About Therapy Explained
What this site is, its lack of any connection to the domain's past, and the rules every guide follows on accuracy, safety and independence.
Therapy Explained is an independent information site about finding and choosing mental-health therapy in the United States. From about 2000 to 2023 the domain therapynetwork.net was used by Therapy Network, a non-profit psychotherapy information and referral service of licensed therapists in the San Francisco Bay Area. That organization's website is no longer at this address, and this site has no connection to it: it is not Therapy Network, it is not run by therapists, it does not provide therapy, referrals or appointments, and it cannot answer questions about the former service or its members.
What the guides are for
The guides explain the practical side of getting therapy in the US: the main kinds of therapy, what the different licenses mean, how to find and check a therapist, how insurance, Medicare and Medicaid treat mental health care, what a first session is like, and how therapy is used for common situations such as anxiety, depression, grief and trauma. They are written for people considering therapy and for the people close to them.
Where the facts come from
Every figure, date, dollar amount and rule on this site comes from a single fact sheet checked against primary sources: the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, the National Institute of Mental Health, SAMHSA, the Department of Health and Human Services, CMS, Medicare.gov, Medicaid.gov, HealthCare.gov, the Department of Labor, the IRS, the VA, state licensing boards, the national licensing exam bodies, and the American Psychological Association and American Psychiatric Association. Each guide is checked against that sheet before it is published, and then read in full against the sources. A figure that is not on the sheet does not appear.
What the guides do not do
They do not diagnose, recommend medication or replace a licensed professional. They promise no results and quote no session prices, because prices vary too much to state honestly. They name no therapy companies, apps or directories. Rules on licensing, insurance and Medicaid differ by state and change over time: confirm what applies to you with your health plan, your state, or the provider.
If you need help now
In crisis or worried about someone? In the US, call or text 988 (the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), free and available 24/7. In an emergency, call 911.