If you’ve been showing up, doing “all the things,” and still not getting the inquiries or caseload you want, you’re not alone. Lately, I’ve heard so many therapists wondering if clients are even out there anymore—or if no one is willing to pay for therapy at all. I get it. This year’s shifts in the economy, politics, and culture have made clients more discerning, intentional, and cautious. But here’s the truth: they are still looking, and they are still investing in therapy—sometimes at higher rates than you might think.

In this episode, we’ll bust the myth that “no one is paying for therapy” and uncover where your ideal clients are actually spending their time—both online and in person. I’ll share creative, specific strategies to help you meet them where they already are and make sure your website is ready to turn their interest into action.

Whether you’re ready to try new visibility tactics, refine your website, or finally connect with local referral partners, this conversation will help you see the opportunities you might be overlooking—and give you a concrete step to take this week.

Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:

1️⃣ Why clients are more intentional now—and how that creates more opportunity for the right-fit therapist.

2️⃣ Creative places to connect with potential clients, from Reddit threads to local Facebook groups to unexpected in-person networks.

3️⃣ The make-or-break role your website plays in turning interest into actual bookings (and how to make sure it’s doing its job).

Resources & Links Mentioned:

• Confident Copy waitlist: walkerstrategyco.com/waitlist 
• The Walker Strategy Co website: walkerstrategyco.com

Connect + Subscribe

Enjoying the podcast? Subscribe so you never miss an episode—and feel free to share it with a fellow therapist who’s building their private practice.

Explore more marketing support for therapists: The Walker Strategy Co website

About Marketing Therapy

Marketing Therapy is the podcast where therapists learn how to market their private practices without burnout, self-doubt, or sleazy tactics. Hosted by marketing coach, strategist, and founder of Walker Strategy Co, each episode brings you clear, grounded advice to help you attract the right-fit, full-fee clients and grow a practice you feel proud of.

Hey there.

2

Welcome back to Marketing

Therapy episode 22.

3

Today we're gonna talk about this common

question that I am, that I'm hearing.

4

Anna, where are all the clients?

5

It's something I'm hearing some

version of a lot things like no

6

one's paying for therapy anymore,

or why aren't clients booking?

7

Or no one's calling, now.

8

Hear me?

9

I get it.

10

I really, really do.

11

2025 has been really, really interesting

and we've seen a lot of things shift,

12

and I know that when you're showing

up and doing the things, but still not

13

getting the inquiries, the referrals,

the clients, the caseload that you want,

14

it's really easy to start believing that

the clients simply aren't there at all.

15

That the market is just too saturated,

that no one is paying full fee, that

16

you somehow missed the window, that

all those other clinicians who are

17

getting full fee clients somehow got.

18

But here's the thing, I have evidence,

mounds of evidence that clients are

19

still looking, they are still investing.

20

They are still out there.

21

They just might not be

looking in the places.

22

Or in the ways that you expect

in the places or in the ways that

23

they used to, and they might not be

reaching out until they feel really

24

seen, really safe, really confident

that you are the right fit for them.

25

So that's what we're gonna

be talking about today.

26

In this episode, I wanna help

you figure out where your ideal

27

clients are actually spending their

time, both online and in person.

28

Get creative about how to show up

in those spaces, the ones where

29

they're already turning for support.

30

And finally, to make sure that when they

find you, you're ready for them to land

31

and linger and then take action with you

because visibility alone isn't enough.

32

In this market as I prepared for this

episode, the key theme that I have

33

seen in right now, the clinicians who

are most successful, is specificity,

34

specificity and connection.

35

Alright, so let's dive into this.

36

I wanna start by getting really clear

about this myth this elephant in the room.

37

Clients are still paying for therapy.

38

Full fee therapy, high

fee, premium fee therapy.

39

And I actually feel more confident

saying that now at this point in

40

2025 than I did even six months ago.

41

In the last few months alone, I've worked

with clinicians who are fully booked at

42

1 75 a session, filling their caseload at

200, charging two 50, and still getting

43

inquiries and even one who's, uh, extended

her sessions now offering 80 minute

44

sessions for 5 85 and is booking them.

