In the past, building your therapy clientele meant relying on in-person interaction, word-of-mouth and traditional advertising. Today, there’s no denying that this practice is becoming more ubiquitous in the digital sphere—creating a therapy website will make a big difference in connecting your own practice with those who seek help.
Whether you’re a therapist or a designer tasked with creating a website for therapists, this article will show you how to build a website from scratch for your private practice using a website builder that checks all the boxes. We’ll walk you through the steps to create a website for therapists. We’ll also discuss the benefits, give helpful tips and provide inspiring examples.
Building a website for your business, passion project or side hustle should be easy and exciting. With Wix, you can customize and launch a professional website in minutes, no coding needed. Wix is all about simplifying the process so you can focus on what matters most–bringing your ideas to life. So why wait? Let’s get started on creating the website you’ve always wanted.
Why are therapist websites important?
So, what is a healthcare website, and why can it help you run a more successful private practice? It might not feel like a priority on your to-do list, but investing in a website for your therapy practice will strengthen every aspect of business over time.
Recently we’ve seen that over 55% of therapy patients are willing to hold their sessions online. And even if clients prefer to meet in-person, most of them will use the internet for preliminary research when seeking the right practice. Alongside that, there’s a growing awareness surrounding mental health that’s led many individuals to seek digital resources, learning more about wellness on a regular basis—from everyday tips, like managing stress to support for how to cope with a diagnosis.
A website is a great tool for growing the business side of your practice online, and as you’ll see, the benefits of a website are also there to improve your practice.
Credibility to market
Your website is like a digital business card, but better. It gives you a platform to introduce yourself and the chance to build credibility with a wide audience. Therapy practices today are inclined to use online marketing, and take advantage of platforms like blogs, vlogs and social media to promote their unique expertise. Your site is an incredible way to establish yourself as a go-to resource, driving demand for one-on-one sessions.
Potential for new clients
For many therapy seekers—whether it's their first time seeking counseling or not—the first step in finding a new therapist is to look online for recommendations. A therapy website’s search engine optimization (SEO) potential puts it in the running for top spots in results for search engines like Google. Website SEO, combined with other digital marketing practices, brings more visibility to your practice that can ultimately attract new clients.
Improve customer satisfaction
Nothing compares to the satisfaction clients feel after a therapy session, but there are important factors that your customers value outside of this framework, too. At the end of the day, they seek all-around professionalism, which means easy appointment bookings, clear communication, timely scheduling and more.
Therapy websites offer the tools to manage these processes in more streamlined ways. Using tools like booking software and payment solutions can take your practice to new levels of professionalism, satisfying your clients with more efficient communications, interactions and processes.
Engage your community
The work you and your clients do together can extend deeper into their daily lives. That doesn’t necessarily mean you need to be available 24/7—but your online resources can be. By providing engaging therapy-related content on your website, including video tutorials, blogs, forums or other online tools, your practice can create a supportive community for clients to engage with during their personal growth journey.
Website design for therapists: a brief intro
Before we dive into the specifics of website design for therapists, you might be asking yourself, what makes a good website in general? Good web design balances form and function, inviting visitors to explore its content, services and tools. With a clear purpose in mind, your therapy website should appeal to a diverse audience, aiming for a trifecta of attractiveness, functionality and user friendliness.
When it comes private practice and therapy websites, here are some key website features to include in your blueprint:
Professional visual elements
Tip number one: don’t overdo it with your therapy site’s visuals. Remember that therapy website design must be visually appealing to a wide audience. Unlike some of the best portfolio websites, which use surprising creative elements to foster personal expression, or popular online stores, who hone in on trends to stand out with young audiences—therapy website design should aim to be more neutral, and unquestionably professional.
Learn more:
Informative and trust-building content
What kind of information do potential clients need to know before they book an appointment with you? Your therapy website should get straight-to-the-point with practical details, such as contact information, location, insurance coverage or types of therapy services available.
Easy-to-use website navigation
Website navigation, made up of your site’s website menu and internal linking, is a major factor when it comes to the user experience. Navigation elements are visible on your website, highlighting essential pages and sections, so visitors can find the content they want or need easily.
Practical tools for your clients
Therapy websites can make use of practical tools that help both your clients and your practice. For example, online scheduling has never been easier—why not give visitors this convenient feature? Other examples of savvy website tools include online forms, payment solutions, membership portals, AI chatbots and more.
HIPAA compliance
One of the unique criteria for how to make a healthcare website is that it needs to be compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). In many cases, therapy websites fall under this category. This is a law that protects the privacy of your patients’ health information and gives them certain rights—for example, the ability to request their records or make any corrections to the information.
