I work with so many therapists who’ve been told – directly or indirectly – that staying quiet is the most ethical thing they can do.
Keep your head down.Don’t share too much. Stay “professional” and clients will find you.
But this advice isn’t just outdated, it’s actively costing you enquiries. Because ethical doesn’t mean invisible.
Ethical means safe, human, and trustworthy.
And right now, invisibility isn’t just about being missed on social media, it’s about being missed by AI.
Why ethical visibility matters more than ever
Marketing as a therapist doesn’t mean revealing everything about yourself. It’s about showing just enough of your values, your approach, and your understanding so clients feel safe to take the first step.
When you’re completely hidden, or posting generic quotes and clinical phrases, people can’t connect. They don’t know what makes you different from the hundreds of other therapists they scroll past or see on directories. And as we move into an AI-first world, this is becoming even more important:
- AI is scanning your Website, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn profiles to recommend therapists.
- Directory profiles alone are no longer enough, your broader digital footprint now matters.
- If your profile is blank, jargon-filled, or sounds identical to everyone else, AI won’t recognise you, and neither will clients.
What my clients are doing differently
The therapists I work with aren’t shouting or posting gimmicks. They’re showing up ethically and deeply connecting with the exact people they want to help.
- They share posts that mirror their clients’ quiet but deep fears and unspoken hopes.
- They communicate in ways that feel safe… NEVER salesy… while still being visible.
- They structure their online presence so that it’s not only human and relatable but also future-proofed for AI indexing.
The result? Many of them are seeing steady streams of enquiries, even in summer… the time so many therapists assume will be quiet.
What you can start doing now to Get more Therapy Enquiries:
I’m not going to give you every single detailed step here…. that’s what I teach inside my programmes…. but here are some shifts you can start thinking about today:
- Audit what clients can see: Look at your Instagram, LinkedIn, or website through the eyes of a potential client. Do they instantly feel safe and understood? Or could they be anywhere, reading anyone?
- Ask yourself what you want them to feel: Calm? Relief? Reassured? This emotional tone should run through everything: your bio, your posts, your captions, website copy.
- Show enough to build trust: Ethically share your approach, your values, your way of seeing the world,
When you do this, you’re not just making marketing easier, you’re laying the foundations for trust before clients even contact you.
Why this matters now
We’re in the middle of a huge change where Consumers are now asking AI to recommend therapists, just like the way Spotify recommends songs. The therapists who are visible and emotionally connecting now will be the ones AI (and humans) recommend first.
There is no “quiet summer” when your visibility is rooted in ethical connection and future-proofed for the next wave of search.
If you’ve been hiding because you think silence is safer, it’s time to rethink. Clients… and AI….can’t choose you if they can’t find you.
This is the work I do with therapists: helping them ethically show up, connect deeply, and build steady streams of enquiries all year round.
If your inbox has been empty and you want to get a regular stream of enquiries AND booked in clients, drop me an email using the form below:
Thank you for your response. ✨
Private Practice Marketing Coach for Counsellors and Therapists l Mel Lay 
Leave a comment