How to Market Yourself as a Therapist
Takeaway: Therapy is your primary focus as a private practice counselor. However, you are also a business owner. In order to make an impact with people, you need to find effective ways of reaching new clients.
In this guide, I offer tangible tips for how to market yourself as a therapist, including where to market yourself, what to avoid, and how to reach your ideal client.
Marketing can feel tricky as a therapist. You want to connect with people so you can help them, but how exactly should you go about that? You might feel weird "selling yourself," yet you can't expect clients to find you without a marketing bridge that brings them to your business.
As therapists, we also get all kinds of conflicting messages about money and marketing. We're constantly being told that we need to prioritize our self care in order to do our job well, but there’s plenty of messages embedded within our field that make it hard to imagine building a meaningful AND profitable therapy business.
How can we fill our counseling practice and meet our financial goals while still focusing on what's best for our clients?
If all of this leaves your head spinning, you're not alone. In fact, I've been there myself. After growing my modern private practice on my own, I've made it my mission to support other clinicians so you don't have to struggle like I did.
In this post, I'll break down the basics of marketing for therapists so you can feel confident putting yourself out there.
WHY LEARNING HOW TO MARKET YOURSELF AS A THERAPIST IS IMPORTANT
I get it-it can feel super overwhelming and anxiety-provoking to put yourself out there. You might have no idea where to begin or what to do, and that's okay.
There is a way to create a marketing strategy that feels authentic and genuine-I promise. It's all about finding what works for you.
Without meaningful marketing efforts, you'll never reach the people you can truly help. While it might feel unnatural to sell yourself at first, you'll feel like a natural in no time.
A big part of stepping into marketing as a therapist is unpacking all the "stuff" we have around it. Why does it feel uncomfortable to stand in your power as a business owner? Why can't you be selective about the clients you take on?
Some of this stuff is systemic (thanks, grad school) and some of it might be our own beliefs and roadblocks.
I believe that it's possible to help others and get your own needs met at the same time. Having a marketing strategy that you feel good about will help you reach potential clients in a sustainable way that aligns with your own values, too.
Therapy clients are looking for what you have to offer-let's give them a way to find you!
MARKETING FOR THERAPISTS: WHAT YOU NEED TO GET STARTED
There are tons of different marketing strategies out there-more than can fit in one blog post.
Plus, there is no "one size fits all" way to advertise your therapy services. Your marketing strategy should be tailored to you and the potential clients you hope to attract.
Based on my own experience building and growing my practice, I believe that effective marketing for therapists involves two parts: identifying your ideal client and honing in on your approach.
Here, I'll cover some therapy marketing basics in these two areas to help you get started. Think of this as a jumping off point to help you create the modern therapy business you dream of-not an all-inclusive formula.
Let's dive in.
identify your ideal client
Conceptualizing your ideal client can be tricky at first, especially if you've ever worked in an agency where you have little to no authority about who you work with.
You might find that you have lingering beliefs or thoughts about needing to work with everyone-but in reality, there's no way that a single person can be a perfect fit for every client.
I believe that we can do the most good by working with the people who we truly connect with. That's what finding your ideal client is all about. Here, I'll cover some factors to consider when thinking about who you want to work with.
season of life
When thinking about the type of client you connect best with, it's important to identify where they're at in life. While each person is different, clients may have commonalities depending on what stage of life they're in. Here are some examples to get your wheels turning:
Children or teens navigating their parent's divorce
Young adults transitioning out of college and starting their career
Women struggling with infertility, pregnancy lost, or postpartum depression
Couples trying to reconnect after becoming parents
Older adults transitioning into retirement
Again, each person's experience is unique, even if they're in a similar demographic. However, honing in on your ideal client's season of life can help you start to understand other parts of their identity.
relationships
There are some relationships we carry throughout our lives, while others ebb and flow. Depending on what you're going through, certain connections might take priority over others.
Take some time to reflect on which relationships are most important to your ideal client right now. Are they focused on cultivating meaningful friendships? Are they still healing from old wounds from their parents? Is their relationship with their partner on the forefront of their mind?