Since this act sets the standards for protecting sensitive patient data private health clinics must stick to these regulations to ensure patient confidentiality.
How to create a therapy website in 9 steps
Learning how to make a website might seem overwhelming at first, but it’s easier to achieve than you think. Your best bet is to use a website builder, which will make the process a whole lot easier, quicker and less frustrating—especially if you lack design experience.
If you’re as convinced as we are that a therapy website will benefit your practice, you’re in the right place. Below, we’ll outline how to create a therapy website in 9 steps.
01. Plan your therapy practice website
Similar to building a business plan for a private company, a website is easier to manifest when you have an organized vision. Outline a plan for your therapy website design project, making sure it's adaptable for changes along the way.
The point of this exercise is to hone in practical elements that will help you work efficiently—but it’s also to start considering which parts of a website you’ll need.
At this stage, set your intentions on the following:
Clear goals: spell it out—why are you creating a therapist website to begin with? Do your goals include landing new clients? Will it build your reputation as an expert in the health and wellness world? Clear website goals result in better content and design decisions, while kick starting the right intentions for your marketing strategy, too.
A defined audience: think about who you’d like to attract. With some audience research, you’ll find that the most likely visitors to a therapy website include individuals seeking therapy, caregivers, researchers or your already existing clients. While young adults are the most likely users, your website should cater to a wide demographic, prioritizing the importance of inclusivity and accessibility in the industry.
A feasible budget: take time to research how much a website costs, and what percentage of your business’s budget you can spend on it. The overall costs of having a website depend on many factors, including start-up costs like a website builder and tools you’ll need to grow in the future.
02. Choose a therapy website builder
A great website builder is the key to a smooth design process. And luckily for us, there’s no lack of tools available—from the best AI website builders to modern drag-and-drop platforms that make it possible to manage aspects of website development on our own.
It’s important to find a software that meets your design and business needs, while giving resources and to feel confident in your private practice’s long-term growth. When choosing a tool to build your therapy website design, look out for the following qualities and features:
Reliable web hosting: web hosting is one of the most essential parts of your online presence and the functionality of your website infrastructure. This is the service that provides the technology to store and deliver your website’s content to audiences online.
User friendly functionality: whether you prefer to sit with an AI website builder, customize website templates or start a design from scratch, drag-and-drop style—find a platform that speaks to your level of user-friendliness.
Affordable payment plans: many platforms provide a free trial period, which is a great way to test the software. From there, it's common to find tiered paid plans that give you access to more tools and features. Options like Wix Premium plans leave room for growth, while guaranteeing hosting, security and other helpful resources.
Customer support: no matter what platform you use, you’ll inevitably need customer support. For that reason, check what options each platform offers. While some plans promise timely 24/7 care, others rely on AI chatbots and email to assist customers.
03. Pick a domain name that will stick
Domain names are so ubiquitous these days, they’re often taken for granted. But choosing the right domain name is arguably one of the most important steps of website creation. It’s not only a critical part of your site’s functionality, but a name online audiences will associate with your therapy brand.
Since it’s your web address, pick a domain name that sticks. A good start is to include your business name, evergreen terms like “therapy,” or specific words like your specialization or location. Your top-level domain (TLD), refers to the tail end of your web address—for example, the .com in Wix.com. Some good ideas for therapy website TLDs include: .com, .org, .therapy, .clinic, or .health.
Pro tip: In some cases, the domain name you want is already taken. To check the status of your domain, use a tool like domain name search or a domain name generator for alternative ideas.
04. Find a website template
Therapist templates are, by far, one of the best advantages of the therapy website builders we mentioned above. In your search for the perfect template, you can usually test out the options to see what each one looks like live. But, how to choose a website template that’s right for your practice?
As you look for an appropriate design, keep your original goals and needs in mind. Most platforms provide templates that cater to specific industries, including health and wellness websites. The benefit of industry-specific templates is that they’re set up with the right foundations, like useful tools and features that can help you reach your goals.
For therapy and private practice websites, simple website templates that prioritize user experience are a good option, too. By employing straightforward layouts and user-friendly features, a simple template gives your website content a professional edge from the start.
05. Start customizing your website design
Start customizing your website design by editing your template’s aesthetic. Here, we’re talking about basic changes to the template so it visually reflects your therapy practice, such as changing the background, choosing a color scheme, finding an appropriate font and uploading your logo.
At this stage, use your branding as a guide. From a psychology logo and color scheme, to font choices and imagery styles—your practice’s branding acts as a starting point for a customized therapy website design.
