Seeking advice as inexperienced/ashamed sub

I am in my mid-30s & have known from a very young age I was interested in kink and being a sub. Like many people who struggle with shame around those desires, I've avoided engaging in them or trying hard to look for partners interested in the dynamic. I've had some experience having dominant partners sexually, but never anyone who fundamentally understood what I was interested in nor the importance of it to me.

I know my interests are pretty central to my identity but I do not see myself really ever putting myself out there or trying to search. As a first step, do folks recommend that people in my position see a therapist first to overcome the intense shame? Or is it better to just find local events/munches first to observe others & get to know people with the hope that the stigma/shame wears off? How have other folks overcome their shame re: being a sub?