In addition to connections with others, you can also consider potential clients' relationship with themselves. How do they view themselves? What do they like about themselves and what might they struggle with? It's okay if you don't know all the answers-these are just prompts to get you thinking.
struggles and goals
Everyone has different reasons for seeking mental health services. You might not be able to predict what your client wants to get out of therapy, but you can probably make an educated guess based on the other elements you've considered.
For example, if you work with couples who are struggling in their relationship after having kids, the goal may be to carve out more time for connecting with each other.
When reflecting on your ideal client's goals, think about how their actual life may or may not align with their ideal life. While the two may never completely overlap, there might be ways to make meaningful shifts in that direction. Consider how you might help them do so in your private practice.
where they look for help
In order to attract more clients, you need to know where to find them. When considering marketing strategies, it's essential to think about where your ideal client might be looking for support with whatever they're struggling with.
Are potential clients doing a Google search for "couples therapist near me"? If so, you definitely need a professional website for your therapy practice. Does your ideal client follow Instagram creators for advice? If that's the case, you might lean toward social media marketing.
Digital marketing doesn't have to be "either/or." However, your time and energy are limited resources. It might be best to focus on one component of your online marketing strategy rather than trying to do it all.
get clear on what you bring to the table
Now that you have a clearer idea of who your potential clients are, it's time to reflect on what you offer as a therapist.
If you're anything like me, this is where you might notice some imposter syndrome kicking in. You might have thoughts like, "There are tons of great therapists out there-how am I any different?"
Tons of mental health professionals feel this way. However, I'm here to remind you that there is someone out there looking for a therapist like you! Owning your unique approach will help you form a marketing strategy that connects you with the new clients you're looking for.
your personal experiences
So many of us therapists have super personal reasons for working in this field. In fact, I've never met a therapist who doesn't have struggles of their own-after all, we're all human beings at the end of the day.
Reflecting on your personal reasons for becoming a therapist (and maybe even accessing therapy yourself) can sometimes shed light on who you want to help.
Does your own experience with anxiety make you want to show others how to manage their symptoms? Did healing from your birth trauma inspire you to help other moms do the same? Consider how your lived experience might inform your therapy practice.
therapeutic approach
As you know, there are so many different ways to treat mental health issues. From CBT to IFS to EMDR and everything in between, there's no shortage of therapeutic methods to choose from.
While most therapists draw from multiple techniques, it's important to consider which ones resonate most with you. Once you hone in on which approaches you want to use in your private practice, find trainings or continuing education courses to help you learn more.
how and when you show up
Now, you've reached a place where you understand your ideal client and who you are as a therapist. From here, it's time to make decisions around where and when you'll meet with new clients.
Will you focus on seeing clients online, or will you have a physical office location (or both)? You'll also want to consider what hours make the most sense for your schedule, goals, and needs-both personal and professional.
HOW TO MARKET YOUR THERAPY PRACTICE
There is no right or wrong way to connect with prospective clients. With that being said, it can feel totally overwhelming if you just started marketing your private practice and aren't sure where to go from here. These tips can help you find clients and grow the modern practice of your dreams.
your social media marketing strategy
There are so many ways to show up on social media. Do you want a Facebook business page? Should you focus on Instagram reels or making TikTok videos?
Think back to your ideal client and which social media channels they might use. Remember to keep in mind your own capacity and needs as well.
search engine optimization for your therapy website
Search engine optimization is a huge topic in online marketing. Basically, the idea is to get you to the top of the results page when potential clients use search engines to find you. For more info on this, listen to my podcast episode where I chat with an SEO expert!
community connections
Facebook marketing, SEO, and other digital marketing strategies aren't the only way to reach ideal clients. Traditional marketing approaches, like word of mouth, also go a long way. Make connections with local healthcare providers or other community members that can send you referrals.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MARKET YOUR THERAPY PRACTICE ALONE
Still feeling uncertain about which marketing techniques are best for you? You can learn how to attract more therapy clients and grow the modern practice you want with my course!
I offer a step-by-step guide for how to craft a modern private practice. Learn more here-and sign up for my email list in the meantime to get access to tons of free resources to help you in the meantime.