Learn more:
Yaya Aaronsohn, head of Brand Maker at Wix:
"Each combination of design elements has the potential to evoke specific emotions, convey subtle messages and leave a lasting impression on viewers. From the choice of font to the selection of colors and the incorporation of graphic elements, every detail plays a crucial role in shaping the overall identity of a brand."
06. Add the right pages, tools and content
Whether you choose a multi-page website vs single page website, every web page serves a specific purpose. So does each piece of website content on your site.
Once you’ve started customizing the visual aspects of your site’s design, it’s time to add content that will tell visitors everything they need to know about your therapy practice. If you’re starting with a template, you’ll already have a map to guide you during this process.
Here are some of the most useful pages and web content to add to your therapy website design:
An informative homepage: this is the first encounter visitors will have with your site, and for many of them, with your practice altogether. A homepage should include informative and captivating content to introduce your business and encourage visitors to use your site.
Website navigation menu: when adding content to the navigation bar, remember that less is more. Your menu shouldn’t overwhelm visitors with too many pages and sections to choose from. Try to display the options users are most likely to need—such as your services, contact or an About Us page.
Services page: this is the place to list the types of therapy services that you provide along with details like the length of each session and costs. For visitors who are new to therapy and don’t know exactly what type they’re seeking, you should include descriptions of what each service entails and how your staff approaches their practice.
About Us page: an About Us page gives you a chance to shed more light on your practice. This page includes a professional bio, headshots and more details about your background, mission and values as a therapist. It’s also typical to add a “meet the team” section, which is a great way to introduce the therapists on your staff and what they specialize in.
Scheduling software: make life easier for your patients by adding online bookings software, providing them with tools like a calendar of availability, scheduling confirmations and payments to complete these actions from your site.
Online forms: another way your website can assist new clients is by adding online intake forms to fill out from the comfort of their own home. Remember, if you’re collecting personal health information, such as a patient’s medical history, you’ll need a HIPAA solution on your website.
Contact and location details: visitors will want to know how to reach your practice if they have questions. Putting contact details on your site is a standard web design practice, and it's an easy way to support users. On top of a business email and phone number, this section should include all of your office locations and even a Google Map with directions.
Imagery: website imagery is part of what distinguishes your practice. Although you may not know exactly where to place it yet—you can already start uploading your site’s media into the content manager.
Learn more about how to choose website images.
07. Make sure your site is mobile-friendly
Around 58% of global internet traffic comes from users on mobile devices. There’s no way around it—the success of your website depends on mobile optimization. Luckily, you don’t need to build an entirely separate mobile website. Website builders understand the importance of this trend, and employ technology to simplify the process.
When it comes to mobile website design with Wix, your content will be automatically adjusted for mobile optimization as you go. You’ll also have access to the mobile editor, so you can fine-tune the design.
At this stage, there are a few key elements you may want to look out for on your own:
Minimizing content quantity so that it fits perfectly on smaller screens.
Rearranging your visuals to fit a mobile layout.
Considering standard mobile design elements, like a hamburger menu or clickable phone number, for example. These are condensed features that are better suited for finger scrolling.
08. Pay attention to web accessibility
Web accessibility is the practice that ensures there are no barriers preventing people with disabilities from interacting with your therapy website. With one in four adults in the U.S. affected by physical, cognitive or situational disabilities, it's an incredibly important step in inclusive web design—not to mention, it's the law in many areas of the world.
Every day, we learn new things about how to make a website accessible and improve our practices for those who need them. With website builders like Wix, templates are designed with basic web accessibility features in mind to help our users. Still, here are some simple ways you can promote this practice on your own:
Including alt-text in your images
Paying attention to color contrasts
Using fonts that are easy to read
Providing transcripts on video content
09. Review and publish
You’re just about set to launch your new website like a pro. But before pressing “publish,” it’s important to do a thorough review of your site. We recommend using our website launch checklist for this step. This way, you’ll have some guidance on what tasks to attend to before, during and after your website goes live.
It's also a good idea to send a preview of your therapy website to a handful of trusted individuals who can test it out. At this point, you should look out for design glitches and grammatical errors, while gaining feedback on the user experience. Does everything load on your site? How was the website speed? Was it easy to navigate?
When you're satisfied with the results, publish your therapy website and share it with the world. Remember, website management is an ongoing process that requires you to periodically test how it looks and functions. For example, you’ll want to check in on page speed insights, update your content consistently and ensure no links or media are broken.