45

Okay?

46

These are not outliers.

47

They are not anomalies.

48

These are therapists who have done

the work to get clear, to get visible,

49

and to build a practice that reflects

both their values and their value.

50

Okay.

51

Both of those things.

52

So yes, clients are still paying,

but the way that they're choosing a

53

therapist, that's what has changed.

54

The criteria that therapists

have to meet in order to be

55

chosen right now is different.

56

Absolutely.

57

The economy impacts how people make

decisions, the political climate, all

58

those things are factoring in, and

at the end of the day, what we see

59

is that clients are making decisions

about therapy differently than

60

they did 1, 3, 5, 7, 10 years ago.

61

Today, they are more cautious.

62

They're more intentional.

63

They're really taking their time

and doing their research because

64

they're realizing that they can find a

therapist who actually feels aligned.

65

Who feels like exactly the right

fit, not just a therapist, but the

66

right therapist, which means that

the bar for you, my friend, is

67

higher, but so is the opportunity.

68

Now, here's the real reason.

69

I think this myth about therapy

being unaffordable has taken root.

70

It's comforting, okay?

71

It gives you a reason not to put yourself

out there because if no one is paying.

72

Then your lack of clients isn't about

your marketing or your strategy, it's

73

just the market, and that feels safer.

74

I recognize that's a little tough, love

sounding, but holding onto the belief

75

that there are no clients out there, or

no one's paying for therapy is costing

76

you actual opportunities to connect

with people who are looking right now

77

as we speak and who are ready to invest.

78

So let's talk about

where those people are.

79

We're gonna break this down

into online and in person.

80

So online, of course, we

have our obvious ones, right?

81

We've got Google, we got site

today, we've got your own website,

82

especially if it's SEO Friendly.

83

But there's some spots that

many therapists are overlooking

84

that present some opportunity.

85

Reddit is a big one.

86

I've heard multiple clients say

they found threads where people were

87

openly discussing mental health.

88

I mean, there are countless

subreddits on that, but they ask

89

for advice and they even look for

referrals right there on Reddit.

90

Some therapists even do a low stakes a MA.

91

It's called Ask Me Anything in relevant

subreddits like trauma or OCD or sex

92

therapy and get traffic that way.

93

But even if you're not posting there,

just reading these threads can teach you

94

how your ideal client is talking about

their pain in their own words right now.

95

And that alone can influence

your copy and your marketing

96

and the decisions that you make.

97

Facebook groups are still

incredibly powerful too.

98

You know , when we look at.

99

This strategy in particular using

client facing Facebook groups.

100

A great example would be a moms

group, uh, like a local moms group.

101

The results are pretty crazy.

102

So niche specific groups, local parenting

groups, huge, you know, neurodivergent

103

support groups, LGBTQIA plus communities.

104

These aren't just social groups,

they are referral networks.

105

Imagine a mom typing.

106

Does anyone know A good

couple's therapist?

107

My husband and I feel like roommates.

108

If your past client tags you, or if

someone remembers a post you made

109

a month ago, maybe you respond,

and then three months later,

110

someone finds that post, right?

111

That's how visibility works.

112

We also know that people are looking

to short form content for emotional

113

support in ways they never did.

114

Uh, so YouTube comments, right?

115

TikTok.

116

Substack newsletters, people are

spending time around therapy because

117

it's been so de-stigmatized, even

if they're not ready to inquire yet.

118

But that's still an opportunity to

be findable, to be relevant, to be

119

helpful, and to communicate your value.

120

So they're absolutely still Googling,

but your clients are also scrolling

121

and reading and asking, and commenting.

122

So there's opportunity here to show

up with relevance and with resonance.

123

Not just throw more content into the void.

124

Now, please hear me.

125

In this episode, I'm giving you some

examples, some creative ways you could

126

think about getting out there and

getting visible in front of the clients

127

who are still looking for therapy.

128

But it's certainly not required

that you do all of these.

