Skip to main content
Headway

Starting a practice

9 therapist organizations for networking with other providers

The number of therapist organizations out there can be overwhelming. We’ve compiled a curated list to make connecting with other providers easier.

May 16, 2025

5 min read

Connecting with fellow providers is a great way to expand your professional circle and deepen your therapeutic skills — not to mention get some much-needed outside perspective and social support from people who understand what the job entails. There are many professional groups out there for therapists who wish to network with their peers. But which one is right for you? 

Read on for a curated guide to some of the major professional organizations open to mental health providers.

Practice in-network with confidence

Simplify insurance and save time on your entire workflow — from compliance and billing to credentialing and admin.

Talk to a practice consultant

Key takeaways

Networking with fellow therapists through a professional organization provides numerous benefits, including:

  • Widening your social and professional circles by creating community
  • Staying up-to-date on new research, techniques, or trends in the profession
  • Growing your practice by connecting with clinicians who can recommend you to prospective clients
  • Working through difficult cases or learning new therapeutic approaches by consulting with other professionals in your field
  • Participating in mentorship, either formally or informally
  • Joining forces with other clinicians invested in shaping the future of your field by participating in advocacy or outreach activities

Psychology and mental health professional networks

There are countless professional organizations out there for therapists who wish to connect with their colleagues. Unsure where to start? Here are a few great options, many of which also have state branches:

American Psychological Association (APA)

The APA is one of the country’s leading voices on all things psychology and mental health care. It was founded more than a century ago and today boasts a network of about 173,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants, and students. Members enjoy benefits like mentorship opportunities as well as access to an online community, research, and continuing education resources. Providers with more specialized focuses can also join one of the APA’s 54 subdivisions. For the first year, membership costs $100 or less.

American Counseling Association (ACA)

Since 1952, the ACA has worked to grow and support the counseling profession and the people within it. More than 60,000 counselors are part of the nonprofit organization, granting them access to continuing education resources, leadership development programs, practice support services, an online community for members, and more. Membership dues cost $189 annually, with discounted options for students and retired and new providers.

American Psychiatric Association (APA)

The APA is perhaps best-known for publishing the DSM and a variety of journals, but the organization, which dates back to 1844, is also a great networking option for psychiatrists. Members get access to top journals and industry news sources, continuing education resources, a practice management helpline, a job board, member listservs, and more. They can also attend member caucuses and meetings or get involved with advocacy efforts. Membership fees vary depending on career stage.

Clinical specialty professional networks

For more targeted networking, you may wish to connect with therapists who share your practice specialty. Groups like these make it easy:

American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)

The AAMFT is the leading organization for marriage and family therapists. Members can network with more than 25,000 marriage and family therapists around the world — and meet those closer to home in area-specific groups. Members also get discounts on liability insurance, practice-management software, and continuing education resources, as well as free legal and ethical consultations and journal subscriptions. Fees vary depending on career stage.

American Academy of Clinical Psychology (AACP)

Board-certified clinical psychologists can join this organization, which hosts a variety of conferences and events for networking and continuing education. Members can also get involved in advocacy efforts or hone their leadership skills by joining committees on topics including psychopharmacology, DEI, and education. Memberships cost $100 per year, with discounted options for students and retired practitioners.

Association for Child and Adolescent Counseling (ACAC)

Providers who specialize in working with children and teenagers will benefit from connecting with colleagues who do the same. ACAC brings together providers including school counselors, play therapists, and child and adolescent mental health clinicians to help them stay connected and up-to-date on the latest research and developments in the field. 

Specialized identity-based networks

Many providers feel passionate about improving diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in the behavioral health space. Joining identity-specific provider networks like these is a great way to move that goal forward, while gaining valuable personal connections:

Black Mental Health Alliance (BMHA)

BMHA pushes for holistic health for the Black community by developing, promoting, and sponsoring forums, trainings, and referral networks that support people of color. Members get to connect with and support clinicians who share those goals, attend members-only workshops and events, receive discounts on BMHA-sponsored trainings, and more. Membership costs $150 per year for clinicians, with discounts available for students and recent graduates.

National Latinx Psychological Association (NLPA)

NLPA brings together people from a wide range of national, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds united in the common goal of improving well-being for Latinx people across the U.S. Members can attend the group’s conferences and webinars at discounted rates, receive the NLPA’s newsletter and listserv, and connect with and mentor others interested in Latino psychology. Dues are $150 per year, with discounts for early-career professionals and students.

The Association of LGBTQ+ Psychiatrists (AGLP)

For more than 40 years, AGLP has brought together psychiatrists who identify as queer and wish to better understand and improve mental health within the LGBTQ+ community. The AGLP is independent from, but works closely with, the APA. Members can attend the AGLP annual meeting, join the member referral network and directory, participate in mentorship programs, and more. Fees vary depending on membership type.

Practice in-network with confidence

Simplify insurance and save time on your entire workflow — from compliance and billing to credentialing and admin.

Talk to a practice consultant

This content is for general informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute clinical, legal, financial, or professional advice. All decisions should be made at the discretion of the individual or organization, in consultation with qualified clinical, legal, or other appropriate professionals.

© 2026 Therapymatch, Inc. dba Headway. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission.

Starting a practice