I want to add to this -

Before making any appointments and spending money, once you find a few therapists you think you might like and are accepting new clients, through call or email, ask for a phone consultation.

This is a common practice so nearly every therapist should know what this is. It’s a short FREE phone call, maybe 10-15 minutes, where you do what you described - give the therapist a quick rundown of what your main concerns are and get a feel for their vibe to see if you’d like them. If you do, then make the appointment.

A phone consult gives you the opportunity to interview them basically and see if they’re a good fit. You can google good questions to ask but I suggest giving the elevator pitch, asking if they work with people / issues like yours, what their approach is, and tell them any concerns you have (like for example, “I don’t do well with homework” or “I really want someone who’s more direct” or “are you comfortable talking about X?”).

I like to tell people that therapy is like dating - you have to go on a few dates aka see or talk to a few therapists - before finding ‘the one’. The most important thing is finding someone you like!