A Psychology Today listing costs $29.95 a month, and for a lot of therapists it's the single biggest source of new inquiries. It's also where I see the most wasted potential: profiles that open with a degree, list 30 specialties, and never say what a first session costs. In Thriveworks' 2025 survey, 26% of people said they'd look in an online directory when they were ready for therapy, so this is worth getting right.
Work through this list once, then come back to it every quarter.
The first sentence
The opening lines of your first box are what people see in search results, before they ever click. Treat them as the most important words on your profile.
- Open with the reader's experience, not your credentials. "You're holding it together at work and falling apart at home" beats "I'm a licensed professional counselor with 10 years of experience."
- Name a specific person and problem. The more someone recognizes themselves, the more likely they click.
- Read your opening next to the five profiles that show up beside yours in a search. Does yours stand out?
The three writing boxes
The profile's main text is split into three boxes, which Reframe's field guide lists at 640, 360 and 360 characters. Check the limits in your own dashboard, since Psychology Today changes them from time to time.
- "What can I help you with?" Describe what your ideal client is going through, in their words, and what's possible for them. No diagnosis-speak.
- "What's my approach?" Say how you work in plain language. "I'll help you notice the patterns that keep repeating" lands better than a list of modalities.
- "About me." This is where credentials, training and a bit of personality belong.
- Write in second person ("you") for the first box. It reads as a conversation instead of a résumé.
- Don't promise outcomes. "Feel better in eight sessions" is the kind of claim the ACA Code's accurate-advertising standard (C.3.a) warns against.
- Don't use client stories, quotes or composites that read as real people.
Specialties and focus
- Star your three top specialties, and make sure they match the first sentence.
- Keep the full specialties list to what you actually treat well. Reframe suggests 10 to 15; fewer is fine.
- Check every age group, participant type (individuals, couples, families, groups) and service type (in person, telehealth) you offer, and none you don't.
- Use the short notes beside specialties and therapy types to add one specific sentence each, rather than repeating the checklist.
Cost and insurance
This is the section most profiles get wrong. In the same Thriveworks survey, 95% of people said knowing their out-of-pocket cost before booking was important, and 39% only book when they know it in advance.
- Check every insurance plan you're in network with, so you appear in coverage-filtered searches.
- List your actual session fee, not just a range, if you can.
- If you're out of network, say so plainly and explain superbills in one line: "I provide superbills you can submit to your insurance for possible reimbursement."
- If you offer a sliding scale, say how many spots and who qualifies.
- Mention the Good Faith Estimate for self-pay clients.
Photo and video
- Use a clear, well-lit headshot that fills most of the frame. The photo is cropped to a circle and should be at least 400 × 400 pixels.
- Look at the camera. Smile if that's you; don't if it isn't.
- Use a plain background. No logos in place of your face.
- Record a short intro video on your phone in natural light: hello, who you help, and how to reach you. Psychology Today's stated limit is 15 seconds.
Location and availability
- Use all the ZIP codes you're allowed for each location (currently up to three) to cover the neighborhoods your clients actually come from.
- If you offer telehealth across your state, make sure that's checked so you appear outside your office ZIP codes.
- Keep your "accepting new clients" status accurate. Turning it off when you're full, and back on when you have openings, protects your reputation with people who reach out.
Credentials and ethics
- List only licenses and certifications that are current and in good standing (ACA Code C.4.a). If you're pre-licensed, list your status and your supervisor as your state requires.
- Make sure every claim on the profile matches your website and your other directory listings.
Maintenance
- Give any change six to eight weeks before judging it.
- Ask every new client how they found you, and log the source (not the person) each month.
- Review the whole profile once a quarter, and update your photo every year or two.
If you'd rather have someone rewrite your profile and the rest of your directory listings with you, that's part of Full Panel's Directory & Listings Management service. Book a free consult.