How to Get Found Online: 5 SEO Tips for Therapists Starting a Private Practice
Let’s get one thing straight: if you’re in private practice and not showing up online, it’s like throwing the best party ever and forgetting to tell anyone.
No one’s coming.
Not because your work isn’t incredible (we all know you’re the cat’s meow), but because they don’t know you exist.
And no, SEO isn’t dead.
It’s just... grown up.
Now it’s hanging out with AI tools like ChatGPT and Google’s weird new answer-boxes. And if you’re not in that mix?
You’re missing out on clients who are literally searching for you.
So, let’s fix that.
Here are 5 super-simple tips for SEO for therapists that’ll actually help your future dream clients find you (without having to post another thirsty “I help…” bio on Instagram - puke).
1. If You Haven’t Claimed Your Google Business Profile, Stop Reading and Do That Right Now
Seriously.
Type “Google Business Profile” into your browser and set that thing up like your life depends on it.
This is the digital equivalent of putting a sign on your door that says, “I’m open and I can help.”
1 - Fill it out with your contact info, office photos, hours, and the kinds of clients you love working with.
2 - And yes, try to get reviews. Ethically. Gently. And without being a weirdo (We wrote a whole post about how to do that right here. You’re welcome)
Why this matters even more now: Google’s new AI search tools pull directly from these listings. If you’re not in there, you’re not in the conversation. And you want to be in the conversation.
2. Use the Words Your Clients Are Googling (Not the Ones You Paid $120k to Learn in Grad School)
Let’s be honest: your grad school professors would not be impressed with the language your clients are actually using to find help.
But your future clients aren’t searching for “attachment-focused EMDR somatic integration from a trauma-informed lens.”
They’re typing:
“Why do I feel stuck?”
“Therapist for burnout near me”
“How do I stop overthinking everything?”
“Why do I keep dating emotionally unavailable people?”
“Help for people-pleasing”
If your website reads like your thesis instead of a conversation with a real human, Google’s not gonna rank it.
And your client’s not gonna click it.
Here’s the thing: you don’t have to dumb it down. You just have to translate it.
Speak like the before version of your client (not the after).
The one who’s stressed, tired, and typing half-coherent questions into Google between doom-scrolls and therapy memes.
Use the exact words they say in session.
“I feel like I’m never doing enough.”
“I want to set boundaries but I also don’t want anyone to be mad at me.”
“I can’t tell if I’m burnt out or just bad at life.”
THAT’S THE GOLD!
Pro tip: If you’ve ever said “Ugh, I wish I could clone this client,” go back and read your notes or intake form from that person. Use their words in your copy—not your clinician brain’s translation of it.
Hot tip: Want to know what people are actually typing into search bars?
Ubersuggest and AnswerThePublic will show you exactly what’s trending
Or just steal from your own DMs, client consults, and those random emails from friends asking “do you know a therapist for ____?”
Mirror that language on your website. Especially in your homepage headers, your service page titles, and your blog posts.
That’s what Google (and AI) are reading. And if your site speaks the same language as your dream client? You win.
3. Break Your Services Page into Bite-Sized, Searchable Gold
If your Services page is just one giant wall of text listing every single thing you offer like it’s a Cheesecake Factory menu, we need to talk.
You’re making Google (and your potential client) work way too hard to figure out if you’re the right fit.
And when people are anxious, burnt out, or desperately Googling “why am I like this,” they’re not about to squint through a dense paragraph hoping to find themselves.
Here’s what actually works:
Make a separate, SEO-optimized page on your website for each main service you offer. Think:
Anxiety Therapy in Denver
Trauma Therapy
People-Pleasing Recovery (yes, that one seriously pulls. It’s like catnip for overachievers who can’t say no)
Every separate page is like a neon sign saying ‘Hey, I help your exact problem.’
It’s how people find you, and it’s how Google knows you mean business.
This isn’t about playing SEO games. It’s about making it painfully easy for the people who need you to know you’re the one who gets it.
4. Blog. Yes, Even If You’re Tired.
We know, we know. Blogging sounds like something people did in 2009 while watching American Idol.
But it still works.
Even just 3–5 well-written posts that answer common client questions can:
✔️ Boost your SEO
✔️ Build trust
✔️ Help you show up in those new AI search results
Examples that do well:
“Do I need therapy or am I just dramatic?”