129

Okay.

130

What I'm trying to do is give you a

menu to give you, uh, maybe some, some

131

ideas you haven't considered before,

132

and get your gears turning in a new way

out of the rigid, black and white, really

133

limited view of marketing you might have

considered in the past because again, the

134

therapists who I'm seeing be successful

are also being somewhat creative.

135

They recognize that their

marketing is gonna be a little

136

bit more boots on the ground.

137

They're gonna have to

be a little bit scrappy.

138

We've talked about that in past episodes.

139

It's right.

140

So please know that as I'm going through

this list that this isn't, oh, go

141

do every single one of these things.

142

But instead, what?

143

What's out there that you haven't

thought of yet that makes sense for you?

144

What could you try?

145

So now let's talk about

in-person visibility.

146

And I know that many of the

clinicians I support identify as

147

introverts, and they might find

the idea of in-person networking.

148

A little bit scary, but there are so

many people in your client's life.

149

That here.

150

I think I might wanna go see a

therapist before a therapist does.

151

Okay, I'm talking obs, doulas,

pediatricians, massage therapists,

152

chiropractors, acupuncturists, spiritual

directors, functional medicine doctors.

153

Alright.

154

These are all people who are

in the room when someone starts

155

expressing distress or pain.

156

Overwhelm, burnout, loss.

157

And the thing is, many of those

people, those professionals, they want

158

a go-to therapist they can refer to.

159

They want to be able to say to that

person, here's someone I trust the most.

160

Effective in-person marketing

doesn't usually come from handing

161

out flyers to strangers, although

sometimes that does work.

162

It comes from simply looking more closely

at the people already in your world.

163

Aw.

164

Who do you already trust with your health?

165

Who do you see regularly who might

also be seeing your ideal clients?

166

Now, we're gonna go deeper on

this in the next section, but for

167

now, know that you don't have to

go knocking on random doors here.

168

You could start with the people you

already know or would be open to knowing

169

you, because again, it's not about being

visible everywhere, but it is about

170

being findable in the right places.

171

So how do we get these clients' attention?

172

Because showing up in the right

places, that matters first, right?

173

We gotta have that, but then it's

only going to turn into something

174

meaningful if we're showing up in

a way that's really resonating.

175

And that's where I think a lot

of therapists often get stuck

176

or second guess themselves.

177

They start to market their practice

with all the best intentions, right?

178

Showing up online or mentioning

it in a conversation, but.

179

It doesn't really do much, and that's

usually because they're too general or

180

too cautious or too far removed sometimes

from the client's actual experience.

181

So to give some color to this,

I want to tell you a story

182

that really stuck with me.

183

Now every time I go to the obs office, if

you are a woman, you probably know this,

184

you're often asked to go use the restroom.

185

And every time I go into that restroom,

there's a small bulletin board inside

186

and there's a sign, a flyer on it,

and it says, if you've experienced

187

a loss today, we are so sorry.

188

And if you need support,

we're here for you.

189

And right below that is the contact

info for a well-known therapy group in

190

the area that specializes in parents

and moms and fertility loss grief.

191

Now as someone who has been in that

bathroom experiencing a loss, who knows

192

what that is like that hits on a level

that no generic therapy flyer ever could.

193

Right?

194

And it's not because the flyer is fancy.

195

It's not especially beautifully

branded, but it is one of the best

196

pieces of marketing I have ever seen.

197

Why?

198

Because it's specific, it is timely.

199

It is empathetic.

200

It sees that woman in a moment where

they are most likely to need support,

201

and that's what real marketing is, right?

202

We're not exploiting what that woman

is facing in that restroom, but we

203

are making ourselves available, right?

204

That's what that practice is doing.

205

It is about meeting people at a

point of need and showing them

206

clearly and calmly I can help.

207

Here's another example that

I experienced recently.

208

Actually, just in the last few weeks, I

started taking my son to a chiropractor.

209

He's a little guy.

210

He turns one soon, and we were seeing

some signs that maybe he needed a

211

little extra support physically.

