How To Be An Authentic Therapist Online

Be A Resource - Show That You Can Help Them

In order to be trusted by someone in the online world, prove right off the bat that you can help them with their issue. If they strongly believe that you can solve their issue, why would they take a gamble on a therapist who’s cheaper?

1. First, determine your ideal client (aka find your niche)-  Who do you want to be working with? This is an answer only you can give. In a world of online therapy where a client can find anyone, you need to stand out in some way. You don’t want to compete against the thousands of therapists who are generalists, but become the expert in your area of expertise.
2. Second, discover their pain points - What are the common issues of your ideal client? Write all of them down. People will come to you only if you show that you understand them and you know their needs.
3. Third, Be the expert to their problems - Finally write content that answers the problems your ideal client is dealing with. The online environment is perfect for laying out your expertise for all to see. And it’s experts that get paid more. This can come in many forms of content whether it’s video on your website, content on your blog, or posts on social media. Your online presence should exude expertise from every facet. Make your expertise obvious. 

 Practical Steps

1. Determine your ideal client and write down all of their potential pain points and questions.
2. Create a “Resources” section on your website where you can write pages that answer these specific needs
3. Build a writing schedule around your new blog topics and be consistent with it! 

Introduce Yourself Online

Your website or social media is a natural place to introduce yourself to the world and to the potential clients that want to “get to know you” first, before scheduling a session with you. More than any other industry, therapy is very personal. The connection that the client has with their therapist is critical in the healing and growth process. You know this, and people who have never been to therapy understand this on some level by not wanting to meet with someone who “doesn’t get them” or they “don’t like” so taking the first step and introducing yourself online let’s someone meet you who might have been on the fence.

This is where you can directly to the camera - talk about yourself and your expertise. Speak about why you are the best person for them to meet with. This is the time to communicate why you are worth your rate.

Social Proof - Build a Social Following

People often determine credibility from “social proof”. This can range from a referral from a friend or a review online - but this can easily translate into your social media presence. A company with a small audience or zero activity at all doesn’t garner any trust. Many customers will think that if no one else is paying attention to your company, then it’s probably not a great company. However, once you have an established reputation, that can pay off tenfold. 

Build a social following by creating a page that you would want to follow. Don’t create a feed full of “ads” or “asks” for people to give you a call or schedule a consultation. People don’t want to follow pages like that. People want to follow pages that give them interesting and entertaining content. This is where you can show your expertise through short quotes or relatable posts that show your breadth of knowledge along with how you can relate to your ideal client.

Think about what content your ideal customer would be interested in related to your expertise, then post that! 

Have More Questions?

We'd be happy to chat. Whether you want us to manage some of this for you or simply want some free advice contact us or schedule a call.

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