros: Headway is an excellent choice for in-network therapy providers, and it’s designed beautifully. As users scroll through the directory, they can filter through providers based on different tags like “affirming” and “solution oriented.”
Cons: Headway is a newer therapist directory, so they don’t serve too many areas yet (only California, DC, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, and Maryland) and only rank for a handful of keywords. Additionally, the majority of users search for therapists on Headway based on their insurance provider. So if you’re private pay, Headway may not be the best directory for you.
Backlink: ❌
similar visibility as psychology today
Cost: $29.95 to $39.95/month (depending on the features you want to pay for).
Pros: GoodTherapy is very authoritative and ranks for great keywords that could help you get clients. GoodTherapy is certainly one of the most notable counseling directories out there.
Cons: GoodTherapy gets the job done, but the site isn’t particularly user-friendly or well-designed.
Backlink: ✅
Up and coming, but supports betterhelp
Cost: Free.
Pros: For being a newer therapist directory, Choosing Therapy has high authority. Choosing Therapy also gets quite a bit of organic traffic, in part due to its robust blog. Choosing Therapy offers a lot of choice in their main navigation—users can search for therapists by technique, speciality, and symptoms. For the more experienced searcher, this is a huge benefit, but those newer to therapy might be a bit overwhelmed.
Cons: Be wary of the platform you’re supporting—Choosing Therapy heavily advertises for BetterHelp, making them (essentially) a feeder to the mental health startup.
Backlink: ❌
older directory with client signing guarantee
Cost: $247-$397/year.
Pros: Theravive is an old, authoritative site. Theravive is a pricey option, but they do offer a paid client guarantee, so it’s probably worth trying.
Cons: Theravive isn’t particularly modern or attractive, and the results page is a bit cluttered. We’re not a fan from a usability perspective—it’s not a particularly modern design, and that may not align with your brand. Additionally, for its age, it doesn’t rank for as many keywords as other top directories like Psychology Today and GoodTherapy.
Backlink: ✅
standard directory with decent traffic FROM GOOGLE
Cost: $29.95/month.
Pros: TherapyTribe has a high domain authority and ranks for a lot of opportune keywords. It’s simple enough to use and has a lot of information available for users. TherapyTribe also costs the same as Psychology Today, but it displays far fewer therapy profiles than other major directories, meaning your chances of being found by clients on TherapyTribe are higher (if clients get to the directory in the first place).
Cons: TherapyTribe ranks for fewer keywords than other directories.
Backlink: ✅
ANTIQUATED directory with high authority and low visibility
Cost: $19.95/month.
Pros: Network Therapy is… old. So, authority is high, but still not nearly as high as the other directories. Regardless, they do rank on page 1 in some cases.
Cons: It looks like it hasn’t been redesigned in decades, so Network Therapy isn’t as easy to use, and it’s less findable online.
Backlink: ✅
directory more targeted towards doctors
Cost: Free!
Pros: Health Grade’s authority is about as high as a website can get, and they rank for a staggering 4.4 million keywords. On Health Grade, you can list your name, address, and phone number, or your NAP. Listing your NAP helps your local SEO presence, i.e. the likeliness of your Google Business profile appearing higher up on the map results.
Cons: Health Grades doesn’t rank as well organically for therapist keywords—they’re more focused on doctors.
Backlink: ❌
the most used therapist directory (but not a great reputation)
Cost: $29.95/month.
Pros: Psychology Today is highly authoritative and ranks on the first page of Google for highly lucrative keywords. In fact, it’s usually the first result for any given therapy-related keyword. That being said, the chances of someone actually finding you on Psychology Today are low. In Denver, Colorado, there were around 1,700 profiles on Psychology today distributed across 87 pages of results. We could talk about the complexities of Psychology Today all day. You can check out our ramblings on the cost of a Psychology Today profile (and if it’s worth it) if you’re curious.
Cons: Psychology Today has a history of publishing racist content and failing to prioritize diverse representation in their magazine. Therefore, as a trauma-informed organization, we cannot recommend supporting Psychology Today. They also may evade taxes by basing their business in the Cayman Islands.
Backlink: ✅
Directory with matching service
Cost: $16.58/month (billed annually) or $24.97/month (billed monthly).
Pros: Mental Health Match is provides a service to match therapists and clients based on potential for fit. Mental Health Match has spent years studying how to match people with therapists, and prioritize helping therapists stand out to potential clients that are in line with their specialty and can afford them.
Cons: Mental Health Match is a newer directory, so their traffic is lower than other directories.
Backlink: ✅
Low traffic site for international therapists
Cost: $45-$49/year.
Pros: International Therapist Directory is a good fit for therapists living abroad.
Cons: Compared to other directories, International Therapist Directory has a low authority score, doesn’t rank for many keywords, and barely gets any traffic (in the United States, anyways). Additionally, it’s not super easy to use. Their search function is a bit convoluted.
Backlink: ✅
Best for filling sliding scale spots
Cost: Free!
