A lot of therapists avoid marketing because they're afraid of getting it wrong. That's understandable: the rules are scattered across an ethics code, HIPAA, platform policies and your state board. But most of what the ACA Code asks comes down to a few ideas: be accurate, don't exploit anyone, protect confidentiality, and keep your professional and personal lives separate. Inside those lines there's plenty of room to market your practice well.
This post is based on the 2014 ACA Code of Ethics, which remains in force until the revised code is formally adopted. ACA has been finalizing a revision during 2026, and the draft adds language that applies accurate-advertising rules to social media, digital marketing and AI-generated ads (ACA's Manifold page). If you're a psychologist, social worker or MFT, your own code (APA, NASW, AAMFT) has similar rules, and your state board's rules can be stricter than any of them. This isn't legal advice.
Be accurate about who you are and what you do
C.3.a, Accurate Advertising. Your credentials and services have to be presented in a way that isn't "false, misleading, deceptive, or fraudulent."
C.4.a, Accurate Representation. Claim only the qualifications you've actually completed.
In practice:
- List only current, active licenses and certifications. If you're pre-licensed, say so and follow your state's rules about naming your supervisor.
- Don't call a training you took a "certification" unless it is one.
- Don't imply doctoral-level training with a master's degree, or use "Dr." in a counseling context if your doctorate isn't in counseling or a related field.
- Don't promise outcomes. "Feel like yourself again in 8 weeks" is a guarantee you can't keep. "I help people feel less stuck" is fine.
- Keep your website, directory profiles and social bios consistent. An old "accepting new clients" note or an outdated specialty counts as inaccurate, too.
Don't ask clients to vouch for you
C.3.b, Testimonials. Counselors "who use testimonials do not solicit them from current clients, former clients, or any other persons who may be vulnerable to undue influence."
This is the rule that trips people up most, so to be very clear:
- Asking a client, current or former, to leave a Google review is soliciting a testimonial, even if you say it's optional.
- Putting a review a client left on their own onto your website counts as using it in your marketing. Most practices simply don't.
- Testimonials from colleagues, referral partners or people who attended a public workshop you gave are generally a different matter, as long as they're accurate.
If a client does leave a review, don't confirm or deny that they're a client in your reply. Under HIPAA, saying "I'm glad our sessions helped" is a disclosure, even if they named you first. A short, general reply works: "Thank you for taking the time to share this. Privacy rules mean I can't respond to specifics online." Or don't reply at all.
C.3.c, Statements by Others. You're also expected to make reasonable efforts to keep what others say about you accurate. If a directory or a colleague describes you wrongly, ask them to fix it.
Don't pay for referrals, and don't poach
A.10.b, Unacceptable Business Practices. Counselors "do not participate in fee splitting, nor do they give or receive commissions, rebates, or any other form of remuneration when referring clients."
- No paying a colleague or a doctor's office per client sent. No gift cards for referrals.
- Bringing lunch to an office where you're giving a short educational talk is common practice; anything tied to the number of referrals isn't.
- If you take insurance, federal anti-kickback rules may also apply to anything of value exchanged for referrals of insured patients.
C.3.d, Recruiting Through Employment. Don't use your job at an agency or group practice to recruit clients into your private practice. If you're leaving a group to go solo, follow your employer's policies and your informed-consent agreements about who clients continue with.
Keep social media professional and confidential
H.6.a. Keep separate professional and personal profiles.
H.6.b. Explain your social media policy to clients as part of informed consent, including whether you'll connect with them online (you shouldn't).
A.5.e. Personal virtual relationships with current clients are prohibited. Don't follow, friend or message clients from your personal accounts.
H.6.d. Take precautions so nothing confidential is disclosed through public social media.
In practice:
- Share general education, not individual advice. If someone describes their situation in the comments, invite them to reach out privately or book a consult.
- No client stories or "a client once told me," even disguised. If you use an example, make it clearly fictional and written from scratch.
- Don't film or photograph anywhere a client could appear.
- Put crisis information in your bio: "Not monitored for emergencies. If you're in crisis, call or text 988."
The privacy side most therapists miss
The ACA Code doesn't mention tracking pixels, but confidentiality does. For a therapy practice, the fact that someone visited your "anxiety therapy" page or booked a consult can itself be sensitive health information. Federal regulators have acted against mental health companies for sharing that kind of data with ad platforms.
- Don't put ad-platform tracking (Meta Pixel, Google Ads conversion tags, session-replay tools) on your therapy website.
- Keep your public contact form to name, contact details and best time to reach you. No symptoms or diagnoses.
- Use email, scheduling and intake tools that will sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA).
- Never retarget site visitors with therapy ads around the web.
What's clearly fine
With all those rules, it's easy to forget how much is allowed:
- A clear, warm website that says who you help, how, and what it costs.
- Directory profiles, a Google Business Profile, and accurate insurance listings.
- Building relationships with physicians and other providers, and closing the loop with a client's written consent.
- Blog posts, newsletters, podcasts, workshops and community talks.
- Search ads that target what people search for, like "couples therapist in Media, PA."
- Being yourself. Your voice and your values are what help the right clients find you.
Ethical marketing isn't a watered-down version of marketing. It's marketing that respects the people you're trying to reach, which is the only kind that works for a therapist anyway.
Every Full Panel engagement is built around these rules, so you never have to choose between growing your practice and protecting your license. Book a free consult.
Sources: ACA Code of Ethics (2014) · ACA Code of Ethics revision, Section C (ACA Manifold) · Therapy Council on the 2026 revision timeline