Why therapy? A personal story from our founder

My mom was the kind of person who took joy in bringing people together. She always kept me informed about family and friends, making sure we all felt connected to each other. So when she suddenly passed away a few years ago, my world came crashing down around me.

I felt stuck in my grief and unsure how I was going to heal and move forward while also helping others in my family do the same. I knew I needed the guidance of a trained professional. It was in this moment, searching for a therapist for the first time, that I quickly realized how much the process of finding mental health care needed fixing.

The search for a therapist can be overwhelming, even when you are not in times of crisis.

• How do you find the right therapist for you?
• What is the difference between a counselor, a therapist, a psychologist, and a psychiatrist?
• What is the difference between CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy), and the dozens of other types of approaches?
• How do you not only find someone with the right approach and training, but also someone that is near you, affordable or in your insurance network, and accepting new clients?

I not only felt lost in the world; I also felt lost in this sea of questions and confusion.

After listening to people describe their own experiences trying to find mental health professionals, I learned that I was not alone in my frustrations. I heard from people who felt like their search for a therapist was a part-time job. I heard from people who felt so overwhelmed finding a new therapist that they gave up on the process altogether. At the same time, I heard from therapists with full schedules who were exasperated that they did not have any resources to offer people asking for appointments.

As I sat in a Houston coffee shop, struggling through endless websites and unhelpful online profiles, my friend sat across from me setting up an online dating account. I compared our processes and realized it was time for a modern approach to finding a therapist. It should be easier to find a therapist than a life partner.

Mental Health Match is determined to solve these problems and take the anxiety and guess work out of finding a therapist. We want to make finding a therapist a more hopeful, informative, and relieving process. Our matching tool is designed to match you with a therapist who best meets your needs and is available to see you.

So, if you feel frustrated searching for a therapist, know that we see you, you are not alone, and that there are many of us working to make this process better for all of us. We hope Mental Health Match can provide comfort and clarity as you take the next steps in your mental health journey.