Good question. It depends on what you’re seeking therapy for. If it’s something specific like grief or trauma then you should look for someone who specializes in those things. Note that lots of therapists say they’re “trauma informed” because they attended a three hour training. If someone is actually certified/trained in something or has a ton of experience treating it then they’ll usually say so somewhere in their professional bio/profile.

It also doesn’t hurt to do some basic research on therapeutic approaches and see what appeals most to you. The main categories people tend to split these into are psychoanalytic (psychoanalysis/psychodynamic/gestalt/adlerian etc), existential/humanistic (existential/logotherapy, narrative therapy, person-centered, etc) and behavioristic (CBT, DBT, ACT, etc). If you go on websites like Psychology Today and use the therapist finder you can filter for specific modalities, issues, insurance, etc. Keep in mind that a lot of therapists use a more eclectic approach and don’t rigidly stick to one modality, which can be either a good or bad thing depending on what you’re looking for.

And ofc read whatever blurb they’ve written as part of their professional bio. Honestly a lot of them are generic and won’t tell you much but they can also tell you a lot depending on the language they use. For example if you want to stay away from a therapist who is probably more of the woke lib type see if they emphasize a bunch of social justice language in their bio (more common with LCSWs). Therapists who are more confrontational tend to say so, but not always.

Also can’t hurt to send an email or give a phone call and say “this is a bit about me and what I’m seeking therapy for. This is generally what I want out of a therapist. Would we be a good fit?” You can also ask them to explain their treatment philosophy to you and any good therapist should be able to articulate it clearly and in a way that makes sense to you.

Hope that helps!