[LindaLu]

Lots of questions, but they are interrelated.

Does your T advertise his/her services on a personal website, local media, GoodTherapy or similar site?

Was that information part of your consideration in first interviewing them?

Has their advertising changed over time? Are they marketing to a new or broader clientele? Asserting new skills?

Knowing your T as you do now, do you think they have accurately described their own strengths?

As for me...My answers are yes. Well...mostly yes.

Yes, yes, yes, and yes.

[brillskep]

My therapist hates the Internet and doesn't advertize. He only has this account on this national website that tries to bring together mental health practitioners and potential clients. He has a very touching description of his services, almost poetic, and certainly fitting his approach and skills.

[justdesserts]

No advertising--as far as I can tell, he gets all his clients via word of mouth.

My T doesn't advertise. He has no problem keeping a strong clientele so no need to spend money on advertising.

[LindaLu]

Originally Posted by lolagrace

My T doesn't advertise. He has no problem keeping a strong clientele so no need to spend money on advertising.

Love this. Can I cross stitch it into a pillow?

Others?

I have no idea how common it is for therapists to advertise online or in other media in Sweden. My T does not advertise - his name and phone number is listed on the county health care website, and a couple of yellow pages type websites, but that's all as far as I know. He seems to be pretty much fully booked all the time, from what I can tell, so I don't think he's felt the need to advertise (but that's just my guess.)

[Perna]

My T was recommended by another T (my group T) so I don't know if she advertised. I did see her in lists of therapists with name and address, etc. but not anything that I'd call advertising.

[ScarletPimpernel]

New T does advertise on one site and also has her own website.

I liked what she wrote about her therapeutic environment. I also liked her because she had experience with BPD and practiced both DBT and psycho-dynamic. My T even wrote that if she doesn't have experience with a disorder, she would help refer you to someone who does. Thought that was nice.

I've only known her for about a month, but she hasn't updated her advertisement in a year.

So far, what she wrote about herself and her practice are accurate.

I like Ts who advertise and have their own website. Gives me a chance to get to know a little bit about them before even contacting them. You can learn a lot about someone from how they write, organize their thoughts, or even design their website. I also like seeing a picture of them. You'd be surprised how many look scary or angry in their pictures.

And I always research a T before meeting them.

[unaluna]

Yes, no, dont know, yes.

My only quibble with my ts advertising is that on one medium he states, "there is no such thing as the perfect client...". Im assuming he made that ad BEFORE he met me!!

[LonesomeTonight]

My T has a listing in the Psychology Today site where you can find a T. It's how I found her, while looking for a T that specialized in anxiety. What she said on there and what's on her practice's website seems to match with how she is as a therapist. Same for my marriage counselor--don't think he's on the Psych Today site, but his describe on the practice's website (same as T) seems to match with how he is as a therapist (though it includes a bunch of grammatical errors that suggest he's less intelligent than he is--I've wondered a few times if I should point them out!)

[precaryous]

I was referred to my T. My T doesn't advertise. She works for a group practice and some of her information is there.

She also teaches psychology courses at a University and I have found out more about her online as a psych professor...and what her students think of her....than as a therapist.

[Lauliza]

My T and pdoc don't advertise at all, have no personal websites, aren't listed in psychology today, etc. I tend not to trust those sites and think some Ts aren't as specialized as they say they are. I much prefer to go by word of mouth and referrals from other clients or professionals in he field.

[ScarletPimpernel]

I think here in San Diego, you would rarely get referred by word of mouth to a T. Same with Pdocs. Most Pdocs are a part of a clinic or medical group. I would "assume" most people either search for a private T on their own through the internet or through insurance referrals. Idk, maybe it's because I don't have friends to refer me?

[Lauliza]

I think my circumstances are unusual but I tend to forget. My dad was in treatment for 30 years so when he told his pdoc about my situation, he referred me to the one I see now. In my daughter's case, I tend to talk openly about her with others. When I was last looking I told a former co worker what was going on and she just happened to have seen one in her early teens that she still saw, so she called her for me. Her doctor then called me and gave me names of a few very specialized pdocs she thought might be a fit. I suppose the Boston area is a hotbed for therapists and pdocs, so there's no shortage of information. There are also online support groups and forums like that are more regional, so people can exchange info and seek out recommendations.

My therapist said that more 85% of her clientele are referrals and about forty of that his clients referring others. The rest from colleagues. She is on one therapy register.

[LindaLu]

Thanks everyone. Unscientifically sampled here maybe half our therapists have an online presence. But no one else mentions print advertising. Really it's unnerving to run across print ads, with her photo, no less.

I've given her business card to a couple people but I don't know if they contacted her. This is the conservative South. Maybe word of mouth doesn't sustain a private practice. I do wish her well professionally.

Her website is well designed and informative. No typos

[missbella]

Therapists often use marketing strategies subtler than advertising: consumer advice articles on the internet and other media, radio and TV appearance, lectures, adults education classes, seminars, blogs and networking. These techniques are not as overt as running ads, but the goal is the same--to attract more clients.

Searching counseling/therapist practice marketing or practice building, shows the HUGE business of the counseling business--conference, books, coaches, webinars and even a boot camp.

[missbella]

The array of books for therapists includes:

"How to be a Wealthy Therapist"
"The Million Dollar Private Practice"
"Twelve Months to Your Ideal Private Practice"
"Reaching the Rainbow: A Guide to Marketing Your Mental Health Practice to Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Clients"
"Building Your Ideal Private Practice"
"Marketing for the Mental Health Professional"
"Getting Started in Private Practice"
"The Private Practice Field Guide"
"Practice Building 2.0 for Mental Health Professionals"

[LindaLu]

Originally Posted by missbella

The array of books for therapists includes:

"How to be a Wealthy Therapist"
"The Million Dollar Private Practice"
"Twelve Months to Your Ideal Private Practice"
"Reaching the Rainbow: A Guide to Marketing Your Mental Health Practice to Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Clients"
"Building Your Ideal Private Practice"
"Marketing for the Mental Health Professional"
"Getting Started in Private Practice"
"The Private Practice Field Guide"
"Practice Building 2.0 for Mental Health Professionals"

Love it. Says a lot.

Originally Posted by LindaLu

Love it. Says a lot.

Oh yes, it does say a lot about a limited subset of a large group of people

[divine1966]

Don't know if she advertises. She works for large psychological clinic that has many therapists and pdoc and she is always booked solid.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My T has no website, but she is on an online directory. The words written there were quite standard, nothing striking. I chose her for an initial consultation because, from her photo in the directory, I liked her face.

[BlessedRhiannon]

My T is listed in Psychology Today on the Therapist finder and she also has her own website. Neither one have been updated in the almost 6 years I've been seeing her. Most of her clients come from referrals from local university programs (she specializes in ED's). I found her or Psychology Today, and her advertising definitely matches what she provides.

My pdoc does not advertise, no website, and minimal online presence. His practice is entirely through referrals. In fact, you have to let his Office Manager know who referred you to him, or she won't respond to requests for new client appointments.

Both my pdoc and T are phenomenal, and I'm glad I found them both. I was so anxious about starting therapy and contacting a therapist, that I'm not sure I could have done it if the T didn't have an option to contact online.

[missbella]

Judging by the millions of search engine results from searches like "practice marketing" "practice building" and "client retention" combined with "psychotherapy," "counseling," and "mental health," I conclude more than a sliver of mental health professionals are concerned with promoting their services.

https://www.google.com/search?q=%22m...ce+building%22

Originally Posted by Mastodon

Oh yes, it does say a lot about a limited subset of a large group of people