Couples Counselor Finder

Our Data & Editorial Policy

Transparency and accuracy are at the core of Couples Counselor Finder. This page explains how we source our data, verify provider information, and maintain the integrity of our directory.

Data Source: The NPI Registry (NPPES)

All therapist listings in our directory are sourced from the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), which is maintained by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) — a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

NPPES is the authoritative registry of healthcare providers in the United States. Every healthcare provider who bills for services, including therapists, counselors, and social workers, is required by law to register with NPPES and obtain a unique National Provider Identifier (NPI) number. This is the same database used by insurance companies, hospitals, and government agencies to verify provider credentials.

By building our directory on this government data source, we ensure that our listings reflect real, registered healthcare providers — not self-submitted profiles that may lack verification.

Therapist Verification

We use several data points from the NPI Registry to verify that each listing represents a qualified couples therapy provider:

  • NPI Number: Each provider has a unique, verifiable 10-digit identifier assigned by CMS. Users can independently verify any provider at npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov.
  • Taxonomy Codes: We filter providers using specific Healthcare Provider Taxonomy codes that indicate specialization in couples and family therapy, including:
    • 106H00000X — Marriage & Family Therapists
    • 101YM0800X — Counselors specializing in Marriage & Family
    • 1041C0700X — Clinical Social Workers specializing in Couples/Family
  • Active Status: We include only providers whose NPI records indicate active enumeration status, filtering out deactivated or retired registrations.
  • Practice Location: We use the practice address from the NPI record to categorize providers by state and city, ensuring accurate geographic results.

Update Frequency

We periodically refresh our database from the NPPES data dissemination files published by CMS. These updates capture:

  • Newly registered providers who have obtained NPI numbers
  • Address and contact information changes
  • Credential and taxonomy code updates
  • Deactivated or retired provider records

While we strive to keep our data as current as possible, there may be a short lag between when a provider updates their NPI record and when the change appears on our site. We always recommend verifying a provider's current license status with your state licensing board before scheduling an appointment.

Profile Claims

Licensed therapists listed in our directory can claim their profiles to add enhanced information beyond what is available in the NPI Registry. Claimed profiles may include:

  • A personal bio and professional philosophy
  • Areas of specialty (e.g., communication issues, infidelity recovery, premarital counseling)
  • Accepted insurance plans
  • Therapy approaches and modalities used
  • Session availability and fees

To claim a profile, therapists can contact us through our contact page. We verify ownership of the profile by confirming the provider's NPI number and professional credentials before granting access.

User Privacy

When users browse our directory or contact therapists through our site, we handle their information with care. We do not require user registration to browse therapist listings, and we do not sell or share personal information with third parties. For full details on how we handle data, please see our Privacy Policy.

Independence & No Paid Placement

Our directory listings are based entirely on government data from the NPI Registry. We do not accept payment in exchange for listing placement, ranking, or visibility. All therapists in a given area receive equal treatment in search results. Our revenue comes from advertising and optional premium profile features — never from manipulating which therapists appear in results or in what order.

This independence is central to our mission. Users can trust that the therapists they find through our directory are there because they hold valid NPI registrations with relevant taxonomy codes, not because they paid for a top spot.

Corrections & Feedback

We are committed to accuracy. If you notice any errors in our listings — incorrect contact information, outdated credentials, or any other inaccuracies — please let us know. You can:

We review all correction requests and aim to resolve them within 1-2 business days.