Professional headshots of therapists and counselors.Getting listed in a directory for therapists is a great step for any therapist or counselor looking to grow their business. It can lead to new clients from your area, improve your rankings in search results on Google and other search engines, and connect you to other professionals.

An online therapist directory may be the first place an individual looks during their search for therapy or counseling services. By getting yourself listed in a therapist directory, clients can learn more about your services, find your website more easily, and determine if you would be the right fit for them.

The key to any good therapist directory profile is to stand out from the rest. Keep reading to find out how to improve your profile on online directory websites and bring in more clients as a result.

Your Therapist Directory Profile Needs the Following:

1. High-Quality Professional Photos

Your profile photo on a therapist directory is the first thing a potential client sees when they click on your profile. If this photo is outdated, low resolution, or even a selfie, a client might get the impression that you are not very professional. It is important to have a quality photo on your profile as it impacts the viewer's initial impression and can make them feel a few different things:

  • If your photo is taken by a professional, it gives the impression that you care more about and are attentive to the details.
  • It gives the impression that your organization might have more resources than someone who does not have a high-quality photo.
  • It builds trust in your brand as a therapist and may make you seem more approachable.

Details that describe a quality professional photo for your therapist directory profile include a simple background involving a calming color, a smile, and business attire.

2. An Engaging Description

After an individual has viewed your profile photo, they will move on to your description.

When a potential client is trying to determine whether or not you would be a good therapist for them, they look for a few different details. The description on your therapist directory profile should include the area you practice and how that might apply to the client. This area should not include your professional qualifications. Many therapists make the mistake of filling their therapist directory description with the year they graduated from college or how many degrees they have in the field. If you were trying to get hired by a therapy practice, then those details might be smart to include. For potential clients, those details could not matter less.

An effective description for a therapist directory profile should be short and to the point. For example, if you are an addictions counselor, your description might say something along the lines of, “I help people that are managing alcohol and drug addiction navigate recovery and sobriety.” If the client is looking for relationship counseling, they will know that they need to keep looking. If the client is, in fact, battling alcohol or drug addiction then they will know, very quickly, that you might be able to offer some help.

3. Targeted Messaging and Details

The next part of your therapist directory profile should go into a little more detail about how you specifically might be able to help potential clients. This is where you should list a short description of anything the client might be feeling or experiencing. This part will vary greatly depending on which area you specialize in. For example, for marriage counselors, you should list off potential areas that married couples might be looking to address like poor communication or lack of attention from one’s spouse.

This area of your therapist directory profile will help potential clients feel less alone in their search and like you might be the perfect person to help them.

The content of your therapist directory profile matters greatly in your efforts to bring in more therapy clients. To learn more about how to get more therapy clients, click here.