How do you find a therapist when you're not white?
August 21, 2021 8:15 PM Subscribe
Therapists tend to prefer white clients, and tend to not want to have clients that are not white. What should those of us who are not white do on our search for a therapist?
I recently came across this article - https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/06/the-struggle-of-seeking-therapy-while-poor/484970/ - which states that finding a therapist can be hard if you are not white. I'm Indian-American, and my name is clearly ethnic, which means that I will have a harder time finding a therapist than a white person. Unfortunately, the article doesn't give any solutions besides changing your name, which I'm not sure if I want to do. I was wondering what other approaches might be useful since I'm not white?
I recently came across this article - https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/06/the-struggle-of-seeking-therapy-while-poor/484970/ - which states that finding a therapist can be hard if you are not white. I'm Indian-American, and my name is clearly ethnic, which means that I will have a harder time finding a therapist than a white person. Unfortunately, the article doesn't give any solutions besides changing your name, which I'm not sure if I want to do. I was wondering what other approaches might be useful since I'm not white?
These sites may be helpful:
openpathcollective.org
inclusivetherapists.com
posted by bearette at 8:40 PM on August 21, 2021 [2 favorites]
openpathcollective.org
inclusivetherapists.com
posted by bearette at 8:40 PM on August 21, 2021 [2 favorites]
Therapy Den is a directory founded on inclusiveness. You should find someone there who is not going to be less likely to work with you based on having an ethnic name. Many of the therapists I know who are listed there work hard to be consciously anti-racist and aware of the biases from the sea they are swimming in.
posted by crunchy potato at 8:48 PM on August 21, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by crunchy potato at 8:48 PM on August 21, 2021 [1 favorite]
What had your experience been so far? Are therapists not returning your calls?
posted by mr_roboto at 8:55 PM on August 21, 2021 [11 favorites]
posted by mr_roboto at 8:55 PM on August 21, 2021 [11 favorites]
This is a directory of queer and trans poc therapists. I personally found my therapist by using Orloc’s psychology today suggestion. I also made it clear in my screening that I was a person of color looking for a therapist who could support my needs as one. It’s worked out so far!
posted by Pretty Good Talker at 8:56 PM on August 21, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by Pretty Good Talker at 8:56 PM on August 21, 2021 [4 favorites]
I think this is very regional so it depends on where you live. I'm white and coincidentally have had two asian-american therapists (one Indian-American) who appeared to have plenty of non-white clients, but that was in California and another area with a lot of asian immigrants. If you're not in an area with a lot of immigrants, but are in the same state as one, you might have better luck searching for therapists there who do online therapy. It's generally pretty easy to set up online therapy within the same state right now, bit crossing state lines gets tricky for licensing reasons
posted by JZig at 9:07 PM on August 21, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by JZig at 9:07 PM on August 21, 2021 [1 favorite]
https://bit.ly/getatherapist has a section on resources for therapists of color and specifically South Asian providers on page 6
posted by Jon_Evil at 10:40 PM on August 21, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Jon_Evil at 10:40 PM on August 21, 2021 [1 favorite]
Mod note: A couple deleted. Follks, rather than arguing with the article or getting into a long general discussion of therapists and money, etc., please do the Ask Metafilter thing, which is to help OP solve their issue. OP is Indian-American and wants to find a therapist; do you have any helpful pointers or suggestions?
posted by taz (staff) at 11:20 PM on August 21, 2021 [13 favorites]
posted by taz (staff) at 11:20 PM on August 21, 2021 [13 favorites]
I found the study in the linked article to be full of problems. And based on personal experience, I have never heard of anyone in my social circle (of nearly all people of color) having trouble getting a call back from a therapist. Finding a good therapist, yes. But just getting an appointment-no.
What has been your actual experience?
In terms of steps to find a therapist, I suggest asking for recommendations from someone of your same background who you trust (ie a friend or Primary Care Physician). That is how I find all of my healthcare providers, by asking other women from my racial background. I have had a lot of success this way. If you don't want your friends to know you are looking for someone, start with your PCP.
posted by fies at 11:30 PM on August 21, 2021 [3 favorites]
What has been your actual experience?
In terms of steps to find a therapist, I suggest asking for recommendations from someone of your same background who you trust (ie a friend or Primary Care Physician). That is how I find all of my healthcare providers, by asking other women from my racial background. I have had a lot of success this way. If you don't want your friends to know you are looking for someone, start with your PCP.
posted by fies at 11:30 PM on August 21, 2021 [3 favorites]
This article has some tips, and if you’re a woman this WOC Therapy website might be a help.
