Private Practice Marketing Coach for Counsellors and Therapists l Mel Lay

Your Clients Don’t Wake at 2am Thinking, “I Need CBT”

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by

Melanie Lay Solutions
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Most therapists are taught to describe what they do.

“CBT, EMDR, integrative counselling.”

But your potential clients don’t wake up in the middle of the night thinking, “I need CBT.” They wake up with racing thoughts and heavy hearts, whispering things like:

  • “I can’t face work tomorrow if this anxiety doesn’t stop.”
  • “I hate that I’m snapping at my kids.”
  • “Maybe I’m just broken.”

That’s what clients are living through. That’s what they’re searching for. That’s what they need to see reflected back in your words.

And this is where most therapist marketing falls short.

Why your modality isn’t the message

The therapy world is full of websites and directory profiles that list modalities like a Nando’s menu. While it feels safe, it doesn’t help clients decide.

Because a modality is a tool. But clients aren’t looking for tools. They’re looking for recognition. They want to know you understand the experience they’re going through, the thoughts that keep them awake at night, the shame they carry, the desire to feel different.

When you speak only in modalities, you sound the same as everyone else. When you speak in psychographics, you sound like their therapist.

What are psychographics?

Psychographics are the inner world:

  • The fears clients rarely admit out loud
  • The thoughts that play on a loop
  • The protective strategies they use to get through the day
  • The desires that drive them, even if they don’t have the words for them yet

When you weave psychographics into your website, directory profile, or social posts, something shifts. Clients stop scrolling. They feel recognised. They think, “That’s me.”

And in that moment, the first step of the therapeutic relationship has already begun.

Real results from small shifts

When members of my community start using psychographic-led language, enquiries change.

Not because they suddenly got louder. Not because they mastered a new platform.

But because they finally spoke in a language their clients could understand and connect with.

One member refreshed her directory profile to reflect her clients’ inner dialogue rather than listing modalities. She noticed enquiries arriving within days. Another reworked her website homepage to mirror the late-night thoughts her ideal clients were battling, She gained hits from all over the country and enquiries began to flow with ease.

These aren’t big, flashy changes. They’re precise, human shifts that speak directly to the people who need you.

If your marketing feels invisible…

It’s easy to think you have a visibility problem:

  • “Maybe I need more followers.”
  • “Maybe I need to post every day.”
  • “Maybe I need to shout louder.”

But often, invisibility isn’t about how much you’re doing. It’s about clarity.

Clarity is what cuts through noise. Clarity is what positions you as the obvious choice. And clarity lives in psychographics.

Where to start

If you’re ready to stop sounding like every other therapist and start connecting deeply with the clients who need you, begin here:

  1. Write down the exact thoughts your clients might have at 2am.
  2. Swap one modality phrase on your website or profile for one of those thoughts.
  3. Notice how different it feels, and how different it reads.

This is how you build marketing that feels less like “promotion” and more like care. Because for your clients, the relief begins the moment they feel understood.

Ready to See Results Like My Members?

One month in, I’ve already seen new members making bold moves, refreshing websites and directories, raising fees with confidence, exploring niches with clarity, and noticing enquiries shift.

These aren’t quick fixes. They’re sustainable changes built on clarity, strategy, and empathy. And they’re exactly what happens when you step into the right environment.

Doors don’t open to my Marketing Membership often, but the waitlist guarantees you a place next time.

👉 Join the waitlist now for a guaranteed spot in the membership when it opens. CLICK HERE

Because your clients don’t wake up at 2am thinking “I need CBT.”
They wake up hoping someone will finally understand.

Be the therapist they recognise.

Helping Therapists worldwide to show up with confidence, get fully booked, and create practices that are both profitable and sustainable.

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