How to Improve Your Psychology Today Profile

What Is a Psychology Today Profile?

A Psychology Today profile is your listing in the Psychology Today therapist directory. It combines a written personal statement with fields that people can filter by, such as specialties, insurance, fees, location and whether you see clients online. A profile can also include a photo, a photo gallery, a short intro video and a link to your website.

Psychology Today lists membership at US $29.95 a month, with no contract (checked November 3, 2026). Its “Verified by Psychology Today” seal means your license or primary credential has been fact-checked. It doesn’t verify every specialty you list, so the rest of your profile still needs to be accurate on its own.

How Do You Boost Your Psychology Today Profile?

Improve the parts you can control: accurate settings, clear writing and honest claims. Psychology Today’s directory terms name factors such as relevance and profile completeness, and its About page describes rotating listings. These broad explanations don’t guarantee that an edit will move you higher. Start with your settings, then rewrite the statement and check every claim.

Your Profile Improvement Walkthrough

This walkthrough follows one made-up therapist: a licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC) in Ohio. They help adults with anxiety and burnout, using CBT and ACT. They see clients in person in Columbus, and online for clients located in Ohio during the session. They charge $130 a session and don’t accept insurance, but can give clients an itemized receipt to submit to their insurer. They have two evening openings.

Profile part	What to check	Before	After
Opening line	Does it speak to the client’s problem in plain words?	“I am a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with over 10 years of experience.”	“Are you always on edge, even when work is done for the day?”
Who you help	Does it name the people and concerns you actually work with?	“I work with a wide range of clients and issues.”	“I work with adults whose anxiety or burnout is making work and sleep harder.”
How sessions work	Does it explain your approach without jargon?	“I utilize an integrative, evidence-based approach including CBT and ACT.”	“Together we’ll notice the thoughts that keep you stuck and practice small, practical steps between sessions. I draw on CBT and ACT.”
Next step	Is the next step clear and low-pressure?	“Contact me today to begin your healing journey!”	“If this sounds like a fit, call or email me to ask a question or book a first session.”
Top specialties	Are they the few areas you most want to be found for?	Anxiety, depression, trauma, relationships, grief	Anxiety and stress
Issues and therapy types	Is every item something you’re trained and willing to treat?	Every box that seemed close	Issues: anxiety and stress. Therapy types: cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
Client focus	Do ages and participants match your services?	Children, teens, adults, couples, families	Adults (individuals)
Fees and insurance	Are they exact?	“Sliding scale available, most insurance accepted”	“$130 per 50-minute individual session. I don’t accept insurance. I can provide an itemized receipt, called a superbill, for you to submit to your insurer. Reimbursement depends on your plan.”
Location and online	Do they match where you’re licensed and actually work?	Online, nationwide	In person in Columbus; online for clients located in Ohio during the session
Availability	Is it current?	Accepting new clients (set two years ago)	Two evening openings, updated this month

The first four rows cover parts of your personal statement. The remaining rows cover profile details and settings. Use the labels and choices shown in your own editor. These are made-up examples written for this guide, not copied from real profiles. Check the current character limit shown in each field of your profile editor before you paste in your text. Change each row to match your own practice.

Improving Your Psychology Today Profile in Three Steps and Seven Tasks

Step 1: Get your profile settings right
Check location, online and availability settings: your listed service areas match where you can offer care.
Choose specialties, issues and therapy types honestly: your filters match your real training.
State fees and insurance clearly: people can tell if they can afford you before they reach out.
Step 2: Rewrite your statement for the client
Rewrite the opening: the right reader feels understood in the first line.
Explain how you help: readers can picture a session with you.
End with a clear next step: readers know exactly how to contact you.
Step 3: Check and keep it current
Check your claims, photo and details: everything is accurate and consistent.

Step 1: Get Your Profile Settings Right

People filter Psychology Today by location, issue, insurance and more. If your settings are wrong, the right people may never see your statement.

1. Check Location, Online and Availability Settings

Start with the facts that decide who sees your profile:

Office location: use the office where you actually see clients. Don’t list an address you don’t work from just to appear in another area.
Additional locations: add another office only if you really see clients there.
Online sessions: list only the places where you’re authorized to provide care. Check where the client will be located during each session, and follow the rules that apply to your profession. Turning on online sessions doesn’t expand that permission.
Availability: keep your status current. If you have a waitlist, say so. If only evenings are open, say that in your statement.

Fix any setting that doesn’t match how you work today.

2. Choose Specialties, Issues and Therapy Types Honestly

It’s tempting to tick every box. But a long list makes it harder for a reader to see what you focus on, and it can bring inquiries you can’t help with.

Top specialties: pick the few areas you most want to be found for, and that you’re trained in.
Issues (shown as Expertise on public profiles): list concerns you’re trained and willing to treat, not every one that seems close.
Types of therapy: list methods you actually use competently. Attending a workshop alone doesn’t show that you’re competent to use a method with clients.
Client focus: choose the ages and participants you actually see, such as adults, couples or teens.

Your ethics code backs this up. APA Standard 5.01 names directory listings directly: psychologists must not make false or deceptive statements about their training, credentials, services or fees. AAMFT 9.5 says therapists should claim a specialty only after taking reasonable steps to make sure they’re competent in it. The ACA and NASW codes also require you to describe your qualifications accurately.

Remove any specialty or method that falls outside your training and competence.

3. State Fees and Insurance Clearly

Make cost easy to find:

Give your fee for each kind of session, such as individual or couples.
List only the insurance plans you’re in-network with.
If you provide superbills, explain that clients can submit these itemized receipts to their insurer. Don’t promise reimbursement.
If you offer a sliding scale, say who it’s for or how to ask about it.

