I chose from the UK counselling directory too. He was very close to where I worked at the time, was interested in a few things I was interested in, and male which I also needed.
It was a leap year and if I didn't contact him then, I would've had to wait another 4 years and I didn't think I would be alive that long.

Previously I had chosen therapists that were out of town, to keep some distance. Or been referred to them by a doctor. None of them had ever helped me, in fact they only made me worse and some were just abusive.

I’m glad you have found a good therapist to work with early on, sometimes I wonder If I was too late finding mine. Maybe if I had found him 10 years earlier I wouldn’t be such a mess now.