Truth in psych advertising

Rather than having my words twisted further ("a sliver" is not anywhere in my argumentation) and having to deal witb a subject that changes in the middle of the discussion (I thought the issue was with therapists focusing on making money, not on promoting themselves), I'll bow out. Note, though, that you are explicitly talking about a subset, since your Google search is only in one language.

Can I try and make peace here?

Missbella correctly read between my lines that my T's drive to build her practice from something other than referrals is...I dunno, odd? Feels a bit weird in this small town.

Mastodon correctly states that only a subset of T's are vested in building their business through various means described in that bibliography.

Lindalu doesn't know numbers or frequency for that subset or how to quantify scientifically, but some number of Ts want to maximize income from clientele, instruction, and/or consulting. Not my T necessarily, but some Ts.

Peace?

Under a separate thread I might ask how people feel about direct marketing generally. That should draw some blood

I tend to think this subset of therapists consists of many Ts that go straight from grad school/training to private practice. With no clientel built in a hospital, clinic or group practice, they have no word of mouth or referrals to send them business. So even though it doesn't sit well with me, I imagine advertising is sometimes necessary. Private practice is a business after all

I have no idea the population size, but some percentage of therapists out there are creating brands for themselves like cereal flavors, and there appears a significant consultation industry advising them how to do it. My worst therapist's website has a harp-soundtrack video, so phony-sincere and cloying it could be its own Saturday Night Live skit. My pain was his profit.

There's a therapist in my city who drives a hummer with her face and phone number on the side of it. I wish I were kidding. I see it parked downtown constantly.

T does not advertise at all. She isn't even in the business section of the phone book. She is only listed in the white pages with her name (no mention of LCSW or anything). She gets her clients through referrals from providers. She has never had a problem filling her patient load (frequently she turns people away as she is full)

I think therapists who work in large clinics might not need to advertise as it is not hard to find a clinic. I just looked up a clinic by me and that's how I found a t.

But if one is in private practice they might not be able to build clientele quickly enough to support themselves. They might need to advertise. Face on a car is a bit extreme but a website or print isn't a turn off for me. They got to pay bills too.

As about referrals how would one obtain them. None of my family members or friends is in therapy. None knows any therapists. I am not in need of Pdoc so no one to refer me. No one would refer me no where, I don't appear to have any issues that are apparent to anyone but me. So I looked up a clinic.

But what if my t didn't work for a clinic.

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I was so thankful my T had a website with a picture when I first found her off a list of referrals from an outpatient eating disorder program I was attending. Her advertising of her specialties along with her approach completely called to me and her picture was warm and inviting and didn't intimidate. I've been seeing her for over a year now and thankfully none of her advertising was false. She is exactly what she says she is!

I agree it really depends on if they are part of a larger practice or are private. My T worked for many years at a local hospital. All her clients there came from the providers in that system. She also had a private practice but the clients there were pretty much all referrals. My PCP had worked with her years before. After a bit she convinced me that T would be perfect for me so I went in somewhat blindly but trusting PCP. Now she only has her private practice but still has so many connections in the community she has no problems.