SEO best practices for websites for therapists
When thinking about how to make money as a therapist, your website is definitely a great way to increase your clientele and book more sessions. But creating and publishing a therapy website is just one step—in order to grow a business in the digital realm, you’ve got to bring more traffic.
There are plenty of healthcare marketing methods to increase the number of visitors to your site. One of these includes SEO. SEO is the practice of optimizing web content, using strategies that will increase your site’s potential to rank for top results on search engines like Google.
There are some minimal best practices you can implement from the start to give your site the effective SEO foundations. Here’s what we recommend:
Start with on-page SEO: identify therapy-related keywords and use them strategically throughout your site. For example, general therapy keywords like “therapy services,” “online therapy” or “couples counseling” or more service-specific and audience-specific terms, like “cognitive behavioral therapy,” “addiction therapy” or “therapy for women.”
Use relevant keywords within your site’s website headers, and implement them in descriptive sections on your web pages. Do your best to use keywords in a way that’s natural and amplifies your site’s written content.
Work on back-end SEO: with a similar keyword research strategy at hand, back-end SEO is the process of filling out your site’s metadata with optimized terms. This includes concise meta tags and descriptions on each page and adding alt-text to images. By the way, back-end SEO can also be vamped up by improving page-speed and making sure your site has an SSL certificate for security.
Focus on local SEO: there’s even more SEO potential through local search. Think about it—many future clients may find your therapy site by simply looking up “therapist near me.” To hone in on local web traffic, we recommend setting up a Google My Business Profile to improve the overall visibility of your practice. You should also add location-based keywords to web content, including terms like “counseling in [City/State] or “local mental health services.”
Start a blog or podcast: starting a blog is the perfect place to host educational tools, which are compelling ways to build supportive relationships with clients. Include topics that interest your audience, such as effects of therapy, common mental health issues or niche topics like the relationship between personal training and mental health. When you learn how to start a blog, you’ll see that it’s not only an engaging resource for visitors, but great blog SEO practice that can bring traffic to your site.
Examples of the best therapy websites
Now that you’ve learned the steps to create a therapy website design of your own, you can look through examples of therapist websites that were made using our website builder. Below, we’ve highlighted five therapy website examples for you to learn from, giving you visual inspiration and ideas for creative ways to use Wix.
01. Gavett Burch
Gavette Burch’s therapy website draws visitors in with a simple website design and a calming use of colors and imagery. Throughout the site, an encouraging written tone is used to build trust with potential clients and to highlight the values of the therapy process. We especially love the “Meet Your Therapist” section, where Burch introduces herself and her specialty as a family therapist, while including a section titled “What to look for in a therapist.”
02. Soul Care
From the team at Soul Care, this is a great example of a therapy website that uses design to build a sense of personality on their site. From the vibrant greenery in the background to the bold yellow and black color scheme, these visuals already set a tone of growth and positivity. Soul Care provides visitors with an easy-to-find bookings page, which seamlessly outlines the types of therapy they offer, including family counseling, individual therapy, couple’s counseling and child play therapy.
03. Psyche
Psyche is a network that connects patients with the right therapists, whether online or in-person. With their unique mission clearly highlighted on their website, visitors will have no trouble learning how to use their services and book a consultation. Psyche makes sure their therapy website is valuable and relevant by turning it into a hub of resources for audiences. Their site hosts a professional podcast and blog, where visitors can learn more about contemporary therapy topics.
04. The Wellness
Promising a “safe place to be heard,” The Wellness communicates their goals clearly to visitors entering their site. The calming color theme is paired with professional imagery, including headshots of their team and photographs that represent personal growth. One last take away from this example is the strategic use of CTAs. Short and catchy CTAs, like “Call Now” and “Book Online” are placed throughout the site, helping visitors kickstart communication or schedule an appointment.
05. Solitude Counseling Services
This one-page website for Solitude Counseling Services is a great design choice, serving visitors with concise details and helpful tools. The user-friendly site uses calming imagery and media, and an encouraging written tone to build trust with visitors. The thoughtful content is amplified even more through Richard’s introduction, which teaches us more about his caring approach to therapy.
Key takeaways about therapy websites
A therapy website is well worth the investment, and by following this guide with the right tools, it's possible for you to create on your own. If you’re interested in learning more about our website builder and how it can help you in this process, check out our guide, What is Wix.
How to make a therapist website FAQ
What should a therapy website include?
A therapy website should include:
Homepage: brief overview of your practice and services.
About page: your qualifications, experience and therapeutic approach.
Services pages: details about the types of therapy you offer.
Blog: educational content on mental health topics.
Contact page: phone number, email, location and a contact form.
FAQs: common questions about your practice and therapy process.