Pros: There are way fewer listings on Open Path Collective than on other directories, so the likeliness of a client finding you is more likely. They rank for keywords like “affordable counseling near me,” which makes sense given their mission to match clients with therapists that they can afford.
Cons: Open Path Collective has a high authority score, but we don’t see it on the first few pages of the SERP for keywords like “denver therapist.” You also can’t list your website, but, like other directories, you can list your NAP. Note that Open Path Collective is a way to connect with sliding scale clients (max $80 per session)—not full fee.
Backlink: ❌
FEWER LISTINGS directory (with some misleading claims)
Cost: $100 one-time fee.
Pros: Being Seen has fewer listings than other directories (they even cap the amount of listings per city based on population), so your chances of being seen are higher, but, in my opinion, they don’t rank for enough keywords to make this a compelling reason to pay for a listing.
Cons: Being Seen has a comparatively low authority score and mostly ranks on Google for names of therapists and their own brand name. This isn’t a great choice if you’re hoping to rank on page one for keywords like “child therapist.” Like all other directories, they claim that they help with SEO through Google Ads. But as SEO for therapists specialists, we can debunk this for you—Being Seen does not really help you with your SEO since Google Ads and SEO are completely separate efforts.
Backlink: ✅
Generic directory with lower traffic
Cost: Not clear.
Pros: Therapist Locator has a high authority, and you get a great link to your website.
Cons: Therapist Locator doesn’t rank for a lot of keywords and doesn’t get a lot of traffic. Additionally, the directory is barely designed… but it gets the job done.
Backlink: ✅
best for psychologists with apa membership
Cost: $99-$247/year (the cost of an annual membership with the APA).
Pros: American Psychological Association has a very high authority score. It ranks one page one for “how to find a good therapist.”
Cons: The APA’s directory doesn’t rank as often for keywords like “therapist near me.” Additionally, not as many therapists list on the APA therapist finder due to licensure restrictions (PhDs only!).
Backlink: ✅
app-like matching service directory
Cost: Free!
Pros: Therapeasy hopes to create better and more lasting client-therapist relationships. It's a new web-based app that matches people with three providers based on an algorithm. The app is meant to connect people with therapists based on more than just location and speciality, for example, more nuanced factors like personality.
Cons: Therapeasy is less known than other directories, so they get less traffic.
Backlink: ✅
Pay per lead directory targeted towards doctors and in-network providers
Cost: Prices vary and operate on a cost-per-lead model.
Pros: ZocDoc is a highly authoritative website, and frequently ranks on page one for great keywords. As you can probably tell from its name, ZocDoc does put more focus on doctors, and it is more insurance-focused (so not a great choice for private pay therapists).
Cons: ZocDoc operates on a cost-per-lead system, meaning you’re charged when someone books a consultation with you. The issue is, as you know, that not all consultations either a) show up or b) convert to clients, making ZocDoc a less than ideal choice for therapists.
Backlink: ❌
Great option for black therapists
Cost: $25/month or $300/year.
Pros: Therapy for Black Girls is always on page one for any keywords like “black therapist near me,” making it an invaluable choice if you’re a black therapist! Therapy for Black Girls is well designed and offers many resources for black women seeking mental health support, like a podcast and community.
Cons: Therapy for Black Girls ranks for keywords related to black therapists only, so you’ll likely get less exposure than you would on other directories.
Backlink: ✅
Additional directories for black therapists (that rank well on Google)
Black Female Therapists ($20/month or $200/year; no follow link)
Black Male Therapists ($20/month or $200/year; no follow link)
Find Black Therapist ($0 - $367/year; no follow link)
Great option for Latinx therapists
Cost: $19.99/month or $130/year for therapists, $130/year for life coaches.
Pros: Therapy for Latinx is always on page one for “latinx” and “therapy” keyword combinations on Google, so it’s a no brainer for latinx therapists.
Cons: Like other niche directories, Latinx ranks for more demographically specific keywords, which means less exposure on your profile.
Backlink: ✅ (if pasted in the therapist statement)
Additional directories for Latinx therapists (that rank well on Google), check out the following directories:
Latinx Therapy ($9 or $21/month or $180/year; do follow link when pasted in the therapist statement)
Great option for Asian therapists
Cost: Free!
Pros: Asian Mental Health Collective is consistently on page one for “asian” and “therapy” keyword combinations on Google, so I highly recommend signing up for this directory if you’re an Asian therapist.
Cons: I like Asian Mental Health Collective’s branding, but I wouldn’t separate the directory listings by country (US or Canada). Additionally, you’ll get less views on your profile since the directory targets Asian therapy-seekers only.
Backlink: ✅
For additional directories for Asian therapists (that rank well on Google), check out the following directories:
South Asian Therapists ($19.79/month or $197.99/year; no follow link)
Asians for Mental Health (free; do follow link)
Great options for therapists of color and LGBTQIA+ THERAPISTS
Cost: $29/month or $119/month (depending on features). Sponsored memberships and scholarships are available.
