So maybe this is a stupid question I'm looking for a therapist to help me with my last reservations about coming out completely, but I don't really know how to find it. I went on my health insurance's website, and they will list counselors/therapists that accept my insurance by location, but they are all just listed generally as "counselors." Is there a list or a database out there with therapists by speciality, especially one that lists GLBT issues? Thanks for the help.
There are. A couple places to look. You can do a Google search for "gay therapist (city)" or "LGBTQ therapist (city)". Or if your city is of decent size, it probably has a regular gay weekly newspaper or some such. If so, pick one up and peruse some of the ads - many "gay-friendly" therapists advertise in those papers. Mind you, just because they do doesn't immediately make them good at what they do, but you might try setting up a quick appointment to see if you click with them. Lex
Also, feel free to call a handful of them and ask to speak with them. Nearly every therapist will do a 15 or 20 minute phonecall, and some will offer a 30 minute introductory session free to help the client decide if there's a match. Ask specifically what their preferred therapeutic orientation is (you'd ideally looking for someone who is insight or psychodynamically oriented rather than cognitive-behavioral) and what experience they have working with LGBT clients. If they have experience, ask how many LGBT people they've worked with and/or what percentage of their clientele is LGBT. In this economy, some therapists will say anything to get a client in the door, which is why it's important to ask those questions. And even after you've asked those questions, think about how you feel talking to the person. Do you feel comfortable? Safe? Not judged? Could you become comfortable sharing vulnerable things with them? All of those are important things to ask yourself when choosing a therapist.
I would start with what Lex said, however I have another (and maybe easier) alternative. It's great to be able to go to a therapist that specializes in LGBT issues, but it may not always be the best option. Most qualified therapists should be able to help you out, but LGBT therapists will have many more experiences to relate to, in order to help you on your journey. Therapists, good ones at least, are usually referred to by word of mouth. Knowing this, you could alternatively call down the list of therapists you already have, and ask them about their experience with LGBT issues. If they have little experience with these issues, then it does not hurt to ask for a reference -- often the reference they give is one they received good word about through patients and other therapists. In fact, I am inclined to trust references rather than a site with a "list". It's up to you, but it's food for thought I suppose.
