Hellobee Boards

It's tough... I wish there was a better system in place. You might ask your PCP or your family and friends if there is anyone they recommend.

Otherwise, I would go to your insurance website and look up who is covered by your insurance network. Then I'd google some of the providers and see if you can find anything about them.

If you know you prefer a certain mode of therapy, like cognitive-behavioral therapy (works well for depression), you could use an association website. Here's a link for finding a CBT therapist (though it's definitely not exhaustive... I would say the list only includes a fraction of CBT therapists). http://www.abctcentral.org/xFAT/

A lot of therapists will do a free phone consult or a free introductory meeting if you ask. That might help you get an idea about whether or not the person is a good fit without devoting a whole hour. I would definitely ask them if they have experience treating PPD. If you are considering medication, it might be nice if you found a practice that had a psychiatrist on staff, though your PCP or OB might also prescribe something.

Don't be afraid to try several different therapist... it's really important to find the right fit! It's really daunting to try to find someone, but worth it!

I have seems a few different therapists and my favorites were ones I had recommendations for from family and friends. You can also try looking for reviews if you find someone through your insurance.

Definitely don't be afraid to switch if you don't think the person is working for you. I've done that recently with my GP and my prenatal care provider.

I am a mental health professional who used to be a therapist - don't feel like you need to stick with the providers on the CBT website. You have to pay money to be listed on a lot of those sites and it doesn't mean that they are a better therapist, just that they're willing to advertise that way. Most of my clients came via insurance or word of mouth. Insurances often contract with large gropupractices or agencies. These can be a good place to start because you can call and ask for exactly what you want, i.e. mature female who specializes in xyz therapy and abc situations. They can often help you make a good match.
Good luck!

For couples counseling after DS was born we went through our insurance to find someone who was coveres and close to home. We were lucky that we clicked with her because we didn't have a lot of options.