Wellness Institute Blog

When you were studying psychotherapy, you covered the intricacies of the brain, the complexities of emotion, and the depth of the subconscious. You surveyed the history of psychology, from Jung to Freud to the latest advancements driven by neuroimaging and genetics.

You learned to treat clients with compassion and understanding. And you learned to apply techniques like cognitive behavioral therapy, hypnotherapy, or psychoanalysis to help them overcome their most troubling mental health issues.

But through all that, you and your instructors overlooked one crucial topic: how to design a website for your therapy practice.

Of course, no one gets into psychotherapy because they’re interested in web design. But marketing your private practice online is a necessity if you want to attract clients. Some therapists even find they enjoy this aspect of the job.

You’re not an expert on web design, but you don’t have to be to put together an attractive, professional site for your practice.

Recently, we reviewed the four most popular website platforms for therapy practices. As we noted, each platform features pre-built templates and an easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface for customizing the look and feel of your site.

As you get to work on your therapy practice website, be sure to avoid these common mistakes — which can confuse visitors and drive them away from your site and your practice.

Ask anyone with experience about marketing for therapists these days — or actually, marketing anything — and the first thing they’ll tell you is “Get a website.” Tried-and-true offline strategies, like face-to-face networking, still have their place. But most marketing in the 21st century starts online, and your online presence starts with your website.

“Wait,” you’re thinking. “I’m a people person. That’s why I went into psychotherapy. I don’t have the first clue about how to set up a website.”

Don’t worry. You’re hardly alone among small business owners. The truth is, most small business sites you visit — including those of psychotherapy practices — were built by people with little-to-no technical knowledge. You (yes, even you) can have a professional-looking website up and running, offering basic information about your practice, within a day.

The days of hand-coding websites and hosting them on personal servers are long gone. You can do that if you want, but we don’t recommend it. Nowadays, businesses of all sizes turn to website platforms.

“I’m such a klutz!” you might say, almost as a reflex, when you stub your toe in the office or spill a drop of coffee on the floor.

Self-deprecation such as this is an attempt to replace mild embarrassment with a touch of levity. A little bit of humor is harmless enough, right?

Most of the time, off-hand comments that make you the butt of your own jokes aren’t dangerous. However, when you habitually make statements about yourself like, “I always wait until the last minute,” or “I’m never aware of my surroundings,” you could be doing psychological damage that’s not funny at all.

When you put yourself down just to be cute or comical, you send out a signal that you don’t take yourself too seriously. You chuckle, other people laugh, and you figure you’ve been charming and entertaining for the moment. Yet, because of the complicated nature of your inner workings, you might be creating undesired side effects.

Have you ever been asked in a job interview, “Where do you see yourself five years from now?” It can be annoying to have to think about the (relatively) far future when you’re consumed by your most immediate goal — landing the job.

But employers want to make sure you see their job as more than a paycheck. They want to know if you view it as a step forward in your career, a launching pad from which you can reach toward your long-term professional goals. It speaks to your longevity in the role and commitment to it.

So, at the risk of coming off like a nosy job recruiter, we’ll ask you, “Where do you see yourself as a mental health professional five years from now?”

When you’re consumed by the daily struggle of building and maintaining a therapy practice — treating patients, marketing to find new ones, and endless paperwork — it can be hard to find the time and energy to step back, breathe, and think about the future.

But before you know it, routine can take hold and stagnation can set in. Five years will pass, and you’ll find yourself running essentially the same practice, with, perhaps, diminishing rewards.

Now is the time to invest in your future.

As a practicing mental health therapist, depression is one of the most persistent and debilitating challenges you face. It’s also one of the most common reasons clients seek you out.

The Anxiety and Depression Association of America says:

• Nearly 7 percent of all adult Americans have experienced a depressive episode in the past year.
• Depression is the leading cause of disability in Americans ages 15 to 44.

Your success as a therapist depends on finding ways to help your clients overcome their feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. When depression is at its worst, those dealing with it can hardly get through their day. They’re looking to you to help them regain their energy and motivation, to rebuild their relationships, and to get back to the activities that used to bring them joy.

In some cases, a client can feel like it would be easier to end their life than to deal with their depressed state. As a therapist, it is important to assess your client's risk for self harm or even suicide.

Fortunately, depression is treatable with the right style of therapy. But what is the right style of therapy?

“I’m scared to be hypnotized!” “What if I don’t come out of it?” “Will you make me cluck like a chicken?”

I’ve heard it all. When I talk to the clients at my hypnotherapy practice about the therapeutic benefits of hypnotherapy, these are just some of the concerns they share.

It’s natural to be afraid or skeptical of something you don’t understand. But I believe no one should ever be afraid or uncomfortable about the process. That’s why, when clients come to me for hypnotherapy, we begin with a frank talk about what being hypnotized is, and what it isn’t.

Their preconceived notions come from the way our culture sees hypnosis, as well as the powerful potential that hypnotherapy holds as a therapeutic tool.

I joke with my clients about how they might be worried about working with a hypnotherapist who could mysteriously declare, “You are now under my power…”

Or, we might discuss what will happen to their brain while they’re in a hypnotic state, and how they’re going to be “back to normal” when it’s all over.

We’ll even talk about hypnophobia, the fear of going to sleep or being hypnotized. People with hypnophobia don’t want to lose control of their normal state of awareness.

There’s no way around it; life is getting expensive. As the cost of housing, education, healthcare, and just being alive skyrocket, in many areas, a six-figure salary doesn’t mean you’re rich. It means you’re getting by.

You didn’t go into the psychotherapy field to get wealthy. You became a therapist because you love helping people overcome their mental health challenges and live their best lives. Or because you’re fascinated by how the human brain shapes our experiences and wellbeing. Or because of your entrepreneurial spirit and independent nature.

But none of that matters if you can’t make a living and aren't up to date on the most recent marketing for therapists advice. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, mental health counselors make a median annual salary of $46,050. For many of us, that’s simply not enough.

Can you make six figures as a therapist?

It was a beautiful summer day and we were enjoying a gorgeous walk in the park.  The clouds were stunning, the air was fresh, life was amazing.  Stacey and I had been chatting about her upcoming nuptials. Suddenly as I looked over at my friend, she was fidgeting with her shirt.  She had a look of panic on her face as I asked her what was wrong? 

“I can’t catch my breath.  I don’t know what’s wrong with me.  Look at my hand, it’s shaking.” 

I found a bench for us to move towards unsure of what was happening with her.  “Stacey let’s walk this way if you can?” 

“Make it stop.  I feel so uneasy.  What’s going on with me?  I don’t even feel like me.”  Stacey looked at me for reassurance. 

As I gazed at her I could see beads of sweat forming on her brow.  She appeared very uncomfortable in her own skin.  And then suddenly it dawned on me.  “Sweetie, I think you are having a panic attack.” 

“I think I might be having a heart attack, my heart is racing so fast.”  Stacey pleaded with me as we moved towards the bench. 

Who doesn’t want to be a winner in the game of life? Unfortunately, winning isn’t easy, especially when you’re on your own.

If you look behind the success of your favorite athletes, beloved artists, and most admired business professionals, you’ll find they all have something in common: Someone, at some time, helped them get where they are.

Invariably, ambitious people who truly want to win have an experienced source of support working with them, bringing out the very best of all their talents, and putting them to use so they can perform to their full potential.

This person, on whom they rely for their ultimate success, is a coach.