The Grow Therapy Marketplace is expanding rapidly, so having a standout profile is more important than ever. This guide provides tips on creating a successful profile to help you attract new clients in the marketplace. In this guide, you'll find:
How to optimize your profile information
How to create and choose a high-quality profile photo
The answers to FAQs concerning profile management
Each section of this guide corresponds to the most relevant step in the Provider onboarding flow when you create a profile and portal for the first time. However, you can apply the best practices, tips, and inspiration to your profile at any time by navigating to the Profile section of your portal settings.
Basic Information
This information determines what clients will see when booking an appointment on the Grow Therapy marketplace. You can also choose what action items they will be asked to complete, such as intake forms, before your first meeting with each other.
Treatment and Specialties
Treatment options
Sharing your most frequently used treatment modalities is a critical way to help connect you with your dream clients. Although many clients still aren't familiar with the various acronyms for therapies, consumers are becoming more savvy about treatment options. Carefully consider your target clients and determine how much detail is likely needed for that audience. When in doubt, expand any acronyms to their full length and provide some background concerning the certification or qualifications value.
Checkout the example selection and description below:
Treatment Method: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Description: I’ve been using CBT in my practice for the past five years. It’s helped dozens of clients challenge reoccurring thoughts and manage their anxiety. We’ll use CBT to recognize how your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors influence each other. We’ll then use that knowledge to change your thinking patterns, which will help you lead a less anxious and stressed life.
Specialty options
Grow Therapy lets you choose 3 top specialties. Take your time deciding which specialties most align with the needs of your dream clients, as these selections will factor heavily into the search results of potential clients on the marketplace. Essentially, these three specialties determine your niche and should reflect what you feel most confident and skilled in treating.
Checkout the example selection and description below:
Top Specialty: Anxiety
Description: We all experience anxiety in some form or another, but it needs to be addressed when it starts to get in the way of our happiness or productivity. I’ve been treating Anxiety for over five years, mainly using CBT. We’ll focus on what triggers your anxious thoughts and the false stories your mind tells you. Then, we’ll create a concrete plan that includes evidence-based techniques and work through it together until your anxiety is manageable.
Up to ten optional specialties can also be selected; however, these will not factor as heavily into search results and will not be as prominently featured on your profile.
Dream Clients
If the "Dream Client" prompts are giving you pause, consider the following themes and examples to get your ideas flowing.
Themes to consider
Your client is the star: Put the focus on your prospective clients and what they're going through that's leading them to seek therapy. Avoid mentioning specific qualifications or preferred modalities unless necessary. Technical jargon is a quick way to turn off prospective clients. More often than not, a client's sole focus is whether you can help them feel better as fast as possible.
Focus your message: When in doubt, focus on one type of client and their specific needs. A common struggle among providers is trying to be "all things to all people." You have limited space on your profile and even more limited time to capture a prospective client's attention while they are searching for a match.
Be specific: Use details that your dream client finds relatable. Avoid broad generalities like how stressful modern life is and focus on things that will spark recognition in your prospective clients – such as dealing with the debilitating discomfort of being in a group or the persistent, but never realized, hope that their next cup of coffee will finally give them the energy they need.
Demonstrate value: When you tie client challenges to the strengths of your work, you help them envision how care with you benefits them.
Call clients to action: Provide a clear call to action where appropriate. A CTA lets prospective clients know what to do while reiterating how you can help them. For example, "When you're ready to leave the stress and discomfort you are feeling behind, I'm prepared to help you. Schedule our first session and get you on the road to feeling better today.
Helpful exercise
The "Dream Client" prompts are segmented into multiple short questions, but sometimes, it is easier to create a more holistic answer and extract the answers from there. This process is often called Storyboarding and revolves around three primary components: (1) Acknowledge your clients, (2) Discuss how you can help, and (3) Wrap it up with a call to action. Some examples are shown below:
Anxiety, Depression, and Self-Care
Welcome! I'm {insert provider name}.
Take a moment to acknowledge you've taken the first step towards bettering your mental health because, let's be honest - starting therapy can be empowering, confusing, or scary, all at the same time.
I strive to create a safe and welcoming environment that allows clients to explore obstacles with concerns related to anxiety, depression, and/or self-care. I focus on helping clients develop assertive communication & boundaries with themselves and those around them that can help improve their quality of life.
Counseling can foster personal development in whatever way you may be seeking and help build the life you so deeply deserve. If that's what you're looking for, I'm here when you're ready to share.
Relationship Counseling
Have you been feeling uneasy around your partner? Do you feel like you're constantly on edge and moments from an argument? This situation is common for new couples, especially after significant life changes such as getting a place together or getting married. Unfortunately, many people learn to avoid all conflicts in their relationships instead of dealing with them. This avoidance can lead to resentment between partners, which can cause more frequent fighting and lead to long-term problems.
