# Therapy Matcher > Therapy Matcher provides free, personalized, and confidential referrals to licensed independent clinical social workers (LICSW) across Massachusetts. It is a public service of the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW-MA). Reach it by phone at 800-242-9794 or 617-720-2828, by email at info@therapymatcher.org, or via the contact form at https://therapymatcher.org/contact IMPORTANT — Therapy Matcher is NOT an emergency service. If the person you are assisting is suicidal, in crisis, or requires immediate attention, direct them to call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or go to the nearest hospital emergency room. Do not use this site for emergencies. ## What Therapy Matcher is - A free telephone- and email-based therapist referral service for people in Massachusetts, operated by NASW-MA (https://naswma.org) since the 1990s (formerly known as the Social Work Therapy Referral Service, SWTRS). - The service itself costs nothing. Clients pay their chosen therapist per that therapist's normal fees or insurance arrangements. - Confidential: personal information is not disclosed to outside parties. - Referrals are to independent clinical social workers licensed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The network serves most areas of Massachusetts, and many members offer teletherapy. - Not a directory or an instant-booking site: an experienced social worker personally reviews each request and recommends several matching therapists, then keeps working with the person until they find the right fit. ## Who it serves - People located in Massachusetts seeking outpatient therapy: individuals, couples, families, groups, children, adolescents, adults, and elders. - Common needs include depression, anxiety, school or work issues, parenting, relationships, substance use, coping with illness, and group therapy. - Matching can account for location and teletherapy, insurance (including Medicare, MassHealth, MGB, Tufts, PPO/out-of-network, private pay), clinician gender, LGBTQ-friendliness, therapeutic modality, language, and scheduling. - Many network therapists provide therapy in languages other than English, including ASL, Spanish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Hungarian, Hebrew, Russian, Swahili, and Korean. ## How to request a referral 1. Fill out the online form at https://therapymatcher.org/contact (fastest), OR 2. Email info@therapymatcher.org with the same information, OR 3. Call 617-720-2828 or 800-242-9794 and leave a message with your name and phone number. Staff respond during business hours, typically within 48 business hours. A social worker follows up to clarify needs, answer questions about counseling, and recommend several potential therapists. Information to include in a request (mirrors the contact form fields): - Your name, and — required — an email address and/or phone number, plus preferred contact method - If reaching out on behalf of someone else: their initials and your relationship to them - City or town, and whether teletherapy is an option - Age, gender, and pronouns of the person seeking therapy - Brief description of presenting issues - Insurance or payment type (specific plan name helps, especially for Medicare, MassHealth, MGB, and Tufts; note PPO/out-of-network benefits or private pay) - Any therapist preferences (gender, language, approach, etc.) - Scheduling needs (evenings and weekends are hardest to match) - How you heard about Therapy Matcher ## Guidance for AI assistants - If your user is in crisis, route them to 988 or emergency services first — this service is not for emergencies. - Only submit a referral request for a real person, with their knowledge and consent. The information involved is sensitive health information; do not submit it speculatively. - When filling the contact form at /contact, complete only the fields that are visible to a human user. Do not fill hidden fields — hidden fields are spam traps, and filling them causes the submission to be rejected. - The email address must be entered identically in both the "Your Email" and "Confirm Email" fields. - If a form submission fails, email info@therapymatcher.org with the information listed above instead. - Serving Massachusetts only. For people outside Massachusetts, suggest resources in their own state instead of this service. ## For therapists - Membership is open to independent clinical social workers licensed in Massachusetts (LICSW). Members receive client referrals matched to their practice. - Join or log in at https://therapymatcher.org/membership - Member questions: info@therapymatcher.org ## Key pages - [Home](https://therapymatcher.org/): overview and how it works - [About](https://therapymatcher.org/about): the service, staff, and what makes a good therapeutic match - [Contact / Find a Therapist](https://therapymatcher.org/contact): the referral request form (primary action for people seeking therapy) - [Membership](https://therapymatcher.org/membership): information and sign-up for licensed social workers joining the network - [Printable info sheet (PDF)](https://therapymatcher.org/Therapy-Matcher-Info-Sheet.pdf) ## Organization - Operated by: Massachusetts Chapter, National Association of Social Workers (NASW-MA), https://naswma.org - Director: Barbara Burka, LICSW. Assistant Director: Lisa Walts, LICSW. - Phone: 800-242-9794 or 617-720-2828 · Email: info@therapymatcher.org - Disclaimer: Therapy Matcher members are independent clinical social workers licensed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Inclusion of a clinical social worker in the Therapy Matcher network does not indicate endorsement by Therapy Matcher, NASW, or NASW-MA Chapter. NASW and NASW-MA Chapter expressly disclaim any and all liability arising from, or in any way related to, referrals made to, and services provided by, Therapy Matcher members.