Homepage Copy Mistakes Therapists Make (And How to Gently Fix Them)
Your homepage is often the first place a potential client lands.
They may already feel overwhelmed, anxious, or unsure about reaching out. And in just a few seconds, they’re deciding:
“Do I feel safe here?”
“Do I feel understood?”
“Can I take the next step?”
Most therapists aren’t making homepage mistakes because they don’t care.
They’re making them because writing about your own work—while holding ethics, boundaries, and care—is genuinely hard.
Let’s talk about the most common homepage copy mistakes therapists make—and how to approach them more gently.
Mistake 1: Leading With Credentials Instead of Connection
Your training matters. Your licensure matters. Your experience matters.
But when your homepage opens with:
Degrees
Modalities
Certifications
…clients may struggle to feel emotionally oriented and honestly it can be overwhelming especially if you specialize in trauma, anxiety or depression.
Before clients care how you work, they need to feel:
“This person understands what I’m going through.”
What helps instead:
Lead with language that names the felt experience your client is having—then support it with credentials further down on the page.
Mistake 2: Being So Careful That the Message Becomes Vague
Many therapists intentionally soften their language to avoid:
Making promises
Being misleading
Sounding salesy
The result? Copy that feels safe—but unclear.
Phrases like:
“Supporting growth”
“Holding space”
“Helping clients navigate life”
…are true, but they don’t help a client understand if you’re the right therapist for them.
What helps instead:
You can be ethical and specific. Naming the areas you support doesn’t mean guaranteeing outcomes—it means offering clarity.
Mistake 3: Writing About Therapy Instead of To the Client
Some homepages read more like educational essays than invitations.
They explain:
What therapy is
Why therapy helps
How therapy works
But they never directly speak to the person reading.
Clients are quietly asking:
“Is this for me?”
“Do they understand my situation?”
“Can I see myself reaching out?”
What helps instead:
Use second-person language (“you”) and reflect the client’s internal experience. Education can come later.
Mistake 4: Burying the Next Step
Many therapist websites technically include a call-to-action—but it’s often:
At the very bottom
Easy to miss
Worded so gently it fades into the background
Clients who feel nervous or unsure benefit from clear, reassuring direction.
What helps instead:
A visible, calm next step—such as “Schedule a Consultation” or “Get in Touch”—placed intentionally throughout the page.
Clarity reduces anxiety.
Mistake 5: Trying to Speak to Everyone
Therapists often worry that narrowing language will:
Exclude people
Feel unethical
Limit who reaches out
So the homepage stays broad.
But broad messaging often results in:
Fewer inquiries
More misaligned clients
Less resonance overall
What helps instead:
Speaking clearly to who you serve best doesn’t exclude others—it helps the right clients feel seen.
Mistake 6: Forgetting That the Homepage Is an Emotional Experience
Your homepage isn’t just informational—it’s emotional.
If the copy:
Feels dense
Feels cold
Feels overly clinical
Clients may intellectually understand you—but emotionally disengage.
What helps instead:
White space, gentle pacing, and copy that allows clients to breathe as they read. The structure matters just as much as the words.
A Therapist Homepage Isn’t Meant to Convince
It’s meant to:
Create safety
Offer clarity
Support a next step
A strong homepage doesn’t push.
It reassures.
And when the copy reflects the same care you bring into the room, clients can feel that.
If You’re Unsure Whether Your Homepage Is Helping or Hurting
You don’t need to overhaul everything at once.
Sometimes a small shift in language, structure, or clarity makes a big difference.
Get a free (no pressure) website audit!
Designed to help you look at your homepage (and entire site) with fresh, grounded eyes—without overwhelm.
And if you’re ready for a homepage that truly reflects your presence as a therapist, I’d be honored to help you create it. Let’s book a chat!