212

Um, now this, this chiropractor

office here in Nashville

213

has been really wonderful.

214

Um, they're very wellness focused.

215

But also out of pocket practice as

most of the chiropractic ones are.

216

And what I found so interesting

is that they have a whole referral

217

network available if you're part

of their quote unquote family.

218

And when someone says, Hey, I need a

roofer, or I'm looking for a therapist,

219

they know who to send them to.

220

And because they're clients, because

the patients at this practice

221

are already choosing to invest

in services that aren't cheap.

222

Or covered by insurance, you can

safely assume that they value

223

their health and their wellness.

224

They value results.

225

They value feeling good

and being supported.

226

Those, right?

227

Those sound like your people, don't they?

228

Now, here's the part.

229

I don't want you to mish, mishear.

230

You already know people.

231

This isn't about, like I mentioned,

cold emailing a dentist or knocking

232

on the door of a yoga studio.

233

Okay?

234

You probably already have a pediatrician.

235

You might see a massage therapist.

236

Your baby might have a chiropractor.

237

You might go to an acupuncturist.

238

You may already know Someone who teaches

a mindfulness class or owns a coworking

239

space, or works at a private school.

240

Start there.

241

Okay.

242

I think that a lot of therapists view

marketing as pitching themselves,

243

and that can feel really slimy and

intimidating at the very least.

244

What if instead it was just about forming

simple human, intentional connections with

245

people who also know your ideal client?

246

Doesn't that strip away a

little bit of that intimidation?

247

This could be as small as

a conversation or an email.

248

Or a thank you card with your

info, A relevant, timely flyer

249

like that one in my obs office.

250

These relationships are

often right in front of you.

251

You just need to look through

the lens of a connector.

252

Who else is connected to your

ideal client that you already know?

253

A few more creative examples

that I've kind of heard

254

around our community recently.

255

I know a trauma therapist reached out

to a dentist to support his patients in

256

medical and dental trauma, uh, in order

to be able to, you know, safely sit

257

through procedures and things like that.

258

I heard about a sex therapist who reached

out to a local men's clinic, um, for

259

men navigating erectile dysfunction.

260

Again, Reddit, AMAs, those ask me

anythings, um, in some niche, subreddits,

261

infertility, OCD, things like that.

262

Grief therapists partnering with hospice

groups and other grief related community

263

professionals, a couple's therapist

who offered a free q and a at a church.

264

These are some examples.

265

Now, again, do you need

to do all of these?

266

Absolutely not.

267

But the thread that's tying these

things together, this theme that I told

268

you about earlier, it's specificity.

269

Each one is speaking directly

to a specific population

270

or need or context, right?

271

Going to a dentist for dental

trauma is a lot different than

272

saying, hi, I am a therapist.

273

If you see anyone that

could use one, let me know.

274

It's the power of specificity and

what we're seeing in this market is

275

that clients are looking for that.

276

And when you choose to get specific,

your marketing opportunities

277

usually open up, not close down.

278

So not shouting into the void, but making

sure you're in the right rooms, saying

279

the right things at the right time.

280

All right, so we've talked about

getting our client's attention.

281

We've talked about where you could

consider doing that, ways to get creative,

282

but here's where everything we've talked

about can either work out beautifully.

283

Or fall completely flat.

284

Okay, so you've shown up in the right

places, you've planted some seeds.

285

Are those seeds gonna bloom overnight?

286

Most likely not.

287

But if you continue to cultivate

them, they can literally

288

bear fruit for years to come.

289

So you've done those things.

290

You've shown up, you've connected

with the right people, you've

291

sparked someone's attention.

292

, You caught their attention in the restroom

or on that bulletin board, whatever.

293

They finally decide to check you out.

294

So they click over to your website,

they scan the QR code, whatever they do.

295

If your website doesn't reflect

the same level of specificity and

296

expertise and alignment that got their

attention in the first place, then

297

you have just poured water into a

very leaky bucket because it doesn't

298

matter how many people hear about you.

