Agree with both of those. The gender thing in particular I went back and forth with a few times until I settled on what made the most sense for me. I think it's

Agree with both of those. The gender thing in particular I went back and forth with a few times until I settled on what made the most sense for me. I think it's something most people will want to think about. The other thing I'd include is that it's helpful to realize you're not trying to find a best friend. You're looking for a therapist, and how they can help you is a lot different from other relationships you might have had with people in the past. Once I realized that, it made it easier for me to adjust and find someone that fit me best, rather than someone I had to like, or enjoy my time with, or other "normal" benchmarks you tend to look for otherwise.