I also read a blog post earlier this year about the general pandemic difficulty of getting a therapist (therapists are a lot more booked than usual right now). The writer said in general you’re more likely to get a call back if you write a note saying what your insurance/mode of payment is, what days/times you’re hoping to make an appointment, what you want to work on, and anything that makes you interested in that particular therapist. So like “I’m looking to work on issues related to attachment and family and liked what you said on your website about attachment being a specialty. I have Blue Cross insurance and you’re in network, and I’m available Thursdays and Fridays at lunchtime.”
Also, if you have friends who have therapists, ask them to get referrals, therapists are also more likely to call back if a client or colleague sent you their way.
posted by hungrytiger at 12:36 AM on August 22, 2021 [3 favorites]
I also read a blog post earlier this year about the general pandemic difficulty of getting a therapist (therapists are a lot more booked than usual right now). The writer said in general you’re more likely to get a call back if you write a note saying what your insurance/mode of payment is, what days/times you’re hoping to make an appointment, what you want to work on, and anything that makes you interested in that particular therapist. So like “I’m looking to work on issues related to attachment and family and liked what you said on your website about attachment being a specialty. I have Blue Cross insurance and you’re in network, and I’m available Thursdays and Fridays at lunchtime.”
Also, if you have friends who have therapists, ask them to get referrals, therapists are also more likely to call back if a client or colleague sent you their way.
posted by hungrytiger at 12:36 AM on August 22, 2021 [3 favorites]
I'm white and trans, and the only way I know of trans people getting quick, easy access to therapy is by declaring in their intake request voicemails or emails "I will not be using insurance and do not require a sliding scale" which is code for "I know what I'm doing, and I will pay you hundreds of dollars per session in cash/credit card payments directly, without you having to go through my insurance."
That's the only way of "jumping the queue" I know of. For everybody else, getting off of therapists' waitlists/out of their inboxes and into actual care has been a nightmare for years, pre-COVID, and after COVID it's gotten a lot worse.
I am in a city on the East Coast of the US, where therapists or therapy offices not bothering to return calls when their waitlists are so full they won't be able to take new clients anytime soon is not rare at all.
The LGBTQ community health center that I see for primary care is currently scheduling therapy "evaluations" for about 6-8 weeks away, for primary care patients only, and once you've been evaluated you're added to a different waitlist and will be scheduled to see a therapist in 4-6 months.
posted by All Might Be Well at 4:36 AM on August 22, 2021 [5 favorites]
That's the only way of "jumping the queue" I know of. For everybody else, getting off of therapists' waitlists/out of their inboxes and into actual care has been a nightmare for years, pre-COVID, and after COVID it's gotten a lot worse.
I am in a city on the East Coast of the US, where therapists or therapy offices not bothering to return calls when their waitlists are so full they won't be able to take new clients anytime soon is not rare at all.
The LGBTQ community health center that I see for primary care is currently scheduling therapy "evaluations" for about 6-8 weeks away, for primary care patients only, and once you've been evaluated you're added to a different waitlist and will be scheduled to see a therapist in 4-6 months.
posted by All Might Be Well at 4:36 AM on August 22, 2021 [5 favorites]
I am in a mixed-race/mixed-culture relationship, and when my partner and I were looking for a counselor last year, we used the Psychology Today directory, along with local provider/group websites (found by pretty generic search terms like "couples counseling in [our area]"), to build a candidate list of therapists including people of color and those indicating some experience working with racially and culturally diverse clients. We then used an initial consultation session (often given for free or reduced cost, but not always) to ask specifically about this concern, as well as learn about their general therapeutic approach. It took a few screenings before we found someone who felt like a good fit for us so be prepared to invest some time and money in the search process.
(This is very much annecdata but I have an obviously European-origin name and my partner has an obviously African-origin name, and neither of us had a much higher success rate for getting responses to initial inquiries. The hazard turned out to be providers who were "happy to work with anybody of course!!!" but seemed not to have the actual experience or awareness/sensitivity we were looking for.)
posted by 4rtemis at 6:00 AM on August 22, 2021 [2 favorites]
(This is very much annecdata but I have an obviously European-origin name and my partner has an obviously African-origin name, and neither of us had a much higher success rate for getting responses to initial inquiries. The hazard turned out to be providers who were "happy to work with anybody of course!!!" but seemed not to have the actual experience or awareness/sensitivity we were looking for.)
posted by 4rtemis at 6:00 AM on August 22, 2021 [2 favorites]
For whatever it’s worth as an Indian who has lived in the US and England I have never had a problem getting a therapist to take me on. Finding a good therapist is way harder but finding someone who will take non white clients? This hasn’t been a problem, and I’ve had about 6-8 therapists over the years. I hope you find it’s not an issue when you do actually reach out.
posted by cultureclash82 at 7:29 AM on August 22, 2021
posted by cultureclash82 at 7:29 AM on August 22, 2021
Response by poster: A few clarifications -
1. My experience agrees with the study. For example, a therapist that is rude to me when I reach out under my real name will be very polite and even recommend other therapists to look into when I reach out under a fake white-sounding name. My experience is not a randomized study so I didn't think it would be useful to include since it's not actually based on science. I also didn't want the fact that I've been trying a fake name to overshadow the actual issue I'm facing.