299

If your site doesn't speak clearly

and confidently to the person

300

reading it, you will lose them.

301

It's the part that I see a lot of

clinicians forget that your website

302

isn't just a brochure or a billboard.

303

It should be an engine that

converts visitors into clients.

304

It's a place where someone who is already

feeling vulnerable in that moment.

305

Deciding to visit your

site is making a decision.

306

Is this someone who gets me?

307

Do I feel safe here?

308

Do I trust this person

enough to reach out?

309

And if your site is vague or generic

or scattered or too buttoned up,

310

or even just kind of flat and

sanitized, that client is very likely

311

to leave, which is such a shame.

312

Because they were already 80% of the way

there, you already peaked their attention.

313

So that's why I tell therapists yes,

like start building visibility, start

314

making connections, start building that

marketing muscle because you're gonna need

315

that muscle over the life of your career.

316

That visibility work doesn't stop, but

the sooner your website is actually

317

built to convert, the more confidently

you can show up everywhere else Knowing.

318

That you're sending them somewhere

that's actually designed to work.

319

Because when you treat your

marketing as a system, your niche

320

and your website are like the gears.

321

They're the pieces that turn

and make everything else work.

322

And then those visibility

strategies we've been talking about

323

here today, they are the fuel.

324

So if all you have is fuel and no

engine, we're not gonna go anywhere.

325

If you have a beautiful engine with

no fuel, we're not going to either.

326

Right.

327

What I want to note here, and a common

question I get when I'm having these

328

types of conversations in containers,

like Confident Copy, and I'm coaching

329

clinicians on these topics, they'll

often say, well, if my flyer in the OBS

330

bathroom, for instance was super specific,

does that mean my website has to be?

331

And the answer to that is both yes and no.

332

If you have decided to reach out to a

dentist about dental trauma, but you

333

do all kinds of trauma, it doesn't mean

that someone landing on your website

334

should only see dental trauma, but what

they should see is a reinforcement of

335

the type of expertise that you were

displaying in that flyer, in that

336

conversation, whatever that might be.

337

Okay, so it's not that you can only market

this one specific thing forever and ever.

338

Amen.

339

And that's the only thing

that can be on your website.

340

But what we do need to create is some

consistency and some reinforcement of

341

that same message on your website as well.

342

We could do that in a

lot of different ways.

343

You know, if I were this group practice

that was marketing to the women in

344

the obs restroom, for instance, I

would probably have a QR code on

345

that flyer that leads directly to.

346

Our pregnancy loss page, right?

347

So that's where I could drive

someone specifically to that

348

relevant area of my website.

349

So that's one of the ways that

you could do this, or if you were

350

marketing to people for a dental

trauma, but you have different

351

types of trauma that you engage in.

352

You could lead to your homepage, but make

sure that dental trauma, medical trauma,

353

things like that are mentioned there.

354

So we can do this a lot of different

ways, but what is critical is that.

355

What they get in the marketing, what

they get in the conversation with

356

the chiropractor, what they get in

the flyer, what they get in, whatever

357

they see in the Ask Me Anything is

consistent and reinforced on the website.

358

It is when there's a breakdown

there that we lose those clients.

359

So what does a conversion ready

website actually look like?

360

It is clear about who you help

and how you help them immediately.

361

I'm talking within seconds.

362

Of that person landing there.

363

It also speaks to your client's

current reality, how they are

364

experiencing life right now that has

led them to decide, you know what?

365

I think I need to see a therapist.

366

We're not talking clinical jargon.

367

We are not talking deep

theoretical insight.

368

Okay?

369

We are empathizing with where your

client finds themselves right now today.

370

It also reflects a confident

and grounded sense of expertise.

371

Okay, so we do need to

communicate your authority.

372

We need to show that you are a specialist

in these areas, but there's a way to

373

do that without being stiff or formal

where you still feel approachable,

374

but also trustworthy because you

clearly know what you're talking about.

375

A conversion ready website is also going

to include very strong calls to action.

376

We are not shying away from asking

people to take the next step with you.