“How to tell if you’re burnt out (or just a high-achiever in denial)”
“What to expect in your first therapy session”
End each post with a friendly, not-cringe call to action (CTA in Business-Speak) like: “Ready to talk to a real human? Book a free consult here.”
5. Your Website Can’t Be Ugly or Slow. Sorry.
We love a good underdog story.
But if your website looks like it was built on dial-up and takes 12 seconds to load?
Google’s gonna ghost you. And so will that dream client who was this close to booking.
Your site doesn’t need to be fancy. But it does need to:
✔️ Look good on mobile (where most of your traffic is coming from)
✔️ Load fast (like, blink-and-it’s-there fast)
✔️ Have a clear “book a consult” button—not one that’s buried under a dissertation about Carl Jung
Pro tip: You can use PageSpeed Insights to check how your site is performing. It’s free. And frankly? Kinda savage.
Bonus tip from experience: A solid website can do most of your selling for you.
Almost every single one of our clients comes to us ready to sign up because our websites are doing the heavy lifting behind the scenes.
Not sure if your site is helping or hurting? SHAMELESS PLUG TIME!
If you're in our Total Freedom Private Practice program we have a Website Guide that breaks it all down and saves you thousands on a web designer. We tell you exactly what to say, where to put your buttons, and how to get clients saying, “I found you and just knew.”
Plus, we will literally audit your site for you and tell you what to fix. Because you shouldn't have to figure this stuff out alone.
But Wait! Is SEO Even Still a Thing with AI Doing All the Answering?
Short answer: hell yes.
Long answer: It might be the only thing keeping you from getting wiped off the digital map.
Here’s what’s actually happening behind the scenes:
People are still searching, but they’re also asking tools like ChatGPT, Google’s AI Overviews, and whatever new robot just dropped on TikTok.
AI doesn’t magically know things. It pulls from websites, blog posts, Google reviews, and your Google Business profile. Basically, the same stuff that traditional SEO uses - except now it’s trying to summarize you in one sentence to a total stranger.
So if your website says nothing but “Welcome to my warm and safe space,” and your last blog post was from 2019 titled "What Is Mindfulness?"… guess what? You’re not getting picked.
But if your site clearly explains who you help, how you help them, and what kind of results you get - AI tools love that.
They’re looking for:
✔️ Clear, specific services (“Therapy for people-pleasers in Denver”)
✔️ Helpful blog content (“How to know if you’re burnt out or just over it”)
✔️ Local signals (like Google reviews and city-specific keywords)
✔️ Updated, readable websites (no wall-of-text therapist rambles, sorry)
TL;DR: AI might give the answer. But your content is where it’s getting the answer. If your stuff isn’t out there and optimized, it’s like trying to win a game you’re not even playing.
And the best part? You don’t have to be everywhere.
You don’t need a YouTube channel, a podcast, and a TikTok with dance moves.
You just need a solid foundation:
✔️ A website that speaks clearly to the right people
✔️ A few strategic blog posts
✔️ A Google Business profile that’s not collecting dust
Get those in place, and SEO + AI will quietly (and powerfully) start sending people your way - on autopilot.
Final Thoughts: Don’t Sleep on This SEO Stuff as a Therapist
We know SEO sounds boring.
And you don’t need to become an SEO expert.
You just need to understand the basics of SEO for therapists in private practice.
But it’s not about getting everything “perfect.”
It’s about showing up.
Making it easy for clients to find you.
And finally getting paid like the brilliant, highly-trained, wildly under-marketed human you are.
You don’t need to become a marketing expert. You just need a clear strategy and some damn support.
👉 That’s exactly what we give you in our Total Freedom Private Practice program.
It’s the stuff we wish we had when we were overthinking everything and making $300/month.
We’ll help you get clear, get found, and get fully booked—without losing your mind or your weekends.
Ready to build a profitable, ethical private practice?
You don’t have to choose between being a great therapist and running a business that actually supports your life.
Google reviews are just one piece of the puzzle. If you’re serious about building a fully booked, sustainable private practice (without the overwhelm) we’ve got you.
Between the three of us, we’ve built multiple six-figure practices (each!) - working fewer than 12 client hours a week. And now we teach other therapists how to do the same.
Our Total Freedom Private Practice Roadmap gives you the exact tools, scripts, and strategies we used to get fully booked, set profitable rates, and attract the right clients - without spending all day on Instagram or doing things that feel out of alignment.
No fluff. No gatekeeping. Just a step-by-step plan to build a private practice that actually works for you.
👉 Join the Program Now and start building the practice you really want.
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