Web design for therapists and counsellors
I build websites for counselling and therapy practices that explain who each therapist is, what their credentials mean for coverage, and how to take a first, low-pressure step.
Free homepage teardown for your practice
Send me your site. I’ll record a short video on what works, what doesn’t, and what I’d change first.
How clients choose
Counselling clients are often confused by titles. Registered social worker, registered psychotherapist, Canadian certified counsellor: some are regulated licences, some are association certifications, and each can affect whether their plan pays. They also want to feel some warmth before reaching out. The site has to sort out the credentials quietly and let the people come through.
- counsellor near me
- therapist calgary
- grief counselling calgary
- affordable counselling calgary
- sliding scale therapy
- rsw therapist covered by insurance
- trauma therapist near me
- online counselling canada
What people type before they choose. Each of these deserves a clear answer somewhere on your site, usually its own page.
Pages your site needs
The pages I plan for almost every practice website, and why each one earns its place.
A bio per therapist
Credential, modalities, who they work with, and a voice that sounds like them. Fit is the whole decision.
Credentials and coverage
What designations like RSW, RCC, CCC and RP mean, which are licences and which are certifications, and that plan recognition varies.
Fees and sliding scale
Full rate, any reduced-fee spots, and how to ask for one without having to explain yourself on the phone.
Areas of focus
Grief, relationships, trauma, life transitions. Short pages in plain language, each pointing to the right therapists.
Getting started
How a first call works, what happens next and how long until a session. It turns hesitation into a booking.
In person and online
Where you meet, how virtual sessions work and which provinces each therapist can serve.
What builds trust
The signals that move someone from browsing to choosing a practice.
Credential on every bio
The designation and the body that grants it, stated once and clearly.
Warm, honest photography
Natural portraits and the actual room. Stock images of hands on knees push people away.
Inclusive language
Clear statements about who is welcome, backed by therapists who actually work with those communities.
Crisis information
A short line pointing to crisis lines, so the site never implies it can respond in an emergency.
The conversion path
Primary action: Book a free consultation call with a therapist.
Fallback: Send a short message to the intake coordinator.
Counselling clients often need a softer first step than a full session. A free 15-minute call on each bio, booked online, does most of the work. A short message option catches people who would rather be matched by someone at the practice.
Common mistakes
What I see most often when I review sites in this field.
Unexplained acronyms
A wall of RSW, MSW, RCC and EMDR means nothing to someone checking their insurance.
Clinical, cold copy
Text written for peers rather than clients reads as distant at the exact moment warmth matters.
No sign of availability
People often contact several practices and book with whoever answers first. Show who has openings.
Endless scrolling team page
Twenty bios with no filter leaves people unsure where to start, so they leave.
Features worth building
Jane App booking per therapist
Free consult and session types set up per person, so each bio books into the right calendar.
Match-me filter
Filter by concern, age group, language and in person or online, with no account or quiz required.
Reduced-fee notice
A simple toggle in the CMS to show when sliding scale spots are open or closed.
Related work
See how I approached a similar project: Tulista Park Psychology. The case study covers the brief, the build and the result.
Websites for therapists and counsellors: common questions
With a short, plain page that explains each designation your team holds and notes that coverage depends on the client’s plan. Each bio then states the credential clearly. I avoid promising coverage, since plans vary, but I give clients the words to ask their insurer. That one page saves your front desk a lot of repeated phone calls.
Yes. Show the full rate and say that reduced-fee spots exist and how to ask for one. People who need a lower rate are often the least likely to call and ask. A clear, judgment-free sentence and a simple request option respects them and keeps those spots filled.
Write them in the first person, about the client rather than the therapist’s training history. Who do you work with, what does a session with you feel like, what do you believe about change. I interview each therapist briefly and shape the bio from that, keeping credentials in a short line underneath.
A simple filter works better than a quiz. Quizzes can feel clinical and raise questions about where answers are stored. I build a light filter by concern, age group and format that runs entirely in the browser, so nothing is collected, and it leads straight to the therapists who fit.
It should be clear that the practice is not a crisis service and point to the right resources. I add a short, calm line in the footer and on the contact page with crisis line information for your region. It protects clients and makes sure no one waits on an email reply when they need help now.
Keep reading
- nick@tavro.ca
- 587-439-9994
- Calgary, Alberta