My first T, by word of 'mouth', I was in crisis with a violent husband and a brand new baby....
22 some years later, over the net.. sent out a "strange" e-mail to several in my area, 3 responded - one that would have taken me regardless of anything - he did therapy in 3 different cities - he just wanted people.
The other 2, we corresponded back and forth and I made a decision. The "strange" e-mail for me weeded out those that were not truely caring and those that were not in private practice. So end result, I got blessed and have a really primo therapist since Dec. (My previous therapists had been women and I refused to have a woman again). He does long term therapy....and is 50-60's hard for me to tell.