A fee on your profile isn’t the same as a Good Faith Estimate. Under the No Surprises Act, clients who aren’t using insurance can usually get an estimate of expected charges when they ask for one or book at least three business days ahead.

Check that your fee and insurance details match your website.

Step 2: Rewrite Your Statement for the Client

Your personal statement is where a reader decides whether to contact you. Write it for them, not for other professionals.

4. Rewrite the Opening

Your first line should help the right person recognize themselves.

Before	After
“I am a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with over 10 years of experience.”	“Are you always on edge, even when work is done for the day?”
“Welcome! I’m so glad you’re here.”	“Burnout can make it hard to rest, focus or enjoy the things you used to.”

The “before” lines are true, but they’re about the therapist. The “after” lines are about what the reader is going through. Your credentials still matter, and they belong later in the statement and in the credentials field.

Avoid alarming language or promises in the opening, such as “anxiety will only get worse without help.” It can pressure people, and it may not be accurate.

Read your first line and ask: would my ideal client think “that’s me”?

5. Explain How You Help

Next, help the reader picture working with you. Cover:

Who you help: the people and concerns you focus on.
What sessions are like: how you work together, in everyday words.
Your approach: name the methods you use, then explain them simply.
What you hope they’ll get from it: realistic goals, not guaranteed results.

Before	After
“I utilize an integrative, evidence-based approach including CBT and ACT.”	“Together we’ll notice the thoughts that keep you stuck and practice small, practical steps between sessions. I draw on CBT and ACT.”
“I will help you achieve lasting peace and happiness.”	“Many clients come to me hoping to sleep better and feel less on edge at work. We’ll set goals that matter to you.”

Your ethics code limits what you can say about results. Describe what you offer, not an outcome you can’t promise.

Cut any sentence a client wouldn’t understand without a psychology degree.

6. End with a Clear Next Step

Tell the reader exactly what to do, and keep it low-pressure:

Before	After
“Contact me today to begin your healing journey!”	“If this sounds like a fit, call or email me to ask a question or book a first session.”

Only offer a free consultation if you actually provide one. Make sure the phone number and email on your profile reach you, and that someone replies quickly.

Check that your contact details work by sending yourself a test message.

Every practice’s specialties, fees and openings are different. If you’d like a second pair of eyes on your profile, we’re happy to look at it with you. It’s a free conversation, with no obligation.Let’s Look at Your Profile

Step 3: Check and Keep It Current

A profile that was accurate last year may not be today.

7. Check Your Claims, Photo and Details

Before you save, check:

Claims: every specialty, method and credential is true and current.
Photo: a clear, recent photo of you. Preview how it’s cropped in the editor.
Video: if you add one, keep it short and simple. In a 2020 article, Psychology Today invited therapists to upload intro videos of 15 seconds or less. Check the current limit in your editor.
Endorsements: Psychology Today profiles can show endorsements from other professionals. These are different from client testimonials. The ACA, APA, NASW and AAMFT codes restrict asking current clients, or others vulnerable to undue influence, for testimonials. ACA also includes former clients in this restriction.
Website match: your fees, insurance, location and openings are the same on your profile and your website.

Psychology Today shows members statistics such as profile views and contacts. Views and contacts aren’t bookings. Keep your own simple count of inquiries and first sessions so you can see what changes after an edit. Our guide to getting more therapy clients explains how to track inquiries through to first sessions.

Set a reminder to review your profile whenever your fees, insurance or openings change.

Psychology Today Profile: What to Check

When your profile isn’t working as you hoped, start here:

What you see	Look at	First check
Few profile views	Your settings	Are your location, online settings and issues correct?
Views, but few contacts	Your opening and fees	Does the first line speak to your ideal client, and are fees clear?
Inquiries you can’t help with	Your specialties and client focus	Have you ticked areas or ages you don’t work with?
People ask about insurance you don’t take	Your insurance list	Are only in-network plans listed?
Clients ask about times you don’t have	Your availability	Is your status and statement up to date?
Your profile reads like a resume	Your statement	Is the first paragraph about the client or about you?

For broader ways to reach clients beyond directories, see our therapy marketing ideas.

Want a Second Opinion on Your Psychology Today Profile?

If it would help to talk it through, we’re happy to read your profile and suggest where we would start, or help you rewrite it.

Book a Free Call

Psychology Today Profile: Common Questions

Can I boost my profile on Psychology Today?

You can improve your profile, but an edit doesn’t guarantee a higher position. Check your service details, explain who you help and make the next step clear. Compare the views and contacts in your account with your own inquiry records. Avoid judging an edit from one search or one quiet week.

What makes a good Psychology Today profile?

Ask someone who doesn’t know your practice to read it. Can they tell who you help, what sessions involve, what you charge and how to contact you? Check those answers against your current services. A friendly opening helps, but clear, accurate details let the reader decide whether to get in touch.

How long should my Psychology Today statement be?

Long enough to cover who you help, how you work and how to contact you. Use the current character counter in each field of your profile editor, rather than relying on a third-party guide. Short paragraphs and plain words are easier to read on a phone than one long block of text.

What does the verified seal on Psychology Today mean?

It means Psychology Today has fact-checked your license or primary credential. Psychology Today says it re-verifies when a license is renewed or updated. The seal doesn’t confirm every specialty you list or promise clinical results, so your profile still needs to describe your training and services accurately.

Can I ask clients for testimonials on my profile?

Generally no. The ACA, APA, NASW and AAMFT codes restrict asking current clients, or others vulnerable to undue influence, for testimonials, and the ACA code also covers former clients. Psychology Today profiles can show endorsements from other professionals instead. Make sure any endorsement is genuine and accurate.

Sources

Checked November 3, 2026. Psychology Today’s detailed help pages require a member login, so check field limits in your own profile editor. This page is general information, not legal or ethics advice.