For counselors, 211 staff and community groups
A free way to help someone find a therapist who fits
When someone you serve needs ongoing therapy and does not know where to start, you can send them to starthere.care. It takes a few minutes, and they leave with a short list of licensed therapists who match how they like to work, with the reasons.
- What does it cost?
- Nothing for the person you refer. No ads, no paid placements, and we never sell personal information. Therapists set their own session fees, and each profile shows insurance, sliding scale and free consults where the therapist offers them.
- Who are the therapists?
- Licensed therapists who joined on their own. A person only sees a therapist whose state license has been checked and is current, and who has said they are taking new clients.
- What does the person do?
- Enter a ZIP code, make a free account, and answer three short screens of multiple-choice questions about how they like to work: pace, structure, how direct they want feedback, session format, schedule. There are no essay questions and no diagnosis. They then see therapists who fit, with the reasons, and send a request to the ones they like. When both say yes, they get each other's contact details.
- What happens to their information?
- Answers are used only to suggest therapists. A therapist sees a phone number only after both sides say yes. We keep Google Analytics off account pages, and nothing goes to ad companies. People can delete their account at any time from Settings.
- Who can use it?
- Adults looking for themselves, couples, and parents looking for a therapist for a child under 18 (the parent holds the account). It started in Michigan and is open in most states. Where few therapists have joined so far, the person sees free options such as 211 and FindTreatment.gov instead of a dead end.
- Is it a crisis service?
- No. For a crisis, call or text 988, or call 911. StartHere is for finding ongoing therapy.
- Who runs it?
- Jeff Kusler, in Lansing, Michigan. It is a community project that answers to clients and therapists, not to investors. In Jeff's words: "I care a lot about people finding the right therapist, I've watched venture money make that harder, and this is my attempt to do something about it on my own."
What to tell someone
"There is a free site called StartHere.care. You answer some quick multiple-choice questions about what you want in a therapist, and it shows you licensed therapists who fit, with the reasons. It is not a crisis line, and nobody is selling your information."
Questions, a correction, or want a stack of flyers? Email info@starthere.care. Jeff reads every message.
See it from the client side: how it works and the privacy policy.