I found my T through a mutual friend/coworker. Finding a good therapist is hard! Of course I'm going to ask for recommendations from people I trust. And I have since recommended her to other friends. I think it's wonderful to make help someone else find a resource.

As far as privacy weirdness: No one is ever under any expectations to talk abut their own therapy with anyone else. I would never expect my friend to discuss her therapy with me and vice versa. If I felt uncomfortable with the topic coming up, I would simply say as much.
So I don't see a problem with seeing the same person.

A therapist has boundaries between clients. Period. So that's not an issue for me either.

I'm also all for removing the stigma in mental health. I don't mind people I know knowing I'm seeing therapist for emotional health, anymore than they might know I go to the gym for my physical health. I talk about therapy with my friends and coworkers —*not in detail, mind— but in general terms because I see no shame in it.

I know for a fact that one of my friends has been helped a great deal by my own recommendation. I'm glad for that.