For years, Psychology Today was the referral engine for private practice.
You paid $29.95/month.
You wrote your profile.
Clients reached out.
Simple.
But over the last 12–18 months, many practice owners are reporting something different:
And for many, nothing else changed.
If Psychology Today has been your primary (or only) marketing channel, this shift can feel destabilizing.
So let’s talk about what’s actually happening and what you can do next.
First: It’s Not Just You
Across forums, consultation groups, and private conversations, therapists are reporting:
Some clinicians are seeing numbers drop from hundreds of annual contacts to a few dozen.
Others are noticing that profiles “managed by” large platforms appear more frequently in search results.
Psychology Today has stated that:
Regardless of the reason, the reality for many independent practices is clear:
Psychology Today is no longer a guaranteed referral source.
Why This Is Happening (Even If Nothing “Changed”)
The referral market is more fragmented than it was five years ago.
Today, potential clients may:
Psychology Today is still large. But it’s no longer the only gatekeeper.
And when a single channel dominates your referrals, any shift — algorithmic, competitive, or behavioral — hits hard.
The Risk of Relying on One Directory
When one platform accounts for most of your inbound leads, you don’t control visibility, ranking, algorithm updates, or referral flow.
You’re essentially renting exposure.
That’s fine until traffic slows down.
Diversification isn’t about abandoning Psychology Today.
It’s about not depending on it exclusively.
What To Do Instead: Build a Multi-Channel Referral Strategy
If referrals from one source are slowing down, the answer isn’t panic.
It’s structure.
Here’s what we recommend:
If you’re only on Psychology Today, consider adding:
Different directories serve different audiences.
Even if each brings 1–2 clients per month, together they stabilize demand.
Many therapists underestimate how often clients search:
“Anxiety therapist near me”
“Couples counseling in [city]”
“ADHD therapy adult”
If you don’t have:
You’re missing organic search visibility.
Unlike directory listings, your Google presence is an asset you own.
Directories are transactional.
Relationships are durable.
Consider:
Colleague referrals tend to convert higher and stay more stable over time.
Many practice owners don’t know which source produces the most bookings, best-fit clients, or the most no-shows.
Without tracking, it’s impossible to know what to strengthen.
If Psychology Today referrals drop but Google inquiries increase, that’s a different story than a full pipeline decline.
Data prevents overreaction.
If you stay on Psychology Today, optimize your profile:
Even small updates can affect performance.
But optimization alone won’t fix over-reliance.
Another emerging factor is the growth of venture-backed mental health platforms.
Many:
Insurance companies are also building in-app therapist matching systems.
This changes the landscape.
It doesn’t mean independent practice is over.
It does mean marketing requires more intention.
Despite the fragmentation, independent practices still have major advantages:
But autonomy requires infrastructure.
The practices that remain stable are not the ones with the most listings — they’re the ones that diversify referral sources, track inquiry data, respond quickly, and maintain clear systems.
Final Thought
Psychology Today isn’t disappearing. But it may no longer be enough on its own.
When your practice depends on one pipeline, it’s fragile.
When it depends on multiple aligned sources (and you can see what’s working), it becomes resilient.
And resilience is what actually sustains independent practice long term.