377

If they're on your website, if

they heard about you and they

378

looked you up, guess what?

379

They want your help.

380

Please make it easy for

them to get that help.

381

Okay?

382

Don't bury the lead here.

383

Clients want to be guided

to the next step, so being

384

clear about that is critical.

385

And then strong websites right now, they

just feel like a premium experience.

386

Okay?

387

Premium level websites attract premium

level clients, clean, professional,

388

aligned with the quality of care.

389

I know you provide.

390

Brought forth in website form, okay?

391

If you're gonna put in the work to get in

front of the right people, again, whether

392

that's through a flyer in your OBS office

or a local referral network, or just

393

a well-written blog post, please make

sure your site is ready to back it up.

394

Make sure it's ready to receive

the people who are already

395

looking for what you offer.

396

So we ended this episode

again with that question.

397

Anna, where are all the clients?

398

Please hear me.

399

They are still out there.

400

They are still looking.

401

They are still willing to

invest in the right support,

402

but they are more discerning.

403

They are more cautious and more

selective, but if you choose to

404

believe it, that's not bad news.

405

That's an opportunity.

406

Because if you can meet them where

they are today with clarity and

407

confidence and specificity, you

don't have to compete with every

408

other therapist on the internet.

409

You can simply connect with the

people who already need you.

410

Now, you might be thinking right now,

but Anna, what if they don't find me?

411

What if I put myself out there and it

doesn't work and I wanna offer this?

412

Will they find me is the wrong question?

413

The better question is, if I truly

believed my ideal clients were

414

looking for someone like me, what

would I do differently today?

415

Would you finally reach out

to that massage therapist or

416

chiropractor you see every month?

417

Would you update your website so

your specialty is unmistakable?

418

Would you stop playing it safe?

419

And start speaking directly to the

people you're best equipped to help.

420

If you believed you couldn't

fail, then what would you do?

421

Because clients aren't

waiting for perfect.

422

They don't need you to be perfect,

but they are waiting for recognition.

423

They are waiting for someone

who makes them feel understood.

424

They're waiting for someone who

shows up and clearly and confidently

425

says, I help people like you.

426

Let's talk.

427

So here's your challenge.

428

This week, I want you to do one

thing that gets you in front of your

429

people in a more specific way that

could look a lot of different ways.

430

Maybe you're reaching out to one of

those potential referral partners.

431

Maybe you're editing a section

of your website for clarity,

432

sharing a story on Instagram that

speaks directly to your niche.

433

Do something this week.

434

And trust again.

435

If you truly believed your ideal clients,

were looking for someone like you.

436

What could you do differently?

437

Now, if you're ready for more than just

a small tweak and you're realizing you

438

need to build this engine, that's what

we do in Confident Copy every single day.

439

It's my signature program where

I'm gonna walk you through.

440

The three elements of the client

conversion engine, confident identity,

441

confident presence, confident connection

so that you don't have to waste hours.

442

Second, guessing your niche or your words,

or why your site isn't converting, but to

443

create a website and a marketing system

that reflects the quality and depth of

444

your work while attracting the kind of

clients who value what it is that you do.

445

Now if you're listening to this

in real time, we are reopening the

446

Doors to Confident Copy next week.

447

Next week at a reduced price

with some extra bonuses.

448

The price of Confident Copy

will go up after this promotion.

449

If you'd like to get on the wait

list, uh, secure a little extra

450

bonus and a discount, you can head

to walker strategy co.com/waitlist.

451

We would love to help you create a website

where people say, Hey, I heard about you.

452

I saw your website, and I

think I'm ready to get started.

453

That's what I want for you.

454

Whatever it is that you do, please

get serious about getting visible.

455

If your goal is to be successful

in this market, that is critical,

456

but you can do it in creative ways.

457

You can do it in life giving ways.

458

Your clients are out there.

459

They're looking for you.

460

It's simply about finding

where to meet them.

461

Thanks for being here today.

462

I hope this one was helpful for you.

463

I'll see you in our next episode.