What a Broken Oven Taught Me About Finding a Therapist
When my oven broke, I did what most people do when they need help. I searched Google.
That one search ended up saving me nearly $2,000, connecting me with someone I now trust completely, and teaching me something I had not expected: the way people find a local appliance technician is not that different from the way they find a therapist.
For therapists, a Google Business Profile can play a bigger role than many realize.
If you are in private practice, that matters more than you might think.
What happened when I searched for help near me
A few months earlier, I had used an on-demand service app to get someone to look at my oven. The technician told me the motherboard was broken and the repair would cost around $2,000. I put it off. It felt like too much.
Months went by. Eventually, I decided to take one more look before giving up and buying a new oven entirely.
This time I went straight to Google.
I searched for a local appliance repair company that worked on KitchenAid ovens. Google showed me a few local businesses after the sponsored ads and AI overview, and before the regular search links.
I read what I could about each one, looked at reviews and the number of ratings. I also looked at their website to see if it was professional, rather than a site built in an hour.
Then I called all three and booked the first one that called me back.
The technician came the next day. He looked at the oven, told me everything was in good condition, and said he just had to reset the motherboard. The oven worked perfectly.
Instead of $2,000, I happily paid $200 for the labour.
Why did the second experience feel so different?
With the on-demand app, I had no way to evaluate who was coming. No reviews to read, no direct relationship, and no clear sense of whether this person had experience with my specific KitchenAid oven.
I got the first guy who responded. Whatever I paid was also being split between the technician and a percentage to the platform. Regardless of the issue, the technician and the app got paid.
With the local business I found through Google, the experience felt different before I ever picked up the phone.
I could read about other people’s experiences.
I could see how long they had been in business.
I could get a sense of whether they worked on the kind of problem I had.
I could make a decision based on what was visible.
That technician is now the first person I will call the next time I have an appliance issue. Looking at you, washing machine.
Clients search for a therapist the same way
When someone is struggling and finally decides to look for support, they often open Google and type something like:
"therapist near me"
"anxiety therapist in [city]"
“couples therapist in [city]”
"counselor for depression [city]"
Google returns a short list of local therapists and practices. They then review the names, locations, photos, descriptions, websites, and anything else that helps them determine who might be a good fit.
Then they reach out to the first few who feel clear, trustworthy, and relevant to what they need.
That quiet search is often the beginning of someone finding the care they have been looking for.
But if your practice doesn't show up clearly in that moment, or if your profile feels incomplete, outdated or difficult to understand, the right client may move on without reaching out.
Not because you are not the right fit.
Simply because they could not see enough to feel confident taking that first step.
Therapists have a different challenge with local search
In most service industries, Google reviews are one of the most visible ways to build trust online. That was part of what helped me choose an appliance technician.
But therapy is different.
For many therapists, soliciting testimonials or Google reviews can create confidentiality concerns, dual-relationship issues, or ethical complications depending on their licensing board and region.
That means therapists are navigating local search with a real constraint that most other service providers do not face. You still need trust signals. You still need clarity. You still need enough information for someone to feel safe enough to reach out.
You may not be able to rely on reviews the way a restaurant, contractor, or appliance repair company can. That is not a reason to ignore your Google Business Profile. It is a reason to be more intentional about the parts you can control.
What a Google Business Profile can do for therapy practices
A complete Google Business Profile helps potential clients find you, understand what you offer, and take that first step toward reaching out.
It is not just a listing. For many people, it is one of the first places your practice can appear.
It helps you appear in local search results.
When someone searches for a therapist in your area, Google pulls from Business Profiles to build local results in Search and Maps.
A complete, accurate profile helps Google understand who you are, where you are located or what area you serve, and what kind of support you provide. This does not guarantee visibility. Nothing does. But an incomplete or unclear profile makes it harder for Google and potential clients to understand your practice.
It builds trust before you ever speak.
A potential client may be making this decision while they feel anxious, overwhelmed, uncertain, or vulnerable. They are not just looking for any therapist. They are looking for someone who feels like a possible fit.
Your Google Business Profile can help them feel more oriented before they ever reach your website. A clear description, accurate details, professional photos, and consistent information all help create a stronger first impression.
It removes friction from reaching out.
A potential client should not have to work hard to figure out how to contact you. Your profile should make it easy to call, visit your website, check your location or service area, and understand whether you may be the right fit.
Every unclear detail creates a little more friction. And when someone is already unsure about reaching out, that friction matters.
It connects your local visibility to your website.
Your Google Business Profile and your website should work together. If someone finds you on Google and clicks through to your website, the experience should feel consistent.
