last updated september 29, 2026
Psychology Today is the directory most people land on first when they search for a therapist. it is free for you to search; therapists pay a flat monthly fee to be listed, and you contact them directly. Headway is a different kind of thing: a mental health network that verifies your insurance, shows you a cost estimate, charges your share and files the claim, but only for people whose insurance it accepts. many therapists use both, so the question is really which front door suits your situation.
from Psychology Today's directory and about pages and Headway's help center. checked on 2026-09-29.
| Headway | Psychology Today | |
|---|---|---|
| what it is | mental health network that books and bills in-network care | directory of therapists, psychiatrists, treatment centers and support groups |
| cost to you to search | free; you pay your insurance cost-share per session | free; you pay the therapist whatever you agree |
| who pays for the listing | not described on Headway's client pages; you pay your insurance cost-share | professionals pay $29.95 a month; "All professionals pay the same" |
| insurance needed? | yes for new clients | no; you can filter by insurance or look for cash and sliding-scale options |
| who handles billing | Headway charges you and files the claim | you and the therapist |
| vetting | providers credentialed with insurers through Headway | 3-step verification: credentials, ID authentication (a star), ongoing monitoring |
| ranking | filter by insurance and preferences | "no premium placements or paid ranking" |
| medication | prescribers available (psychiatrists, NPs) | separate psychiatrist listings |
| how you start | book online from a profile, sometimes after a free 15-minute call | email or call the therapist from the profile |
Psychology Today's directory has been around since 2001 and it is the widest net: therapists, psychiatrists and psychiatric nurses, treatment centers and support groups, with filters for issue, insurance, therapy type and more. its about page says every professional goes through a three-step check (credential verification with licensing bodies, optional identity authentication shown with a star, and ongoing monitoring) and that "All professionals pay the same for their listings—there are no premium placements or paid ranking." what it does not do is handle anything after the introduction. its own therapy guide tells you to "always verify your insurance coverage, along with the therapist's fee structure." one thing to check as you browse: the directory can include pre-licensed clinicians working under supervision. a Minneapolis listing we read on 2026-09-29 described its author as "a pre-licensed therapist currently studying at the University of Minnesota." that is not a problem in itself, but read the license line on each profile.
Headway starts with your insurance. you choose your plan, filter by preferences, and book directly from a profile; some providers start with a free 15-minute phone consultation. Headway reads your benefits in real time, shows an estimate, places a $1 hold before the session and charges your share once the provider confirms it. it accepts Aetna, Blue Cross and Blue Shield in select states, Cigna, Oscar, Oxford, UnitedHealthcare and Optum affiliates, plus select Medicare Advantage and Medicaid plans. the catch is the gate: new clients need active, accepted insurance, and Headway "does not work with out-of-network benefits."
Headway fits you if your plan is on its list and you want in-network care without making calls to check benefits yourself, if you want a cost estimate before you book, or if you want a therapist and a prescriber in the same system. it also removes one common failure: emailing five therapists from a directory and hearing back from one.
Psychology Today fits you if you are uninsured, if your plan isn't one Headway takes, if you want to use out-of-network benefits with a superbill, if you want a sliding-scale or cash therapist, or if you are looking for something beyond individual therapy, such as a support group or a treatment center. it is also the better tool when you care most about specialty and fit and are willing to do the outreach yourself.
both are ways to reach a licensed professional. if what you need this week is to say what is going on and hear from people who have been there, without a name, a bill or an appointment, that is a different need. veisund is a free app (iOS and Android) where you post under a handle you choose, with no real name and no phone number, and other members reply when they read it. it is not live chat and nobody is waiting on the other end; the community is still small, so replies can take a while. you can mark a post resolved and credit the reply that helped. the web side is an evidence library: plain-language study summaries with the source and an evidence grade, plus a lookup of drug-company payments to your own doctor from federal Open Payments data. it is not therapy, not a crisis service, has no licensed clinicians providing care, prescribes nothing and bills no insurance. if you are in crisis, call or text 988, or text HOME to 741741.
Yes, for people searching. Therapists pay a flat $29.95 a month to be listed, and Psychology Today says all professionals pay the same with no paid ranking. You pay the therapist for sessions.
Psychology Today does not bill anyone. It is a directory; you can filter for therapists who accept your insurance, then confirm coverage and fees with the therapist directly.
Not as a new client. Headway's help center says new clients need active, accepted insurance to sign up and book, and that it does not work with out-of-network benefits. Checked on 2026-09-29.
Psychology Today says it verifies every listed professional's credentials with licensing or credentialing bodies, offers identity authentication shown with a star, and monitors good standing. Profiles can include pre-licensed clinicians, so check the license line.
If Headway accepts your plan and you want billing handled, start there. If you are uninsured, want out-of-network or sliding-scale care, or want support groups or treatment centers, use Psychology Today. Many therapists are on both.
veisund is free peer support under a handle: post what you're carrying, and people who've been through it reply. it isn't therapy or a crisis service — in the US, call or text 988.
get veisund — it's freenot sure whether what you need is a therapist or people? six questions, two minutes — no diagnosis, no email.