Summary: What This Blog Post Covers
This post explains why therapists often feel uncomfortable with marketing and how to reframe visibility from “selling yourself” to helping potential clients. It explores how reconnecting with your core purpose makes social media and content creation feel more authentic, offers three reflective prompts to decide what you want to be known for, and gives simple January content ideas for therapists planning their posts. It also answers common questions such as Why does marketing feel so uncomfortable for therapists?, How can I share my work without feeling pushy? and What should I post in January?
This blog is based on the Good Enough Counsellors podcast. If you’d like to listen to the full episode, you can find it here:
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Why Marketing Feels So Uncomfortable for Therapists
Many therapists tell me they feel exposed or awkward when they post on social media. I’ve felt it myself. In a recent session with my own therapist, I said out loud the thing many of us secretly wonder:
“Is all this social media and podcasting just me wanting attention?”
But as soon as I said it, something deeper surfaced.
I followed it with:
“The thing is … I really want to make a difference.”
That moment changed everything for me.
Because while it’s human to want acceptance and belonging, the real motivation behind sharing our work is usually much bigger. And it’s that we want to help people:
- We want clients to find the support they need
- We want to make therapy accessible and less frightening
- We want someone who is struggling to think, “Maybe I could talk to them.”
When you reconnect with that truth, marketing stops feeling like self-promotion and starts feeling like service.
Shift Your Mindset: From Selling to Helping
Therapists often get stuck because they think visibility is about “selling themselves.” But what if we saw it differently?
- Marketing isn’t shouting
- It isn’t pushing or performing
- It isn’t “look at me”
It’s simply letting people know you exist so they can get help.
When you approach visibility from that perspective, something softens. You no longer need to force yourself into trends, or pretend to be someone you’re not. You just show up as you are, rooted in the work that matters to you.
What Do You Want To Be Known For? A Key Marketing Question for Therapists
One of the most powerful questions you can ask yourself is:
“What do I want to be known for in my practice?”
This question helps you:
- Filter out the noise online about what you “should” do or say
- Clarify your message
- Align your content with your values
- Avoid comparison and trend-chasing
- Feel more authentic when you post
When you’re talking about topics you genuinely care about – things that align with your values and the work you love – content becomes easier to create. It feels “like you.” And it resonates more deeply with the clients who need your approach.
Three Reflective Prompts to Guide Your Message
If you’d like to reconnect with your purpose, here are three gentle prompts for you to explore:
1. What quality or feeling do you want people to associate with you when they land on your page?
Warmth? Calm? Clarity? Safety? Acceptance?
2. What one message would you love a potential client to take from your content?
Perhaps something like:
- “You’re not alone.”
- “You don’t have to be perfect.”
- “Change is possible.”
3. What part of your work feels most meaningful or energising right now?
This is often the key to the clients you feel most alive working with.
These prompts help you build a message that feels real and one you can sustain over time – something you can return to again and again, especially when self-doubt shows up.
How Your Purpose Shapes Your January Content
January is known for high expectations, pressure to change, and a lot of messaging about “New Year, New You.” Many people feel energised – but many feel overwhelmed.
You don’t need to plan an entire month of content. Just choose one theme that aligns with what you want to be known for.
Here are some simple, therapist-friendly January themes:
New Year Reflections (instead of resolutions)
Talk about why change is hard, how to approach it gently, or why “all-or-nothing” thinking trips people up.
January 17th is Ditch the New Year’s Resolution Day – a perfect day for a compassionate post.
Self Love Month
Create posts about boundaries, self compassion, rebuilding self-esteem, or learning to be kinder to yourself during dark winter days.
Relationships in January
Some couples struggle after Christmas, or people consider big decisions at the start of the year. You can gently explore themes of communication, reconnecting, or coping with change.
Winter Mood and Mental Health
January can feel heavy. You might talk about low mood, sleep, light exposure, Seasonal Affective Disorder, or the pressure of the darker weeks.
January 3rd is Festival of Sleep Day – a light, relatable content idea.
Parent Mental Health Day (30th January)
Ideal for therapists supporting parents, carers, parents of SEND children, or those navigating postpartum challenges.
Final Thoughts
When you choose a theme that connects with your purpose, your content becomes easier and more aligned. Come back to what matters to you.
When you create from that place, visibility feels less like “selling yourself” and more like offering help to someone who might be struggling.
And that’s the heart of good therapist marketing.
For more support in being yourself in your marketing, Therapy Growth Group offers you a clear programme to follow to explore things like your purpose, your niche and your voice. You’ll get support from Josephine and a kind community of therapists as you explore what can really make your marketing work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do therapists feel uncomfortable with marketing?
Because visibility can feel exposing, and many therapists fear their content looks self-promotional or narcissistic. Reconnecting with your deeper purpose helps ease this discomfort.
How can I share my work without feeling like I’m selling?
Shift your mindset from “selling yourself” to helping potential clients find the support they need. Focus on service, not self-promotion.
How do I decide what to be known for as a therapist?
Reflect on the qualities you want associated with your practice, the core message you want to communicate, and the work that energises you.
What should therapists post in January?
Gentle topics such as New Year reflections, self love, relationship support, winter mental health, and Parent Mental Health Day on 30th January.
How can my values guide my social media content?
When you share topics you genuinely care about, your content becomes more authentic, more sustainable, and more likely to reach the right clients.