The language should match. The services should be clear. The website should help them understand who you help, how you work, and what to do next.
A Google profile can help someone find you. Your website helps them decide whether they trust you enough to reach out.
What therapists can include on their Google Business Profile
Because therapist reviews are complicated, the parts you can control become even more important.
At a minimum, your profile should include:
Your correct practice name
Your accurate address or service area
Your phone number
Your website link
Your hours
Your primary service categories
A clear business description
Photos that feel professional and appropriate
Services that reflect what you actually offer
The business description is especially important. A lot of therapists either leave it too vague or write something that sounds like every other therapy profile.
The description should help someone quickly understand:
Who you work with
What concerns you support
What your approach feels like
Where you provide therapy
How to take the next step
It does not need to sound polished in a marketing-heavy way. It needs to sound clear, grounded, and true to your practice.
Where AI search fits into this
Local search is also changing. Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and other AI search tools are starting to shape how people find and compare information online.
That does not mean therapists need to chase every new trend. But it does mean your online presence needs to be easier for search tools to understand.
Clear business information matters.
Specific service pages matter.
Consistent language across your website and profiles matters.
Your Google Business Profile, website, Psychology Today profile, and other online listings should all tell a similar story about your practice.
Who you help.
Where you work.
What you offer.
What makes your approach relevant to the people searching.
The goal is to make your practice easier to understand, whether a person is reading your website directly or encountering it through search results, maps, directories, or AI-generated summaries.
When your website and Google Business Profile work together
Your Google Business Profile may be where someone first finds you, but your website is where they slow down and decide whether your practice feels like a possible fit. That means the two should not feel disconnected.
If your Google profile says one thing, your website says another, and your service pages are vague or hard to understand, it creates friction. Not dramatic friction, necessarily. Just enough uncertainty for someone to hesitate or keep looking.
At Designed By Thrive, the Google Business Profile is part of the visibility conversation when we work with therapists on their websites.
We look at how all the pieces connect:
Profile is complete and accurate
The business description clearly reflects your practice
Website supports what someone just saw in search
Services are easy to understand
Online presence feels consistent, trustworthy, and current
For therapists, visibility is not just about showing up. It’s about showing up in a way that helps the right person understand your work and feel more confident taking the next step.
That is the part we care about.
The right client may already be searching
When I needed help with my oven, I searched Google, found someone local, and made a decision based on what I could see. That one search saved me nearly $2,000 and connected me with someone I now trust.
Your potential clients are doing something similar.
They are searching.
They are reading what they can see.
They are comparing the options in front of them.
They are deciding whether they feel safe enough to reach out.
The question is whether your practice shows up in a way that helps them feel clear, safe, and ready to take that next step.
If you are not sure, that is a good place to start. Our free therapist visibility report gives you clear, practical feedback on what is working, what may be unclear, and where your website or visibility may be creating friction for potential clients.
Need help with your website or Google Business Profile? Reach out to us to request a free consultation.
Free Therapist Visibility Report
In less than 60 seconds, find out what your website is doing well, what might be holding you back, and whether your online presence is easy for potential clients, Google, and AI search tools to understand.
Questions About Google Business Profile For Therapists
Can therapists ask clients to leave Google reviews
This is an area that requires careful thought. Most professional licensing guidelines caution against soliciting reviews from current or former clients, because this can compromise confidentiality and create ethical concerns.
Before taking any action around reviews, it is worth reviewing your specific licensing board guidelines and consulting with a colleague, supervisor, lawyer, or ethics advisor.
Does a Google Business Profile help if I already have a Psychology Today listing?
Yes. A Google Business Profile and a Psychology Today listing serve different purposes.
Psychology Today functions as a directory within its own platform. A Google Business Profile helps your practice appear directly in Google Search and Google Maps when someone searches locally. Both can work together as part of a broader visibility strategy.
What information should a therapist include on their Google Business Profile?
At a minimum, your profile should include your practice name, address or service area, phone number, website link, hours, services, and a clear description of the populations and concerns you support.
A professional photo of yourself, your office, or another appropriate image can also help your profile feel more complete and trustworthy.
What is AEO, and why does it matter for therapists?
AEO stands for Answer Engine Optimization. It refers to how clearly your online content is structured for AI-generated answers, such as Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT responses, and tools like Perplexity.
As more people use AI tools to search for local services, including therapists, having a clear and consistent online presence helps make sure your practice is understood accurately.
Is Google Business Profile enough on its own?
No. A Google Business Profile can help people find you, but it should connect to a clear, thoughtful therapy website.
Your profile may create the first impression. Your website usually does the deeper work of helping someone understand your practice, your services, your approach, and whether they feel ready to reach out.
