By: Chris Hartwell, MSW
 

First, let me start by saying "I am biased." I own one of the most popular directories for therapists on the internet. I started The Family & Marriage Counseling Directory in the Fall of 2003, which makes it over 5 years old. Since it began, I've worked long and hard to make sure these resources were as accessible to the public as possible. Before The FMC Directory, it wasn't easy finding marriage and family counselors on the web. There were only a few directories out there, and they weren't showing up for many of the keywords people were searching for.

I knew that people were searching Google for "counseling" related phrases, and until The Family & Marriage Counseling Directory, there was no way for them to find therapists that way! 5 years later, we're still filling the gap, providing more therapists than ever to more people than ever. Our traffic keeps growing, and our business model has caught on. The purpose of this article is twofold.

Today, there are a lot of other therapist directories on the web, and I want you to know about them so you can find the help you're looking for. Unfortunately, The FMC Directory doesn't list every therapist in the US. Some are listed on other sites and have no idea we even exist. So if you don't find your therapist here, don't give up! You might find one through another directory.

Another reason I'm reviewing these sites, is to help therapists to promote their practice. Web advertising can be very cost effective and the counselors who list themselves in The Family & Marriage Counseling Directory usually enjoy a good return on investment. I've also done marketing for therapists where we tracked referrals from many of the different web directories and pay-per-click  platforms, and I've seen firsthand what works and what doesn't. Hopefully these reviews will provide more avenues to advertise effectively - just remember to track your referral sources! (Very important in internet marketing).

Let's start off with the official directories of the mental health licensing bodies and practice organizations:

APA
ACA and NBCC
AAMFT
NASW
American Psychoanalytic Association

Chris Hartwell, MSW, is the Webmaster and creator of The Family & Marriage Counseling Directory.