How TherapyHelps reviews professionals on the platform
Choosing someone to talk to about your mental health requires trust. That's why TherapyHelps reviews professional information before a profile is approved for publication.
Our goal is to make it easier for you to understand who you're considering speaking with, what their professional background is, and what information has been reviewed.
Verification improves transparency. It does not mean that every professional title has the same legal or regulatory meaning in every location, and it does not guarantee that a particular professional will be the right fit for every person.
What we review before publishing a profile
As part of the profile approval process, TherapyHelps collects information provided by the professional about their background and practice. Depending on the person's role and what is applicable to them, this may include:
- full name and professional role;
- educational or professional qualifications;
- relevant experience;
- areas of practice or professional focus;
- languages offered;
- professional or regulatory registration information, where applicable; and
- other information needed to accurately describe their services on TherapyHelps.
A profile is published only after completing TherapyHelps' applicable approval workflow.
What you'll see on a professional's profile
We aim to make professional profiles useful for making an informed choice rather than relying on a generic title alone. Where applicable and available, a profile may show:
Professional role
The person's role should be described as accurately and specifically as possible.
Qualifications
Relevant academic or professional qualifications supplied and reviewed during the profile process.
Experience
Information about the professional's relevant experience and background.
Areas of focus
The concerns or areas of practice the professional identifies as part of their work.
Languages
Languages in which the professional offers sessions.
Registration information
Where professional registration applies to the person's role and jurisdiction, relevant information may be displayed when appropriate and consented to.
Verification information
Where available, the profile may indicate verification status or when relevant information was reviewed.
Verification is not the same as a guarantee
Verification helps us provide more transparent information about professionals on TherapyHelps. It does not mean:
- that TherapyHelps can guarantee a particular therapeutic outcome;
- that one professional will be suitable for every person;
- that the same professional title has identical regulatory requirements everywhere;
- that credentials never change after they have been reviewed; or
- that verification replaces your own questions about suitability.
Finding the right therapist is both a professional and personal decision. You're encouraged to ask questions during your introductory conversation before deciding whether you'd like to continue.
Questions you may want to ask your therapist
It's completely reasonable to ask a mental health professional about their background before starting therapy. For example:
- What qualifications do you have?
- What is your professional role?
- Do you have experience supporting concerns similar to mine?
- What therapeutic approaches do you commonly use?
- How do you usually structure sessions?
- How will we decide what goals to work towards?
- How do we review whether therapy is helping?
- What should I do if I feel the approach isn't working for me?
A good therapeutic relationship should leave room for these conversations.
Keeping profile information accurate
Professional information can change over time. TherapyHelps may periodically review verification records and profile information as part of its clinical operations process.
Professionals are also expected to provide accurate information about their role, qualifications, areas of practice, and applicable professional information. Where information cannot be appropriately supported or represented, it should not be presented as a verified claim.
Report inaccurate information or a concern
If you believe information on a TherapyHelps professional profile is inaccurate, outdated, misleading, or otherwise concerning, please contact our support team. Include the professional's name, a link to the relevant profile, and a short description of the information or concern you'd like us to review. Our team can then review the relevant profile and verification records.
Choosing a professional who feels right for you
Credentials and professional experience matter, but they're only part of choosing someone for therapy. You may also want to consider:
- whether you feel comfortable speaking openly with them;
- their experience with the concerns you want support with;
- their therapeutic approach;
- language and communication preferences;
- session format and availability; and
- whether you feel understood and involved in decisions about your care.
You can browse TherapyHelps professionals and review their available profile information before choosing who you'd like to speak with.
To understand how TherapyHelps evaluates aggregate progress and public outcome figures, read Outcomes and Methodology.
Important: Verification is intended to improve transparency and support safer matching. It is not an endorsement or guarantee of clinical effectiveness, treatment outcome, or suitability for any particular individual.