How to Get Clients As a Therapist, Understanding Marketing for Mental Health Professionals

In a recent survey we conducted of students and therapists interested in our online trainings for therapists where we asked, among other important questions, what was most concerning therapists. Not surprisingly one of the top challenges among the respondents was knowing how to get more clients as a therapist in private practice.

We are responding to this concern by developing a number of new tools for therapists who are ready to take on more clients, who want to actively grow their practice. Today, we are offering an easy overview of therapist marketing with the intention of giving you some new insights into how to get more therapy clients and grow your clinical practice in 2024. 

10 Practical Ways to Get Clients as a Therapist

1. Adopting a Marketing Mentality Based on Connection Helps Your Practice Grow

For therapists, especially those unfamiliar with or hesitant about marketing, it’s helpful to reframe marketing not as a sales tactic but as a means of connection. At its core, marketing is about giving potential clients the opportunity to discover who you are, understand the unique approaches you bring to therapy, and get a sense of your personality. It’s less about selling and more about inviting individuals into a conversation about their needs and how you might help meet them.

Expanding the Concept:

• Marketing as Storytelling: Share stories about your journey into therapy, the techniques you specialize in, and the transformations you’ve witnessed. This approach makes your marketing efforts feel more like sharing and less like selling.
• Focus on Helping: Frame your marketing messages around the idea of offering help and support. Highlight how your services can provide relief, healing, and understanding, rather than focusing on the transactional aspects.
• Invite Engagement: Encourage potential clients to reach out with questions or for a consultation. Make it clear that there’s no obligation, just an open door to learn more and see if there’s a fit.
• Use Approachable Language: Avoid jargon and speak in terms that resonate on a human level. Your goal is to make potential clients feel seen, heard, and understood, even before they step into your office.
• Be Authentic: Let your true self shine through in your marketing materials. People are drawn to authenticity, and showing your genuine self can help build trust before a client ever contacts you.

By viewing marketing as an extension of your therapeutic practice—a way to start the healing process by reaching out and making connections—you can approach it with the same care and intentionality you bring to your sessions. This mindset shift can transform marketing from a daunting task into a fulfilling part of your professional practice, where you get to invite people into a space of growth and healing.

2. Defining Your Niche as a Therapist Can Help You Attract More of the Right Clients

A “niche” in marketing speak is essentially your specialty and what makes you stand out in your field. An example would be “helping adults heal from trauma using somatic and neurobiology techniques”. Your niche identifies who you help, what you help them achieve, and how. When we communicate this in a single brief sentence, this is often referred to as your “elevator pitch”. 

3. Build a Website, Make Sure It Is Optimized for Search

A user-friendly, informative website that is optimized to be seen in search engine results pages (Google) is essential for attracting new clients. Your website should clearly communicate your niche and your expertise, and give potential clients a sense of who you are as a person.

What does it mean to be “optimized for search”?

Imagine your therapy practice website is like a storefront in a vast digital city. Just like in a real city, you want people to find and visit your store. Website optimization is like putting up the best signs, making your shop window attractive, and ensuring that when someone walks in, they find what they’re looking for quickly and easily.

Website optimization (usually built by optimization professionals) involves:

• Speed: Ensuring your website loads quickly, so visitors don’t get impatient and leave.
• Ease of Use: Designing your website so it’s easy to navigate and people can find what they need without getting lost.
• Content: Having clear, helpful information on your site that answers visitors’ questions.

Other Ways to Get Your Therapy Website Found:

• Social Media: Share your website on social media platforms.
• Blogging: Writing articles for your site related to your field that can help establish you as an expert and offer insight into who you are and what you believe in as a psychotherapist, your specialty, techniques, etc.
• Listing on Directories: If there are directories for your profession, list your website there. It’s like adding your shop to a city directory.

4. Engage in Networking

Building relationships through networking events and professional groups can lead to referrals and partnerships. Networking allows you to connect with other professionals and potential clients in a meaningful way.

For a therapist looking to network and build connections within their field, here are seven effective places and ways to do so, along with tips for good follow-up and relationship building:

• Professional Conferences and Workshops: Attend industry-specific events where you can meet peers and learn about the latest research and techniques in therapy.
• Online Professional Forums and Groups: Join online communities (e.g., LinkedIn groups) related to therapy where professionals share insights and opportunities.
• Local Community Events: Participate in events that are not directly related to therapy but allow you to meet a diverse group of people who might refer clients to you in the future.
• Volunteering: Offer your skills to non-profits or community centers, which can help you meet people from various backgrounds and potentially open doors to new opportunities.
• Therapist Directories: List your practice in therapist directories where potential clients and other therapists can find you.
• Social Media Platforms: Use platforms like LinkedIn to connect with other professionals. Share your knowledge and engage with content posted by your peers.
• Continuing Education Classes: Enroll in courses to further your expertise and meet therapists with similar interests.

