[caseygirl]

Just wondering, if you were searching for a new therapist, would the look of her website sway you one way or another? I suppose it shouldn't, not everyone is a web designer genius. This is if you had either been referred or just searched through the directory in your city or town.

Why I'm asking is, I've been seeing my T for about 5 years and I just noticed she updated her website. She has a pic in there of the office and to me the pic looks dull and unflattering. That's just my opinion because I know it looks so much more comfortable and inviting. Perhaps she doesn't want it to look like that. But, I just wondered if it would have made a difference if I was looking at it for the first time deciding whether to call or not.

[Asiablue]

Yes, it would make a difference to me if the website didn't look professional or the room i was going to be in looked uninviting.

Not being a web-genius isn't an excuse for a poor website, if you don't have that skill,find someone who does.

That being said, if i met the therapist first and liked them then i could overlook the room but if i was just browsing the net and a poor website was my first point of contact, then i wouldn't go any further with them.

The appearance of a website or an office for that matter would not influence me... the content (words) explaining their practice or philosophy would influence me...

2 of my Ts didn't even have a website just a profile on a find a therapist site.

[stopdog]

I don't really notice the office of the woman I see. Her couch is horrible and she has no chair for clients but other than that, I could not tell you anything about it - so I probably would not notice the website part in that way. I did check out their pictures but mostly to make sure they were not young or perky looking.

I wouldn't choose a therapist based on a website. I don't see a correlation between being a good therapist and hiring a good web designer. One has nothing to do with the other. I look at qualifications, experience, orientation, etc. None of my T's even had a website when I chose them, and my current T is currently on the website for the practice he is in and that website is horrid despite the fact that the pdocs and therapists in that practice are quite excellent.

[Elektra_]

to me, sometimes, a presentation, face or posture does say something about the person.

[wotchermuggle]

If I was looking around online for someone to try out, then yes, a website would influence me. I'd be MORE influenced by experience and therapy type, however.

[Perna]

Professional websites so often use bought pictures that are not the actual space/business but just for atmosphere so I would not think much of a picture one way or the other. If it were really bad and the writing was mediocre, that combination would bother me but if it had a wonderful picture and mediocre writing, that would send up warning flags as I would know the writing was the owner's own whereas the picture may not be. A less than inviting picture and okay writing would make it seem "honest" to me (so T is not a photographer, neither am I) and I would just think, "ah, a room with couch and chairs, how original, just like I thought a therapy room would look like" :-) My T didn't have her own rooms when I saw her, rented them from others and we were in gorgeous spaces and really horrible ones and that was part of how I was helped by her I think; she was always herself and could be counted on no matter what the surroundings?

[anilam]

I think most ppl searching net for a T would be influenced by their website- conscientiously and/or unconscientiously - first impression and all. However, their impression would greatly differ. If it were me, I would be more influenced by their published works/text on the site then by pics- come to think of it I don't believe my T has his office on his web, just his mugshot and some weird pics of what I guess he imagines to be meaningful images

Originally Posted by caseygirl

Just wondering, if you were searching for a new therapist, would the look of her website sway you one way or another? I suppose it shouldn't, not everyone is a web designer genius. This is if you had either been referred or just searched through the directory in your city or town.

It could go both ways. A lousy therapist (even one who just got her license back from suspension) could have put a lot of $ or effort into designing an appealing website in order to get business she otherwise would not have, or could have one designed in a way to attract a certain type of caseload. Even if referred, maybe the therapist is client-hungry. I have gotten several bad referrals in the past.

Originally Posted by caseygirl

Why I'm asking is, I've been seeing my T for about 5 years and I just noticed she updated her website. She has a pic in there of the office and to me the pic looks dull and unflattering.

If it helps, I'd tell you that narcissistic people usually care a great deal about their image, how they appear to others. Most people care about the way they look to some extent, but I doubt that a truly narcissistic person would allow that! Maybe she prefers to use words to communicate (as opposed to images or pictures) or is just really down to earth.

I've never had a therapist who had a website, so I can't tell you if it would influence me personally or not.

Can you ask her about it? Maybe she is not tech-savvy or artistic. It might also be worth exploring the feelings behind your worries too.

[caseygirl]

Originally Posted by Autumn Skies

It could go both ways. A lousy therapist (even one who just got her license back from suspension) could have put a lot of $ or effort into designing an appealing website in order to get business she otherwise would not have, or could have one designed in a way to attract a certain type of caseload. Even if referred, maybe the therapist is client-hungry. I have gotten several bad referrals in the past.


If it helps, I'd tell you that narcissistic people usually care a great deal about their image, how they appear to others. Most people care about the way they look to some extent, but I doubt that a truly narcissistic person would allow that! Maybe she prefers to use words to communicate (as opposed to images or pictures) or is just really down to earth.

I've never had a therapist who had a website, so I can't tell you if it would influence me personally or not.

Can you ask her about it? Maybe she is not tech-savvy or artistic. It might also be worth exploring the feelings behind your worries too.

I am not worried about her site, it was just the pic that gave me an unfair impression of the office room. That's just my feeling. She's an excellent therapist and the other info that she has included, as other posters have mentioned are more important, are clearly explained on her site. I would not mention or criticize her about it, it's not a priority for sure.

[brillskep]

The content of the potential therapist's website may influence my decision. The look probably wouldn't.

[Victoria'smom]

If they don't have a web site then no but if they do then yes because that is my initial intervy