Pros: The Inclusive Therapists directory is dedicated to helping marginalized people find therapists that provide “radically affirming, culturally responsive mental health care.” Inclusive Therapist’s authority is high, and they rank on page one for keywords like “lgtbq therapist near me” and “bipoc therapist.” I like the branding of Inclusive Therapists, and the therapist profiles include crucial information for marginalized groups like wheelchair accessibility, gender neutral bathrooms, spiritual knowledge, and tags about the therapists’ identities (person of color, cisgender, etc.).
Cons: Inclusive Therapists gets less traffic than other directories, but the traffic it does get is highly targeted, which makes it more likely that potential clients align with your values.
Backlink: ✅
SECOND BEST TO PSYCHOLOGY TODAY FOR TRAFFIC
Cost: $59/month with a $130 start up fee and upgrade options ranging from $19-$39/month.
Pros: I often see Zencare on page one for keywords, so from an SEO perspective, it’s a good choice (I would put it on par with Psychology Today). Zencare’s usability is excellent. On the homepage, users aren’t overwhelmed by actions to take—Zencare prominently features their search bar and that’s it, all while keeping the menu tidy in a sandwich bar in the top right. On top of that, Zencare offers many features for therapists starting their private practices, from clincal records storage to invoicing.
Cons: Zencare might offer a little more than you need. It seems like they pile on features to justify a higher price point.
Backlink: ❌
GOOD CHOICE FOR ONLINE THERAPISTS (BUT SUPPORTS BETTER HELP)
Cost: Free with upgrade options.
Pros: Online Therapy specializes in—you guessed it—virtual therapy practices. If you’re an online therapist, this could be a good choice for you, especially since it’s free. I don’t see Online Therapy coming up enough for keywords targeting “online therapy,” so I suspect that this counseling directory isn’t as beneficial for getting clients.
Cons: At the time of this writing, Online Therapy does receive referral fees from Better Help and advertises for them. Their usability is standard, although I find their branding a little lackluster. You also have to dig a bit to conduct a search for a therapist, which I don’t think many users would like.
Backlink: ✅
GREAT CHOICE FOR THERAPISTS OF COLOR
Cost: $21/month.
Pros: Clinicians of Color is a directory dedicated to promoting therapists of color. It’s also east to use since the search bar is available right away on the homepage.
Cons: Inclusive Therapists, Therapy for Black Girls, Therapy for Latinx, and Asian Mental Health Collective rank for more keywords than Clinicians of Color.
Backlink: ✅
STANDARD FOR SIMPLE PRACTICE USERS
Cost: Free with a Simple Practice plan ($29-$99/month).
Pros: Monarch is Simple Practice’s directory (note that I am a Simple Practice partner, so I may get a referral fee if you sign up via the link I provided). I love Monarch’s branding (so simple and clean!), and it’s convenient that your profile is synched with your Simple Practice.
Cons: I’m seeing Monarch come up more and more on page one, but they’re definitely not competing with directories like Zencare or Psychology Today.
Backlink: ✅
Directory better suited for in-person practices
Cost: $99.95/year.
Pros: Find a Therapist is a growing directory. It has lower traffic and authority compared to some of the more major directories, but it’s performing well and ranks highly for “therapist near me” keywords.
Cons: Find a Therapist isn’t particularly pretty, but it gets the job done. They focus primarily on proximity—a “distance” filter is the first that they list. To us, it seems like this directory is better suited to practices seeing clients in person.
Backlink: ✅
Other non-therapist directories
It’s important to get listings on other non-counseling directories as well. Although clients won’t find you there (necessarily), you still get to list your NAP and link to your website.
Here are a few we recommend (although there are many more):
That depends on your goals.
My advice is stay on whichever directory gives you an ROI and/or if you get a do follow backlink for a low monthly cost. If you're paying for it and not getting clients, I would cancel your subscription. If it's free, absolutely get a listing!
Here’s a list of the best therapy directories for therapy-seekers. I break them down by objective, i.e. what you’re hoping to accomplish from your therapist search.
| Directory | Objective |
|---|---|
| Best Therapists↗️ | Best directory for finding a vetted, high quality therapist. |
| Psychology Today↗️ | Best directory for exposure to as many therapists as possible. |
| Therapy Den↗️ | Best directory for finding a therapist with a niche specialty. |
| Headway↗️ | Best directory for efficient insurance matching. |
| Open Path Collective↗️ | Best directory for finding a sliding scale therapist. |
| Zocdoc↗️ | Best directory for finding medication providers (like psychiatrists). |
| Inclusive Therapists↗️ | Best directory for LGBTQIA+ people and other marginalized populations. |
| Therapy for Black Girls↗️ | Best directory for black people seeking a black therapist. |
| Asian Mental Health Collective↗️ | Best directory for Asian people seeking an Asian therapist. |
| Therapy for Latinx↗️ | Best directory for Latinx people seeking a Latinx therapist. |
Good luck on your therapy search!
