Therapy Website Mistakes That Drive Clients Away (And Tips for the Best Therapist Website Design)
Your therapy website is often the first impression a potential client has of your practice. But if your site is confusing, outdated, or hard to find, people may click away before ever booking a session. Here are seven common therapist website mistakes—and how to fix them—so you can have the best therapist website design for your practice.
TL: DR
Your therapy website is what helps you attract (and keep) more clients. It’s the first impression of your practice—and it can make or break whether someone books a session. Slow load times, buried contact info, outdated design, and jargon-filled copy all push visitors away. A site that’s fast, mobile-friendly, client-focused, and regularly updated builds trust and connection.
At a Glance
The things that prevent your site from having the best therapist website design include:
Slow Load Times: Bloated code and oversized images drive visitors away before your site even opens.
Outdated Design: Clunky navigation and outdated visuals make clients question your professionalism.
No Clear Call-to-Action: Doesn’t tell visitors what to do.
Hard-to-find Contact Info: Burying your phone or email frustrates visitors already seeking help.
All About You: Clients want to know that you understand them.
Poor Mobile Experience: If your site doesn’t work on phones, you lose most of your traffic.
Clinical Jargon: Overly technical language creates distance instead of connection.
No Blog: Skipping fresh content hurts SEO and makes your site feel inactive.
1. Your Site Takes Forever to Load
The mistake: Having large images, bloated code, and a lot of plugins can slow your site down to a crawl. By the time your home page appears, potential clients have already clicked away.
Why it matters: Slow load times lead to a poor user experience. The user experience (UX) is very important when it comes to therapy websites because it can affect trustworthiness, according to research published in the International Journal of Emergency Mental Health and Human Resilience, 2022. Plus, slow load times hurt your SEO rankings.
The fix: Check site speed with tools like Google PageSpeed. If your site is slow, consider optimizing it by optimizing photos and videos.
Full disclosure: Yes, you can learn how to optimize your site speed by doing things like image compression and caching, or — hear me out — you can focus on therapy and let us fight the website gremlins for you. You’ll have the best therapist website design without the stress.
2. Outdated Website Design
The mistake: You have an old website that hasn’t been updated in forever. It’s full of cringy stock photos and walls of text. The navigation? It’s clunky. And, there are tons of broken links.
Why it matters: Clients associate your website experience with the care they’ll receive. If your site feels outdated, they may assume your practice is too.
The fix: Choose a fresh, modern website template and update your site regularly. Use professional photos—ideally of you or your practice space. Stock photos are fine, but make sure they look more natural. A clean, welcoming layout is central to the best therapist website design.
3. No Clear Call to Action (CTA)
The mistake: Without a clear call to action, your site visitors won’t know what to do.
Why it matters: Clients may want therapy, but they also need to know how to book a session. Your CTA should be highly visible. Visible, strong CTAs are the backbone of the best therapist website design.
The fix: Place clear CTAs on every page. Use simple, inviting language:
Want to see if it’s a good fit? Book your free consultation.
Want to talk about your needs? Sign up below for a free 30-minute consultation.
4. Playing The Digital Hide-and-Seek Game
The mistake: Making it so that your visitors have to play a game of hide and seek to figure out how to get a hold of you. This looks like having your contact info on a single “Contact” page (or worse — burying it in the footer). When someone has to click away from the current page to search for your contact info, it can create frustration.
Why it matters: People want things to be easy, especially if they are already overwhelmed with anxiety and other serious issues.
The fix: Make it super easy for visitors to contact you. Put your phone number in your page header (and the footer, as well). Also, add a link to your contact information throughout each page.
5. Making It All About You
The mistake: Your site talks only about you — what type of therapy you provide, your degrees, and credentials.
Why it matters: While these things are important, clients also want to know that you understand their struggles and whether or not you can help them.
The fix: Use “you” rather than “I” except for your About page, but even that should be focused on the client.
Describe problems that your clients might be facing (mood swings, anxiety, depression) and then explain how therapy can help. A client-first approach is vital for the best therapist website design.
6. Overlooking the Mobile Experience
The mistake: Your website looks great on a desktop. But, on a mobile device, it’s a mess.
Why it matters: More than 60 percent of traffic comes from mobile devices (Statistica, 2025). Mobile optimization is a non-negotiable piece of the best therapist website design.
The fix: Before publishing your site, check the mobile view to see how it looks. If possible, test your pages using different mobile devices. Or — better yet, leave the tech stress to us. We’ll make sure your site looks good (and works beautifully) on every device.
7. Using Words That Clients Can’t Connect With
The mistake: Using clinical language or jargon —terms like "maladaptive coping” and “anhedonia” on your website. This will make people feel like they are being lectured to. It reads like a textbook, and no one wants that when they are searching for a therapist.
Why it matters: Many therapists use jargon to try to educate their clients. However, jargon creates distance and confusion. If people can’t understand how you can help them, they will move on to the next therapist.
The fix:
Swap jargon for simple-to-read human language. Use short sentences and short paragraphs. Talk about real problems that your clients may be experiencing and real outcomes — what they can expect in therapy.
8. Skipping the Blog
The mistake: You’ve published your home page, about, services, and contact. You may think that you are finished. A blog or resources section provides a way to connect with your clients. It’s like your digital waiting room. It can make your site feel welcoming and relevant.
Why it matters: A blog shows your clients that you are knowledgeable and can help them. It signals to search engines that you have useful information. This alone will help get more visitors to your site.
The fix: Post blogs (at least monthly) on actual questions that clients are searching like:
“How do I know if I need therapy?”
“How does therapy help with mental health?”
“What to Expect in Your First Counseling Session”
These are real questions that people are Googling about. Not sure how to figure out what people are searching for? That’s where we shine. Reach out if you’d like help with this.
Quick Answers (FAQs)
What’s the biggest therapy website mistake?
The biggest mistake is making it difficult for potential clients to connect with you. This typically results from several things, not just one thing. Confining your contact info to one page, having content that is mostly therapy jargon, and not having the right resources on your website can all make it hard for clients to connect.
What makes a good therapy website?
A good therapy website loads quickly, has inviting colors and design, and is mobile responsive. It also has helpful content like blog posts and articles.
Should therapists blog?
Yes—a blog can be very helpful when it’s done with strategy. A blog isn’t about posting random thoughts every week. It’s about answering real questions clients are typing into Google, like “How do I know if I need therapy?”
Should I use stock photos for my website?
Yes, it’s fine to use stock photos for your site. But it’s important to choose them carefully. Select ones that appear natural rather than highly staged. Nice, natural-looking visuals help with the best therapist website design.
The Bottom Line: Your Site Shapes First Impressions
Your therapy website isn’t just a landing page. It’s a client’s first impression of you. It is what encourages them to reach out and book a session. Avoiding these common mistakes helps your clients feel seen and supported when they land on your site. It prepares them to take the next step.
You already carry enough—sessions, notes, billing, and handling crises off the clock. We specialize in creating amazing websites for therapists. Don’t worry, you won't find the above mistakes when working with us, only a beautiful website that is optimized and ready to work for you.
Sources:
Statistica (Sept. 2025) Percentage of mobile device website traffic worldwide from 1st quarter 2015 to 2nd quarter 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/277125/share-of-website-traffic-coming-from-mobile-devices/
Journal of Emergency Mental Health and Human Resilience, 2022. Usability Evaluation of Mental Health Websites. https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/usability-evaluation-of-mental-health-websites-1522-4821-1000544-121222.html .
