If you’re a would-be client looking for a therapist, click here to search our directory of Jewish therapists.
Greetings colleagues,
We’re so excited you’re here! Over the better part of the last decade, we’ve worked hard to build a community and advocacy organization serving Jewish therapists and the populations we care for. We’re proud to have built the first public-facing, pluralistic, global, advocacy-driven, Jewish Therapist Directory from the ground up! Our first iteration, years ago, began as a privately-distributed spreadsheet during a very rough season for Jews and society at large. What you’re seeing today is the result of many hours of labor, considerable resources, sweat, tears, and laughter.
We’ve been moved and inspired by the grassroots organizations that have emerged in the face of October 7th and its aftermath. The more pathways there are for colleagues to connect and advocate for the myriad issues facing our communities today, the better. Plus, it’s amazing to look out at the emerging sea of collaborators across the globe. Having been in the trenches for so long, we benefit from having honed our directory and referral structure based on years of troubleshooting, dialogue, and niche client requests. We crafted our framework for a beautiful and thoughtful directory based on our experience with supporting those needing the right care and finding that larger (secular) directories were missing the mark.
Our experiences showed us that simply listing licensed professionals and where they can practice can leave critical gaps, often causing those looking for therapy to get frustrated, end up wasting time and resources onboarding with someone who isn’t a great fit, and/or even giving up on finding support all together. What is a mixed-faith couple navigating grief going to do with an eating disorder clinician specializing in teens? How does the Orthodox teen whose family keeps kosher get the affirming ARFID care she needs when no one they’ve called works with minors or eating issues, much less the combination? And what about the family with divergent political beliefs who are looking to repair rupture when they can’t find a therapist who both shares their culture and can hold space for everyone?
That’s why our directory includes demographic and clinical competencies, an option to share who you’re comfortable serving politically, and a number of other profile facets intended to keep client fatigue and distress at bay. We even sprung for bespoke design (down to the tiny icons) and the option for clinicians to customize their listings with imagery and videos, just like the major directories but tailored for our community’s needs and layered identities!
We have also been putting in the legwork to offer a trove of goodies that celebrate our membership by providing the education, exposure, and networking opportunities that some larger directories provide, while also taking care to explicitly center the safety, dignity, and value of Jewish clinicians – something that we’ve unfortunately seen an absence of in some other venues. This JTC membership includes access to recorded webinars, discounts on trainings and CE opportunities, and other lower priced or free opportunities to connect and grow.
This project has been an incredible undertaking, and we continue embracing feedback and putting in the development efforts to make it even better as we go forward. It has truly been worth it because Jewish clinicians deserve to be featured and celebrated. Thankfully, we’ve been able to keep costs lower than mainstream directories and are adding more features here on the regular. And unlike those other options, you can rest assured that your membership listing with us goes directly toward funding community and advocacy endeavors for Jewish therapists and the communities we serve.
What about those other therapist listing sites?
We would be remiss not to talk about other Jewish listings/directories that have been emerging over the last year. It is a great idea to get listed in as many places as will get you seen by those you can help! We encourage you to list on cost-free options and to get to know the organizations offering paid options to see if your values, hopes, and needs are all aligned before moving forward. Some questions you might ask yourself include:
- What values and ideas am I standing with if I list here?
- Does this directory allow me to name general and Jewish-specific cultural and clinical competencies so I’m seen by the right people?
- Where does my money go? Will I get a clear answer if I ask?
- Is this part of a larger project for our community or a profit driver for private gain, or both?
- Looking at existing listings… is this space open and welcoming for Jewish professionals of my affiliation, observance preferences, and identities beyond my Jewish culture?
- What information am I allowed to list, link, or display on my profile?
- What other benefits am I getting by listing here?
- Am I stuck in a contract, and is it easy to cancel or pause?
- Is this site transparent about its leadership and team?
We look forward to publishing your custom directory listing and it shining a beacon for the right folks to find you!
We’re happy to answer any questions, and to take feedback on how to make our project and labor of love even better. Contact us with any questions at connect@jewishtherapists.org.
We hope you’ll jump in—the water is delightful!
About the Author: Halina Brooke, LPC, owns Recourse Counseling in Arizona. It’s her mission in life to support misfits, oddballs, highly sensitives, creatives… and really anyone else with big passions and under-represented perspectives as they build rewarding, meaningful lives. She brings a variety of Postmodern and Experiential therapies to her work with clients and deeply believes in the value of the wisdom they’ve already amassed on this journey of life. When not supporting clients in living their best lives, she can be found travelling, advancing important causes, and indulging her curiosity in the world around her.