Tips for Good Follow-Up and Relationship Building:

• Send Personalized Connection Requests: When connecting online, personalize your request by mentioning something specific you share in common or found interesting about their work.
• Ask Open-Ended Questions: Show genuine interest in the other person’s work and experiences by asking questions that encourage detailed responses.
• Offer Value: Focus on how you can help or provide value to the other person, rather than what you can get out of the connection.
• Keep in Touch: After the initial connection, periodically reach out with articles, events, or information that might be of interest to them to keep the relationship active.

By engaging in these networking strategies and following up effectively, therapists can build meaningful professional relationships that support their practice’s growth and development.

5. Utilize Social Media

A professional social media presence enables you to share valuable content, engage with your audience, and connect with potential clients. Platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram can be powerful tools for reaching and attracting new clients.

6. Offer Workshops or Seminars

Hosting educational events showcases your expertise and provides value to the community. Workshops or seminars on topics relevant to your niche can attract potential clients interested in learning more about how you can help them. If you are interested in offering an online workshop or course with Academy of Therapy Wisdom, visit our faculty page and get in touch with us. We´d love to hear from you!

7. Collaborate with Other Professionals

Partnering with other health professionals can lead to mutual referrals. Collaborations can extend your network and introduce your services to clients who may benefit from your expertise. Forming collaborations can also significantly enhance the range and depth of services offered to clients. 

• Working with Medical Professionals: Collaborating with doctors, nurses, or psychiatrists can provide a more holistic approach to therapeutic healing. This partnership allows for referrals between professionals and ensures that clients receive comprehensive care that addresses both emotional and physical aspects of their mental health.
• Working with Yoga Instructors and Physical Therapists: Given the oftentimes somatic focus of psychotherapy, partnering with trauma-informed yoga instructors or physical therapists can be beneficial. These professionals can offer complementary practices that support the healing process.

Forming Collaborations:

• Networking Events and Professional Groups: Attend events and join groups related to your field to meet potential collaborators. Express your interest in forming partnerships that benefit mutual clients.
• Direct Outreach: Identify professionals in your community whose work aligns with yours and reach out directly. Explain how a collaboration could be mutually beneficial and propose a meeting to discuss potential ways to work together.
• Offering Workshops or Seminars Together: Propose to host a joint workshop or seminar. This not only provides value to both your clients but also allows you to test the waters of collaboration in a low-stakes setting.
• Social Media and Professional Platforms: Use platforms like LinkedIn to connect with other professionals. Share content related to your work and engage with posts by potential collaborators to build rapport.

By strategically forming collaborations, you can offer a more integrated approach to healing, addressing the multifaceted nature of trauma recovery. This not only enhances your practice but also significantly benefits your clients by providing them with a network of supportive professionals.

8. Collect and Showcase Testimonials

Positive feedback from clients can significantly enhance your credibility. Showcasing testimonials on your website or social media platforms can build trust with potential clients and persuade them to choose your services.

here are seven places where a therapist could effectively showcase testimonials to build trust, credibility, and attract new clients:

1. Homepage: Displaying testimonials prominently on your homepage can immediately convey the positive impact of your services to visitors [2].
2. Testimonials Page: A dedicated page for testimonials allows clients to read through various success stories and experiences in detail.
3. Sidebar of Blog Posts: Including testimonials in the sidebar of your blog posts can reinforce your credibility as readers engage with your content.
4. Service Pages: Placing relevant testimonials on specific service pages can help potential clients see the effectiveness of each therapy or treatment you offer.
5. About Page: Testimonials on your about page can personalize your professional achievements with real-world success stories.
6. Footer: Adding testimonials to the footer of your website ensures they are seen on every page, reinforcing positive feedback regardless of where the visitor navigates.
7. Social Media Profiles: Sharing testimonials on your social media profiles can reach a wider audience and engage potential clients in a more informal setting.

Utilizing these locations to showcase testimonials can significantly enhance your online presence and help potential clients feel more confident in choosing your services.

Get Ready to Grow and Get More Clients

Implementing these strategies with a professional and approachable manner can significantly increase your ability to attract new clients to your private practice, fostering growth and success in your career.

But remember, it isn´t “all or nothing”. We suggest choosing one place to start and focus, and growing out from there, and get help from seasoned marketing professionals when you need it. 

Part of growing your practice is staying up on the latest developments in the field, and attending online trainings for therapists that focus on deepening your skillset within your specialty or new areas of interest. We look forward to helping you get more therapy clients and supporting your path as a caring professional.