This article is part of our Trust Signals & E-E-A-T Guide: the bylines, reviewers, license numbers and schema that help Google, AI assistants and customers trust a business website. Want to know where your site stands? Get a free 20–30 page website audit within 24 hours.
The trust signals that matter most on a therapy website are each clinician's license type and number, plus honest supervision wording. Clinician-reviewed articles, a clear crisis resource and accurate compact status complete the list. Mental health content is YMYL (Your Money or Your Life), since mistakes can harm someone. This guide is part of our Trust Signals and E-E-A-T Guide.
Our existing post on E-E-A-T for therapists explains the concept and how clients judge credibility. This article is the placement checklist: what goes where, using real board wording.
Google says E-E-A-T (experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trust) isn't a specific ranking factor. Its systems do give more weight to strong E-E-A-T on topics affecting health. In some states, a license line is also a legal advertising requirement.
Key Takeaways
- California requires name, license number and license title in advertising, and a website counts as advertising.
- California associates must also show their employer and that a licensed person supervises them.
- Keep required details close together, because a number buried on another page may not comply.
- PSYPACT authorization and Counseling Compact privileges are specific grants, so never imply them from a home license alone.
- Never add a "Reviewed by" line unless the named person actually reviewed that page.
- Show 988 clearly, and say plainly that your practice is not an emergency service.
The credentials that matter in therapy practices
| Credential | Who holds it | How clients verify it |
|---|---|---|
| LMFT, LCSW, LPCC, LEP (California titles) | California BBS licensees | DCA license search, linked from the Board of Behavioral Sciences |
| Registered associate | Pre-licensed clinicians in California | Same search, with registration number |
| Psychologist license | Licensed psychologists | Your state psychology board |
| PSYPACT APIT or TAP | Psychologists granted authority by the commission | PSYPACT verification and directory |
| Counseling Compact privilege | Counselors in live states | Counseling Compact |
Titles differ by state. An LMFT in California may hold a different title elsewhere, so use your board's exact wording.
PSYPACT
PSYPACT is the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact. Its FAQ says you must hold an APIT, the commission's telepsychology authority, to practice telepsychology under PSYPACT. Temporary in-person work needs a Temporary Authorization to Practice (TAP). Only the commission grants these, and a separate E.Passport alone is not enough.
State membership changes, as the PSYPACT home page shows with 2026 legislative news for Iowa and Alaska. Check the map before you update your site.
Counseling Compact
As of its 19 October 2026 update, the Counseling Compact is live for licensees in Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Wyoming. Eligibility depends on where the counselor is licensed and lives. Enactment by a state does not mean clinicians there can already apply.
Write only what is true today: "Licensed in Ohio. Holds a Counseling Compact privilege to practice in Georgia." Avoid "licensed in all compact states." For more on multistate pages, see telehealth therapy websites.
What the rules say about showing them
Rules differ by state, so here is one detailed example. The California BBS Advertising Fact Sheet, effective 1 April 2026, is the current guidance as of November 2026.
Licensees must include their first and last name as filed with the board, their license number, and their complete license title or an allowable abbreviation.
Registered associates must include:
- First and last name as filed with the board
- Registration number
- Complete registration title
- Employer name, or the entity where they volunteer
- A statement that a licensed person supervises them
Websites. The fact sheet says a website is advertising, so all required details must appear there. It says the details should be easy to find and appear near each other. A number in very small type at the bottom of a long page, or buried on another page, may not comply.
Social media. This is also advertising. If the details do not fit in a bio, give readers an easy way to find them. The fact sheet's example is a link to a website with all required information.
Who is responsible. The clinician is, even when an employer produced the ad. So review your employer's website if it lists you. The fact sheet warns that associates must not appear licensed or independent.
If your practice is outside California, find your own board's rule. Rules vary by state; confirm with your licensing board or counsel.
Testimonials need separate care, and professional ethics codes may restrict them. Our post on therapist reviews and compliance covers that topic.
Bylines and reviewers for therapy content
Who should write. A named clinician, or a writer working from a clinician's input. In our audit of 149 sites, 105 of 130 sites with articles had sampled articles credited to the company or to no one.
Who should review. A licensed clinician trained in the topic. A trauma article should go to someone who treats trauma, and a medication mention should go to a prescriber or be left out. An associate can write, but the byline needs full associate wording.
What the line should say.
"Clinically reviewed by [full name], [license title], [state] license [number]. Last reviewed [date]."
Never add a "Reviewed by" line unless the named person actually reviewed that page. Keep a short log of reviewer, date and page version. In the audit, 40 of 50 health, legal and financial sites with articles showed no "Reviewed by" on any sampled article. See what "reviewed by" means for more.
How often. Recheck crisis wording, compact status and insurance details often, because they change. Recheck clinical articles on a set schedule.
Privacy. Do not share identifying client details in stories. Change details or get proper consent, as your ethics code and counsel advise.
Crisis resources
We did not find a rule requiring every therapist to list 988, so treat this as a safety practice. The 988 Lifeline says it is available 24/7/365 by call, text or chat, and that conversations are free and confidential.
Put a short notice on your contact page, booking page and footer. Say that your practice does not offer emergency services. Our post on crisis resources on therapy websites has wording you can adapt.
Where each signal goes on your site
| Signal | Where on the page | Schema property |
|---|---|---|
| Name, license title and number | Together, near the top of each clinician page | name, hasCredential, identifier |
| Associate supervision wording | Next to the registration number | None; visible text only |
| Employer name for associates | Next to the registration number | worksFor |
| License search link | Clinician page | hasCredential |
| Compact status | Clinician and telehealth pages | areaServed, visible text |
| Reviewer and date | Under the article title | reviewedBy, lastReviewed |
| 988 notice | Contact page, booking page, footer | None; visible text only |
| Editorial policy | Footer and article pages | publishingPrinciples |
Schema does not replace the visible line, and it will not satisfy a board rule by itself. Keep credentials as real HTML text, not inside a headshot image. Check it against the page whenever a license changes.
Common mistakes
- Listing "Therapist" or "Counselor" alone, with no license title or number.
- Placing all license numbers in one small line in the footer.
- Letting an associate's bio read as if they practice independently.
- Claiming PSYPACT or compact practice without the actual authorization or privilege.
- Hiding the crisis notice inside a long page, or leaving out that you do not offer emergency care.
- Naming a clinical reviewer who never saw the article.
Next step
Check each clinician page against your board's current rule, then fix titles, numbers and supervision wording. Add reviewers only where review took place. See our therapy practice website services, or get a free 20–30 page website audit within 24 hours.
Frequently asked questions
Does my website count as advertising?
In California, yes. The BBS fact sheet says a website is a type of advertising and the required information must appear on it. Other states have their own definitions, so check your board.
Can I put my license number only in the footer?
Be careful. The California fact sheet says required details should appear near each other and be easy to find. A number in very small type or on a different page may not comply, so put it with your name and title.
Should I list PSYPACT on my profile?
Only if you hold the authorization from the PSYPACT Commission. Say which authority you hold, and keep it current. Membership and rules change, so check the PSYPACT site.
Do I have to list 988?
We did not find a universal requirement, but it is a clear safety signal. State that your practice is not an emergency service, and show 988 on your contact and booking pages. Confirm any state or insurer requirements.
Can an associate write blog posts?
Yes, in general, provided the byline does not imply they are licensed. In California, use the full registration details, including supervision wording. A licensed clinician can then review the post, if they really do.