2. I recognize that finding a therapist is hard for everyone. My white friends have told me about how they have also had to reach out to many therapists who don't always respond, etc. However, the fact is that therapists tend to prefer white clients, and thus finding a therapist is harder if you are not white (at least, in the US). I am just looking for tips that will help bridge the gap if they exist. I obviously don't expect that anything I do will even match the experiences of white people when looking for a therapist.
posted by chernoffhoeffding at 8:39 AM on August 22, 2021 [4 favorites]
1. My experience agrees with the study. For example, a therapist that is rude to me when I reach out under my real name will be very polite and even recommend other therapists to look into when I reach out under a fake white-sounding name. My experience is not a randomized study so I didn't think it would be useful to include since it's not actually based on science. I also didn't want the fact that I've been trying a fake name to overshadow the actual issue I'm facing.
2. I recognize that finding a therapist is hard for everyone. My white friends have told me about how they have also had to reach out to many therapists who don't always respond, etc. However, the fact is that therapists tend to prefer white clients, and thus finding a therapist is harder if you are not white (at least, in the US). I am just looking for tips that will help bridge the gap if they exist. I obviously don't expect that anything I do will even match the experiences of white people when looking for a therapist.
posted by chernoffhoeffding at 8:39 AM on August 22, 2021 [4 favorites]
If you are interested in interviewing a therapist who has nurse practitioner or psychiatrist credentials -- and if you live in a city large enough to have some of each -- you might try the popular online doctor-booking services. The vast majority of their users yield to the pressure to submit headshots with some desperate approximation of an "approachable" "smile"; this has always bothered me in that it enables and encourages gender and racial discrimination among patients/clients. but on the other hand, if you think you might have better luck with a therapist who is not white, this does make it easier to find one. (though I realize nobody is entirely immune to the prejudices inculcated by therapist training, whatever their personal background.)
perhaps more usefully, those systems let you you book an initial appointment without a phone call first. the person at the other end can still cancel on you if they are incredibly unprofessional but if they list available timeslots, you don't need to ask their permission or get their attention first, you just take one.
posted by queenofbithynia at 10:22 AM on August 22, 2021
perhaps more usefully, those systems let you you book an initial appointment without a phone call first. the person at the other end can still cancel on you if they are incredibly unprofessional but if they list available timeslots, you don't need to ask their permission or get their attention first, you just take one.
posted by queenofbithynia at 10:22 AM on August 22, 2021
I'm sorry you've had this experience. Speaking as a social worker therapist, I can say this is completely anathema to the profession's values and ethics. While I'm sure the same is true for counselors, psychiatrists, or psychologists, you might try filtering them out and looking for LCSWs? I know many therapists who specialize in working with immigrant, refugee, or BIPOC populations and those might be helpful terms to search for as well.
I'll also add that, in my experience in a major metropolitan area, the therapist community has been drowning in work during this past year--it's very hard to find openings and there is often a wait. This is absolutely not a reason to return your calls, but I give that data point to everybody is looking for a therapist these days to help set expectations. Again, I'm sorry this has been unduly difficult for you and hope you're able to find someone you connect with soon.
posted by soonertbone at 1:17 PM on August 22, 2021
I'll also add that, in my experience in a major metropolitan area, the therapist community has been drowning in work during this past year--it's very hard to find openings and there is often a wait. This is absolutely not a reason to return your calls, but I give that data point to everybody is looking for a therapist these days to help set expectations. Again, I'm sorry this has been unduly difficult for you and hope you're able to find someone you connect with soon.
posted by soonertbone at 1:17 PM on August 22, 2021
Full disclosure: I’m white, so uh… sorry if this isn’t helpful after all.
This may not be appropriate depending on how in-depth you are wanting to go with therapy, but I would recommend looking into drop-in or low cost therapy options in your area. These are often staffed by student therapists who are earning their qualifications, and I have overwhelmingly had POC therapists when I used these services — perhaps an indicator of changing demographics in the ranks of younger therapists? It’s also been much more affordable, and while I probably wouldn’t want to do like, deep trauma work with a student therapist who was gonna be leaving shortly, these have honestly been some of the most helpful therapy experiences of my life.
posted by ceramicspaniel at 1:31 PM on August 22, 2021 [2 favorites]
This may not be appropriate depending on how in-depth you are wanting to go with therapy, but I would recommend looking into drop-in or low cost therapy options in your area. These are often staffed by student therapists who are earning their qualifications, and I have overwhelmingly had POC therapists when I used these services — perhaps an indicator of changing demographics in the ranks of younger therapists? It’s also been much more affordable, and while I probably wouldn’t want to do like, deep trauma work with a student therapist who was gonna be leaving shortly, these have honestly been some of the most helpful therapy experiences of my life.
posted by ceramicspaniel at 1:31 PM on August 22, 2021 [2 favorites]
This sucks that you have to deal with this while trying to find a therapist. I hope you find someone great and anti-racist soon!