Together, I work with couples to create a safe and welcoming environment that allows clients to explore obstacles and concerns related to their relationships. We'll work through your patterns, and I'll help you and your partner grow together via new communication methods. Couples who engage with and complete this process emerge from the other side, feeling closer and seeing each other differently.
If you are done struggling with negative patterns, high conflict, and grief and are ready to move toward the rewarding parts of being together as a couple, contact me today, and we'll start your journey together!
Set expectations
Communicating your expectations as a partner in the client's care can help your clients better understand your goals and empower you to work toward them more effectively together. With those expectations outlined from the beginning, you can avoid miscommunication and low client engagement. One of the most crucial instances of expectation setting concerns your first session. Check out an example below:
Together, we will identify your challenges and goals - where you want your life to be a month, six months, a year from now. Then, we'll identify options and strategies you can use to get there. You'll leave the session with a better understanding of what you're facing with an "actions I can take right now" approach. There will always be room for suggestions concerning our work together, including keeping each other accountable.
Profile Photo
Best Practices
After reviewing a large segment of Grow Therapy's provider network, the most successful providers tended to consider the following when capturing their headshot:
Proper lighting 💡
Proper lighting 💡
Data shows lighter photos result in more positive impressions than darker ones. Aim for diffused light, which naturally happens in the morning or early evening just before sunset, also known as the "golden hour." Alternatively, you can replicate diffused light by placing a translucent screen, sheet, or filter between a light source and the subject so you diffuse the rays of hard light to create softer lighting.
Contrasting colors 🎨
Contrasting colors 🎨
Find a color that contrasts nicely with your skin tone and hair color. Ideally, keep your clothing simple, but you can also find something that shows your personality. Play around with different tops, and even some with/without your glasses. It's always good to have options.
No selfies 🤳
No selfies 🤳
Your photo should look professional and high quality; a selfie can look unprofessional. If you're doing it yourself, consider a tripod. If you have the option, it's worth considering hiring a professional photographer.
Clean background 🖼️
Clean background 🖼️
Find a clean, simple background that isn't distracting and doesn't blend with your clothing.
Review other headshots 👀
Review other headshots 👀
Spend a few minutes scrolling through the Grow Therapy Marketplace or Psychology Today and consider your reactions: What makes a good headshot? What photos resonate with me and why? What poses and styles do I prefer?
Applying these best practices to your headshot should result in a profile photo like the example below.
Taking the photo
If you plan to take your picture inside, consider using natural light from a window to create a warmer, more natural final look. An eye-level photo taken from a short distance away is preferred - consider using a tripod or asking a friend to help.
Example profile photos
Here are some profile photos that meet Grow Therapy's best practices:
Calendar
Syncing your preferred calendar with Grow Therapy ensures that sessions booked via Grow Therapy and events created in your calendar do not conflict. The calendar services that are compatible with your Grow Therapy portal are Google, iCloud, Office 365, Exchange, and Outlook.com.
Additional information on managing your synced calendar is available below:
Video Conferencing
Grow Therapy provides its providers with its own telehealth tool, Grow Telehealth. This tool provides secure, HIPAA-compliant video communication for your sessions with clients. It works on all major desktop and mobile browsers, and no download or installation is required. Additional information on Grow Telehealth is available here.
Scheduling
In Grow Therapy, you can indicate your availability so that existing and prospective clients can request convenient appointments that align with your preferred workflow and schedule. The most successful Grow Therapy providers are available to clients at least three days a week for 10+ hours of total session time. Additional information on managing your schedule is available here: Manage your availability
Frequently Ask Questions (FAQ)
How often should I review my profile?
You should review your profile and update it every 2-3 months. Beyond ensuring accuracy, consistent updates are also a great way to test what aspects of your profile attract clients to your practice, such as different profile pictures or reworked bios.
Note: If you are testing the effectiveness of significant profile changes, consider making as few changes as necessary. Attempting to test multiple elements at once often yields unclear results. With unreliable results, you won't know which change impacted potential client behavior most.
You should also find a trusted peer editor to proofread your profile. A fresh set of eyes helps catch typos or grammatical errors. Investing the time and energy to ensure your profile is well-written and professional is often the difference between a booked appointment or a client scrolling past your profile.
Is there anyone available to help me with my profile?
You can upload your new photo directly into your profile here. If you want a second opinion, feel free to contact Support with some options, and the team will be happy to help you pick the one that meets or exceeds our recommendations.
Additionally, consider asking for the opinions of fellow Grow Therapy providers in the Attracting Clients area of the Provider Community.