I don't have a pattern. The first several were because someone recommended them and then two were ones I specifically picked for their specialty which no one else in the area had.

With the therapist I see now, I called three, saw the third one for one visit, called a fourth (recommended by a colleague) who wasn't taking any new clients, but recommended three for me to look into, and of those three I found the one I see now. It's the most effort I've put into actually selecting one, and I can tell the difference.

I don't think I could survive multiple phone calls and in person visits, though. The visits alone are a pricey way to shop around. I mean, most here are about $120-$175 hr, so it's hard to throw that away on a trial session. The therapist I ended up with was the only one who offered a free 15 in person consultation. I didn't need it though because I could tell on the phone that I wanted a full hour to see how I felt.