Along with the national network mentioned above, some regions have local therapists-of-color professional networks. You may get some names by googling various permutations of [mytown] + [therapist of color]/[indian american therapist]/[asian american therapist]/[therapist of color network] etc...
If you talk to a therapist of color or anti-racist therapist who doesn't quite click for you or doesn't have openings, be sure to ask them for referrals to other anti-racist and/or therapists of color in the area. My spouse is a therapist (of color) and it turns out at least in our region therapists tend to know each other or at least know of each other and many are part of professional list-serves, consultation groups, networks, advocacy groups, etc.
posted by latkes at 2:27 PM on August 22, 2021 [1 favorite]
Along with the national network mentioned above, some regions have local therapists-of-color professional networks. You may get some names by googling various permutations of [mytown] + [therapist of color]/[indian american therapist]/[asian american therapist]/[therapist of color network] etc...
If you talk to a therapist of color or anti-racist therapist who doesn't quite click for you or doesn't have openings, be sure to ask them for referrals to other anti-racist and/or therapists of color in the area. My spouse is a therapist (of color) and it turns out at least in our region therapists tend to know each other or at least know of each other and many are part of professional list-serves, consultation groups, networks, advocacy groups, etc.
posted by latkes at 2:27 PM on August 22, 2021 [1 favorite]
I'm white. My husband isn't. I asked our Black primary care doctor to recommend a Black or Latina/o therapist and she did. This therapist turned out to be the right one, but if she hadn't, I would have asked her for a recommendation as well. We had tried other Black and Hispanic/Latina therapists who we didn't fit with *at all*, and we had to keep looking for a bit.
Are you able to find an Indian-American primary in your area who might help you in the search?
posted by toodleydoodley at 4:57 PM on August 22, 2021
Are you able to find an Indian-American primary in your area who might help you in the search?
posted by toodleydoodley at 4:57 PM on August 22, 2021
I am nonwhite. If you’re looking for a nonwhite therapist, the best shortcut is to search for someone who is bilingual. The vast and overwhelming majority of people this applies to will be nonwhite. Most insurances will allow you to search like this.
posted by corb at 6:48 PM on August 22, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by corb at 6:48 PM on August 22, 2021 [2 favorites]
I am a white therapist, and I include an overt statement on my website and psychology today profile about welcoming BIPOC clients. It has absolutely brought me business. Many of my peers who became licensed around the time I did (last 5 years) do the same. I wonder if that's something worth looking for in your area?
posted by Otis the Lion at 7:46 PM on August 22, 2021
posted by Otis the Lion at 7:46 PM on August 22, 2021
Sorry if someone mentioned this already, but i love the therapist finder tool on PsychologyToday. You can filter by race, gender, insurance, issues, etc.
posted by mermaidcafe at 8:24 PM on August 22, 2021
posted by mermaidcafe at 8:24 PM on August 22, 2021
The struggle is real. But the good news is that this is a recognized problem, and that directories and networks are appearing to find therapists with shared backgrounds and identities – one less bridge to cross in an already challenging process. In addition to the ones linked to upthread, two specific ones are:
https://southasiantherapists.org/
https://asiansformentalhealth.com/
Also, if you are in a location where there are fewer options available to you, I have heard that tele-therapy is currently location-agnostic, for licensing/billing purposes. This may be provider-dependent, and will likely change again once Covid restrictions bring people back into therapists' offices, but it could be a short-term and low-stakes way to see if having a common background is an important factor for you in a therapist.
posted by inkytea at 11:56 AM on August 24, 2021 [2 favorites]
https://southasiantherapists.org/
https://asiansformentalhealth.com/
Also, if you are in a location where there are fewer options available to you, I have heard that tele-therapy is currently location-agnostic, for licensing/billing purposes. This may be provider-dependent, and will likely change again once Covid restrictions bring people back into therapists' offices, but it could be a short-term and low-stakes way to see if having a common background is an important factor for you in a therapist.
posted by inkytea at 11:56 AM on August 24, 2021 [2 favorites]
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So, it's not like I've noticed there are zillions of such therapists out there. But they do exist, in small numbers, and the Psychology Today website is a good place to look for them.
I've been looking specifically for trans-identified therapists for one of my children, and thanks to the growth in telehealth have been able to connect my child with therapists who live outside our immediate area, and that may be a route for you as well.
Best of luck.
posted by Orlop at 8:40 PM on August 21, 2021 [6 favorites]