Podcast Summary:

Private Practice Startup Podcast // Episode 158: "4 Mistakes You Might Be Making on Your Therapist Website"
Air Date: October 19, 2019
Hosts: Dr. Kate Campbell & Katie Lemieux
Guest: Sarah Gershone, Web Designer (Strong Roots Web Design)

Episode Overview

In this engaging and practical episode, hosts Kate and Katie are joined by web designer Sarah Gershone to discuss the four most common (and costly) mistakes that therapists make on their websites. Aimed at helping therapists transform their websites from sterile “resumes” into warm, client-focused pages, this episode is packed with actionable tips for making your online presence work for your private practice.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Mistake #1: Your Website Reads Like a Resume

(06:15 - 07:46)

• Problem: Many therapists overemphasize credentials and academic achievements, resulting in a website that feels cold and unrelatable to potential clients.
• Impact: Laypersons seldom resonate with technical credentials or lists of degrees—instead, it can appear sterile and even off-putting.
• Advice:
  • Shift from showcasing credentials to speaking in a way that connects emotionally with visitors.
  • Use language akin to an actual client session—warm, conversational, and focused on the client’s needs.
  • Quote (Sarah, 06:30):
    “Those credentials are an important part of who you are, but they're not going to help the person understand what kind of services you can provide, what kind of difference you can make for them.”

Practical Tip

• Try dictating your site content into your phone for a more natural, client-facing tone.
  [09:00 - 09:18]
  “Sometimes even just dictating can also be a way to kind of get past that barrier...imagine that you're talking to a person rather than think of yourself as sitting down to write something out.” (Sarah)

2. Mistake #2: The Website Is All About You, Not the Client

(11:00 - 13:47)

• Problem: Excessive self-focus (background, philosophy, education) on the website often stems from insecurity or a lack of marketing know-how.
• Impact: Potential clients are looking for empathy and understanding of their own situation, not a therapist’s CV.
• Advice:
  • Make the website content all about the client—identify and empathize with their problems, fears, and desired transformation.
  • The “about you” on your website should be about their journey and how you can help them change.
  • Quote (Sarah, 12:27):
    “You have to make your website about your client, and the best thing that you can do...is to talk about the problems that you know they have...so specifically and with so much empathy...they think, ‘Oh, this person knows exactly what I'm going through’.”
  • Importance of niching: speaking directly to a specific audience makes your message more powerful.

3. Mistake #3: No (or Poor) Photos of Yourself

(15:35 - 20:13)

• Problem: Many therapists skip professional photos, use unprofessional selfies, or feature images that are confusing, blurry, or inappropriate.
• Impact: Photos are crucial for establishing trust and approachability. Bad or missing photos create disconnection or repel clients.
• Advice:
  • Invest in high-quality, professional (but relatable and authentic) photos.
  • Avoid using car selfies, party-cropped images, photos with distracting backgrounds or unrelated subjects (e.g., owls, unless relevant to your work).
  • Use photos that reflect the real you and the way you actually show up in sessions.
  • Quote (Sarah, 16:31):
    “Having a photo that is something that's approachable...that people can kind of get a sense of who you are...is something you really can't get around.”
  • “Websites are about connection...having a photo is just an indispensable part of that process.” (Sarah, 17:53)
• Memorable Moment:
  • The hosts share stories of hilariously bad therapist photos found on Psychology Today, including a shirtless man with chest hair and a random owl photo.
  • Quote (Katie, 18:52):
    “No photos of you in the car. Like, don't do a selfie in the car with the seatbelt on. Don't cut someone else out of your photo...No blurry photos. And don't put anything weird in your photos.”

Practical Illustration

• Sarah relates her own experience choosing a pediatrician for her child, emphasizing that a professional and approachable online image "was the make or break" when picking from a list of referrals.
  [20:26 - 22:20]
  “I got this list of referrals...the first thing I do is go to the Internet and start looking at people's websites...one of them had a picture that was so scary...I'm not going to take my kid to see this person...it's just an interesting illustration of the point.” (Sarah)

4. Mistake #4: Not Optimized for Mobile Devices

(23:03 - 24:46)

• Problem: Many therapist websites aren't mobile-responsive, resulting in a poor user experience for the majority of web visitors who use phones.
• Impact:
  • Mobile-unfriendly sites lower client conversions.
  • Google downgrades non-mobile sites in search results, making them harder to find.
• Advice:
  • Ensure your website is mobile-optimized so it looks great on all screen sizes.
  • Test your website on your own phone or use mobile preview tools.
  • Consider outsourcing if you aren’t tech-savvy; there are platforms and experts who can help.
  • Quote (Sarah, 24:16):
    “Google now uses their evaluation of your site, whether or not it's optimized for mobile as one of the ways it determines where you rank.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Copywriting:
  “Therapists are wonderful communicators...but when you sit down at your computer, there's this shift...think about the way you would talk to a person who was coming in to see you for the first time.” (Sarah, 07:57)

• On Shifting Out of Academic Mode:
  “It takes a long time because I've been in school for so long, and I've been trained to write more academically...” (Kate, 10:09)

• On Photo Blunders:
  “Don't just go in your phone's gallery and pick the first thing that's there and put it up there. No bueno, folks.” (Katie, 20:13)

• On Referrals & First Impressions:
  “The referral only worked because when they looked you up, what they found was professional and inviting and warm.” (Sarah, 22:03)

Recommendations & Takeaways

• Approach your website as a tool for connection and client care, not just self-promotion.
• Prioritize client-focused, accessible language and powerful images that reflect your true self.
• Treat your website as an essential, conversion-driven part of your practice—even if most clients come from referrals.
• Don’t skimp on mobile optimization: most potential clients will first find you on their phones.
• Outsource your web design if it’s not your forte—your website is often the first impression you give.

Resource Mentioned

• Sarah Gershone’s Free Mini Video Course for Therapists
  • A three-part web design course specifically for therapists.
  • Available at Strong Roots Web Design
  • (26:09 - 26:29)

Important Timestamps

• 06:15 – Mistake #1: Resume-style websites
• 11:00 – Mistake #2: Website is all about you, not your client
• 15:35 – Mistake #3: No or bad photos
• 23:03 – Mistake #4: Not optimized for mobile devices
• 26:09 – Guest’s free resource for listeners

Episode Tone & Language

The episode balances warmth, humor, and practical advice. The hosts and guest use approachable, storytelling-driven language aimed at demystifying website marketing for therapists, with plenty of laughter and real-world anecdotes to keep the content engaging and relatable.

For more details and resources, visit Private Practice Startup. For web design insights and the free course, check out Sarah’s Strong Roots Web Design.