Okay so, here's something I've noticed building websites for therapists: you need to assume that the person landing on your site usually isn't browsing. They might be having a hard week. Maybe a hard year. They finally worked up the nerve to look for help, and now they're on your homepage trying to answer one question: is this the right person for me?
Your website's whole job is to make that question easy to answer, and then make the next step easy to take.
Here's what every therapist website needs to do, and a few things I'd leave off.
1. A homepage that says who you help in the first five seconds
"Compassionate, client-centered therapy" could describe almost anyone. "Therapy for anxious high-achievers and new moms in Boca Raton" tells the right person they're in the right place. Don’t be scared to be specific! If you help everyone, you help no one.
Put who you help, what you help with, and where (or "online across Florida") at the very top.
2. One clear way to book
Pick your main next step and put it EVERYWHERE: "Book a free 15-minute consultation." If you use a client portal like SimplePractice or TherapyNotes, link straight to it and make it simple. Every extra click is a chance for someone to close the tab and tell themselves they'll do it later.
3. Your specialties, explained in plain words
List what you actually treat and how you work, in language your clients would use. Not everyone knows what EMDR or DBT means, so add a sentence on what this means, and what it feels like to work with you that way.
If you see couples, teens or groups, give each its own section or page. People search for the specific thing they need. Think of what they might be typing into a Google or ChatGPT search bar.
4. Fees, insurance and policies, out in the open
This is the one most therapist sites hide, and it's the one people are most nervous to ask about. Share your session fee (or a starting price), whether you take insurance or provide superbills, and your cancellation policy.
Clear pricing doesn't scare the right clients away. It saves both of you time and money.
5. An About page that sounds like you
Your credentials matter, but people choose a therapist they feel safe with. Write your About page the way you'd talk in a first session: why you do this work, who you love working with, and what someone can expect from you. Add a real photo of you. Stock photos of smiling strangers don't build trust.
6. A short FAQ
What happens in a first session? Do you see clients online? How long does therapy usually take? If you answer the same questions on every consult call, put them on your site. It helps the person who's too anxious to call, and it helps Google and AI tools understand what you do.
7. A contact form that doesn't ask for anything clinical
Your website contact form isn't the place for someone to explain why they're reaching out. Keep it to name, email, phone and the best time to reach them, and add a note that says, "Please don't share personal health information here." Anything clinical belongs in your client portal.
8. The details that help people find you
More people are asking Google and AI tools like ChatGPT things like "therapist for anxiety near me." To show up, your site needs your specialties, your location or service area, and where you're licensed written out clearly. Then make sure your Google Business Profile matches your website exactly.
If you see self-pay clients, check whether you're required to post a Good Faith Estimate notice on your site. Many practices are, and it's an easy one to miss.
What to leave off
Ten different buttons. One main action. Everything else can live in the menu.
Client testimonials, unless you've checked. Many licensing boards and ethics codes restrict them. A strong About page and a clear FAQ build trust without the risk.
Positive patterns of past clients. "You'll overcome your anxiety in 8 sessions" sounds nice, but it's not a promise anyone can make. Describe how you help and who you help, and let that speak.
The short version
A good therapist website feels like your office: calm, clear, and easy to walk into. Say who you help, make booking simple, be upfront about fees, and sound like yourself.
If you're opening a practice or your current site doesn't feel like you anymore, I'd love to help. I build custom Squarespace websites for therapists and wellness practitioners, and if writing about yourself is the hard part, I can write it for you too.
Apply to work with me →
