This article is part of our Therapy Practice Marketing Guide: how clients find a therapist, how to market ethically and privately, and how to choose the right help. Want to know where your practice's site stands? Get a free 20–30 page website audit within 24 hours.
Good therapist website copy sounds like the first five minutes of a session with you. It names what the reader is going through, explains how you help in plain words, answers practical questions, and invites one small next step. It does not lecture, diagnose or promise results.
Many therapy sites read alike because they borrow the same phrases: "safe space", "healing journey", "holistic". Those words are not wrong, but they do not help a client choose you. This guide shows how to write copy that is specific, client-centered and recognizably yours, with before-and-after examples you can adapt.
It is part of our Therapy Practice Marketing Guide.
Key Takeaways
- Write each page for one specific reader and the moment they are in when they find you.
- Lead with the reader's experience, then show how you help, then give practical details and one next step.
- Replace vague phrases with concrete descriptions of what sessions are like.
- Make it clear who wrote the content; Google's guidance encourages accurate bylines and author information.
- Avoid outcome promises and solicited testimonials, which professional ethics codes restrict.
Write for one reader
Before you write a page, picture one person. For example: "a 34-year-old nurse who has panic attacks before shifts and has never been to therapy." Write to them.
Ask:
- What are they feeling right now?
- What are they afraid therapy will be like?
- What practical questions do they need answered before they reach out?
The American Psychological Association's guide to choosing a psychologist gives a ready list of those questions: whether you are licensed, how long you have practiced, your experience with their problem, the treatments you use, your fees, sliding scale, and insurance. If your copy answers these, you have covered most of what a reader needs.
Sound like you in session
Read a paragraph aloud. Would you say it to a client? If not, rewrite it.
Habits that help:
- Use "you" and "I" (or "we" for a group). It turns a brochure into a conversation.
- Use short sentences. A stressed reader skims.
- Explain one idea per paragraph.
- Name the method after the plain description. "We'll practice noticing anxious thoughts and responding differently. This is called CBT."
- Keep your real personality. If you use gentle humor in sessions, a little on the page is fine.
Before and after examples
Home page opening
Before: "Welcome to Serenity Counseling, a safe space for healing and growth. We offer holistic, client-centered therapy for individuals, couples and families."
After: "Therapy for adults in Sacramento who feel stuck, anxious or worn down. I'm Maya, a licensed marriage and family therapist. We'll work on what's weighing on you, at a pace that feels manageable. Sessions are in person in Midtown or by video anywhere in California."
The second version says who it is for, who you are, what you do, and where.
Specialty page
Before: "Anxiety can be debilitating. Our evidence-based approach empowers clients to overcome their fears."
After: "Maybe your mind won't switch off at night. Maybe you cancel plans because your chest tightens. In our sessions, we'll figure out what keeps the worry going and practice small, specific ways to respond. Most people start with weekly sessions."
Call to action
Before: "Contact us today to begin your journey!"
After: "Book a free 15-minute phone call. I'll listen to what's going on, answer your questions and tell you honestly if I'm a good fit. If I'm not, I'll suggest someone who might be."
Page-by-page tips
| Page | Main job | Must include |
|---|---|---|
| Home | Help the right visitor recognize themselves | Who you help, where, how to start |
| About | Build trust in you | Credentials, approach, photo, voice |
| Specialty pages | Show you understand one issue | Experience, how you help, what sessions look like |
| Fees and insurance | Remove cost uncertainty | Rates, insurance status, superbills, GFE notice |
| Contact | Lower the barrier to reach out | Response time, what happens next, crisis note |
| FAQ | Answer worries before the call | First session, cancellation, privacy, telehealth |
Detailed guides for some of these pages: How to Write a Therapist About Page, Specialty Pages for Therapists and Insurance vs Private Pay.
Show who wrote it
Google's guidance on creating helpful, people-first content asks whether it is "self-evident to your visitors who authored your content" and whether pages carry a byline where one might be expected. It says Google "strongly encourage[s] adding accurate authorship information."
For a therapy site:
- Put your name and credentials on blog posts and guides.
- Link each byline to your About page.
- If someone else drafts content, review it yourself before it goes live.
Google also explains that its systems give more weight to trustworthy content on topics that could affect health, which it calls "Your Money or Your Life" topics. Mental health is one of them. For more on this, see YMYL and E-E-A-T in Mental Health Websites.
Using AI to draft copy
AI writing tools can help with a first draft. If you use one:
- Give it your real details: license, location, methods, fees.
- Rewrite the result in your own voice. AI drafts tend toward the generic phrases this guide asks you to cut.
- Check every factual statement, especially about conditions and treatments.
- Never paste client information into an AI tool.
The test is simple: if a colleague with a different approach could sign the same page, it is not specific enough yet.
Claims to avoid
Your copy is advertising, and professional codes apply.
- Outcome promises. The APA Ethics Code, Standard 5.01(b), prohibits false or deceptive statements about the "results or degree of success" of your services. Write "many clients find" rather than "you will".
- Testimonials. APA Standard 5.05 says psychologists do not solicit testimonials from current clients. The ACA Code of Ethics, Standard C.3.b, says counselors do not solicit testimonials from current or former clients or others vulnerable to undue influence. The NASW Code, Standard 4.07(b), sets a similar limit for social workers.
- Client stories. Even anonymized stories can identify someone in a small community. HHS settled with Cadia Healthcare Facilities over patient "success stories" posted without valid written HIPAA authorization. Use composite examples clearly labeled as such, or none.
- Overstated credentials. "Expert", "specialist" and "certified" should be literally true.
These rules vary by license and state, so check with your board or an ethics consultant if you are unsure.
A quick editing checklist
Before you publish any page:
- Does the first sentence speak to the reader's situation?
- Is every jargon term explained?
- Are fees or a link to fees on the page?
- Is there one clear next step?
- Is there a crisis line for anyone who needs urgent help? See Crisis Resources on Therapy Websites.
- Did you remove any promise of results?
- Would you say this out loud to a client?
Next step
Strong copy needs a site that loads fast and makes reaching out easy. When you are ready to plan that, read How Much Does a Therapist Website Cost?. If you would rather have professionals write and structure your pages, our content marketing services cover that. To see how your current copy reads to a stranger, get a free 20–30 page website audit within 24 hours.
Frequently asked questions
Should I write my own therapy website copy?
You know your voice and approach best, so your input is essential. Many therapists write a rough draft and have an editor or agency shape it, then review the final version themselves.
How long should my home page be?
Long enough to tell visitors who you help, how, where, what it costs and how to start. That often fits in a few short sections with links to deeper pages.
Can I use client testimonials on my site?
Professional codes restrict soliciting testimonials, and posting identifiable client information without authorization can violate HIPAA. Many therapists leave testimonials off and rely on clear, specific copy instead.
Is it okay to use AI to write my website?
It can help with a first draft, but rewrite it in your voice, check every fact and never enter client information. Generic AI copy rarely helps a client choose you.
What words should I avoid?
Vague phrases that every site uses, like "healing journey" or "safe space", unless you explain what they mean in practice. Also avoid promises such as "cure" or "guaranteed".
