Finding new clients in the crowded mental health space can seem daunting — but acquiring them is essential for growing your practice, increasing your compensation, and doing what you want more than anything, helping others.
Standing out is critical in this highly competitive field. You need successful tips to reach potential clients looking for professional mental health assistance to do it.
Talkspace can help you learn how to get more therapy clients with proven, practical strategies. We’re sharing simple techniques so you can know how to increase therapy clients and grow your business.
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1. Use Therapist Directories
Directories are a great way to get your name and practice out there and build up your clientele.
First, list your practice on popular directories, often the first place people search for mental health professionals. Then, optimize your profile with an engaging description of your services and high-quality photos.
2. Strengthen Your Referral Network
Build relationships with other medical practitioners, such as general physicians, psychiatrists, and other therapists who’d be willing to refer clients to you when they require specialized treatment that you are experienced in.
“Joining special groups such as local task forces, coalitions, or mental health organizations can help you network and connect with others.”
– Talkspace therapist Cynthia Catchings, LCSW-S
3. Improve Your Website Presence
In today’s digital age, a big part of understanding how to get clients as a therapist is knowing the power of your online presence.
As an online therapist, creating a mental health professional website will allow you to showcase your expertise, specialties, and services. Make sure your site is user-friendly and optimized for search engines. A well-designed website is essential for attracting new clients online.
4. Add Teletherapy Options to Your Practice
Incorporate teletherapy into your practice by offering video sessions through secure platforms like Talkspace. This allows you to reach more people who might prefer remote counseling or live outside your immediate area. Need help implementing this into your practice? Check out our teletherapy tips!
“A myriad of programs can make the teletherapy option simple and easy. Some allow you to offer online sessions, documents, and complete billing within the same site. After the pandemic, some clients prefer to see a therapist from home or the office. That makes it easier for you, too, since you work with the client where the client is.”
– Talkspace therapist Cynthia Catchings, LCSW-S
5. Join an Online Therapy Network
Become part of an established online therapy network where potential clients can easily find you based on their needs and preferences. As an added benefit, these networks typically handle marketing efforts on your behalf, making it easier for you to focus on providing quality care instead of constantly promoting yourself.
6. Leverage Digital Marketing Strategies
Utilize a marketing strategy consisting of social media, email marketing, and content creation to engage with potential clients online. Share informative articles, mental health tips, newsletters, and updates about your practice to showcase your expertise and attract new clients.
7. Consider Getting on Insurance Panels
Research and apply for the relevant panels in your area. Make sure you understand the requirements for joining before you submit your application.
8. Lean Into Specific Specialties
If you’re struggling with how to get more clients as a therapist, you might want to focus on promoting any specialized training or certifications you have that set you apart from other therapists in the field. Highlighting specific areas of expertise can help you stand out while attracting the right clients who are seeking targeted treatment options.
“Some clients prefer to consult a therapist specializing in a specific issue. Select your top 2 or 3 specialties, and list that information on your website, profile, or social media page.”
– Talkspace therapist Cynthia Catchings, LCSW-S
9. Provide Free Consultations
Offering free initial consultations (either by phone or video) is an excellent way for prospective clients to gauge whether they feel comfortable working with you before committing financially. They’ll appreciate the no-risk opportunity, and you can often begin building the patient-therapist relationship more quickly.
10. Offer Sliding-Scale Fees
Another effective way to get more clients is by offering sliding-scale fees. When you create a fee structure that’s tailored to a client’s income or financial status, you make your services more accessible to those who may otherwise be deterred by high costs or lack of insurance coverage.
11. Join Professional Organizations
Becoming a member of professional organizations related to your field is an excellent way to increase your visibility among potential clients. In addition, these organizations often provide resources such as directories, networking events, and continuing education opportunities that can help you connect with other healthcare professionals and prospective clients. Some popular associations include:
12. Attend Networking Events and Conferences
Participating in professional conferences and networking events is a great way to meet other professionals in your field. These connections can lead to referrals or collaborations, ultimately bringing new clients into your practice. Make sure to attend local and national events focused on your specific niche.
13. Establish a Strong Social Media Presence
Social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and even TikTok let you demonstrate your proficiency, get creative, and link up with prospective customers. By sharing valuable content like blog posts, articles related to mental health issues, treatment approaches, mental health apps, inspirational quotes and messages, and engaging with followers through comments or direct messages, you’ll be able to build trust and authority among prospective clients while increasing visibility and search results for your practice.
- Facebook: Create a professional page for your therapy practice where you share relevant information about services offered and helpful resources for potential clients.
- Twitter: Share short snippets of advice or interesting research findings on mental health topics using appropriate hashtags (#therapy #mentalhealth).
- LinkedIn: Create an informative profile showcasing your experience and education, join groups related to mental health care, and participate in discussions.
- Instagram: Share visually appealing content like inspirational quotes, infographics, or behind-the-scenes glimpses of your therapy practice.
- TikTok: Create short videos with tips, updates, how-tos, reminders, and messages that can reach a broad audience and grow your position as a thought leader.
Feel free to repurpose your content for different platforms. You can repost TikToks on Instagram Reels or share Twitter content to Facebook.
14. Collect Client Testimonials
Gathering positive feedback from satisfied clients can be a powerful marketing tool for attracting new business. Share reviews and testimonials on your website and social media profiles with their permission. Consider creating short video testimonials featuring former clients discussing their experiences with your services. Just make sure to follow HIPAA guidelines when sharing any potential client information that was shared in a session.
15. Pursue Continuing Education Opportunities
Becoming an expert in specific therapeutic approaches or niche areas will enhance your skills and attract more clients who seek specialized treatment options. Pursue continuing education opportunities by attending workshops, earning certifications, specializing in certain fields, and staying up-to-date with the latest research on mental health issues and treatments.
Grow Your Practice with Talkspace
Using the effective techniques suggested here can be a game-changer if you’re trying to figure out how to get more therapy clients or how to make more money as a therapist. You can reach those who need your services by implementing some — or all — of these strategies. Whether using directories, strengthening referral networks, improving your website presence, or joining online therapy platforms like Talkspace, you can reach more people and grow your business.
For therapists looking to expand their client base, Talkspace allows you to reap the numerous benefits of teletherapy. Some of the platform’s key advantages include:
- Increased visibility: Joining Talkspace allows you to tap into many potential clients seeking mental health support.
- Flexible scheduling: As an online platform, Talkspace enables you to offer teletherapy sessions at times that work best for you and your clients, making it easier for them to fit appointments into their busy lives.
- Billing and administrative support: The platform handles billing and other administrative tasks on behalf of its providers, so you can focus on delivering quality care instead of managing paperwork.
- Clinical resources: Therapists can earn free continuing education credits, access peer consultation groups, and more — designed to help you improve and stay up-to-date with industry developments.
Wondering how to start an online therapy practice? Take the next step towards growing your practice with online therapy solutions like Talkspace today. Reach more clients and increase your impact — start now and unlock a world of opportunities.
Talkspace articles are written by experienced mental health-wellness contributors; they are grounded in scientific research and evidence-based practices. Articles are extensively reviewed by our team of clinical experts (therapists and psychiatrists of various specialties) to ensure content is accurate and on par with current industry standards.
Our goal at Talkspace is to provide the most up-to-date, valuable, and objective information on mental health-related topics in order to help readers make informed decisions.
Articles contain trusted third-party sources that are either directly linked to in the text or listed at the bottom to take readers directly to the source.
