Why finding a therapist online feels weirdly hard
You go on Psychology Today.
You type in what you’re struggling with.
And then you scroll.
And scroll.
And 30 minutes later, you somehow feel further from a decision than when you started.
That’s not a you problem.
I thought I just couldn’t decide
When I first tried finding a therapist, I assumed the problem was me.
I’m neurodivergent, so decision-making can already feel heavy. Too many options, too many tabs open, too many “maybes.”
But this felt different.
Every profile started blending together. Same words. Same tone. Same “I help with anxiety, depression, trauma.” There’s no way a therapist could specialize in 50+ things right?
I remember sitting there with like 15 tabs open, rereading the same kind of bios, trying to convince myself one of them stood out.
None of them did.
And the worst part? These sessions cost $150+.
That’s not a small decision. It shouldn’t feel this unclear.
The real issue: everything looks the same
Most therapist profiles say:
- anxiety
- depression
- trauma
- “safe space”
Which sounds fine… until every single person says it.
There’s no signal.
No real sense of:
- who this therapist is actually best for
- what sessions feel like
- whether you’d click with them
You’re trying to make a personal, expensive decision with almost no usable information.
More options don’t help if you can’t compare
This is where most therapist directories get it wrong.
They optimize for:
- more therapists
- more profiles
But not for:
- clarity
- decision-making
- actual fit
So instead of helping you choose, they just give you more to sort through.
And if you’re already overwhelmed or neurodivergent, it’s even worse.
More options doesn’t feel like freedom. It’s more cognitive load.
What we’re doing differently
This is exactly why we built Purple Lotus.
Not to add more therapists.
To make choosing feel easier and more intentional.
That means:
- profiles that actually say something real
- Filters and search that go beyond surface-level labels
- a focus on helping you decide, not just browse
You can explore here: https://purplelotusmh.com/explore
Most of the big directories, including Psychology Today (an American media organization), aren’t built specifically for Canada.
That matters more than it sounds.
Things like:
- pricing expectations
- insurance coverage
- how people search for care
- even location filtering
can feel slightly off when the platform isn’t designed for your context.
Purple Lotus is built for Canada first. The therapists, the search, and the experience are all designed around how people actually find care here.
My honest take
If a platform makes you scroll more but decide less, it’s not working.
Finding a therapist is already hard enough.
The tools you use shouldn’t make it harder.
Purple Lotus makes it easier: https://purplelotusmh.com/explore
Written by
Cher Peng
Co-Founder, Marketing & Community Lead
Cher Peng (she/they) is a community-driven builder based in Vancouver who completed her studies at the University of British Columbia. She is the co-founder of Purple Lotus, a Canadian platform improving access to mental wellness care by helping people find the right therapist quickly and intuitively. Her work sits at the intersection of product, research, and community, with experience spanning UX innovation, venture development, and nonprofit leadership. Cher is driven by a commitment to building human-centered solutions that create meaningful, real-world impact.
