Most people who start looking for a therapist do it late at night, on a phone, after a hard day. They open five or six practice websites, skim each for about a minute, and close most of them. That first minute decides whether they ever call.
So what should a therapist’s website tell you in that minute? We think about this a lot, because the people who reach us are often anxious, worn out, or not sure therapy is for them. Here is the list we use. Use it to judge any practice, including ours.
The one-minute checklist
Seven things you should be able to find on a therapist’s site in about a minute.
Who you will see: a real name, a real photo, and their license type.
A license number you can check with the state board.
What they treat, in plain words, not a wall of jargon.
Who they see: children, teens, adults, couples, families.
Fees and insurance, including out-of-network options.
Hours and location, including evenings or telehealth.
What to do in a crisis, because a contact form is not an emergency line.
1. A real person, with a real license
Therapy is a relationship. Before you share the hardest parts of your life, you deserve to know who will be sitting across from you. A good site shows each clinician by name, with a recent photo and their license type: psychologist, marriage and family therapist, clinical social worker, or professional clinical counselor.
It should also give you the license number. In California you can look up a psychologist with the Board of Psychology, and marriage and family therapists with the Board of Behavioral Sciences. It takes thirty seconds, and it is the single best way to know a practice is what it says it is. Our own numbers are on our therapists page: Dr. Laird Bridgman is PSY14510 and Dr. Shari Bridgman is MFC28928.
2. What they actually help with
Look for plain language. “Evidence-based integrative modalities” tells you nothing. “Panic attacks, worry that will not switch off, grief after a miscarriage, a marriage that keeps having the same fight” tells you whether you are in the right place.
It also helps when a practice explains how it works. If a therapist uses cognitive behavioral therapy, for example, you might expect practical tools and some homework between sessions, like a thought record. If that sounds right for you, good. If it does not, you have learned something before spending a dime.
3. Who they see
Many therapists do not see young children. Some do not do couples work. A good site says so plainly, so a parent does not spend a week leaving voicemails for someone who only sees adults. On our site, for example, you can see that Dr. Shari sees children from age 5, and Dr. Laird sees teens from 13.
4. Money, said out loud
Cost is one of the biggest reasons people put off therapy, and one of the least explained. You should be able to learn:
- Whether the therapist is in-network with any insurance plans
- If not, whether they provide superbills so you can claim out-of-network benefits
- That out-of-network benefits usually do not apply to HMO plans
- What forms of payment they take
You may not see an exact fee online, since fees can vary by service, but you should never have to guess how payment works. Ours is spelled out on the FAQ page.
5. Hours, location and how to start
Can you get there? Is there parking? Do they offer evenings, Saturdays, or telehealth? And what happens after you call? A short description of the first session takes a lot of the fear out of it. In ours, we review the therapy agreement, talk about what brings you in and your background, and start to set goals.
6. Privacy, taken seriously
A contact form is a convenient way to say hello. It is not the place for your full history. A careful practice will say so and invite you to share details by phone or in session instead. Downloadable forms, like records release forms, should be easy to find, so you can coordinate care with your doctor or psychiatrist.
7. A crisis line, right where you can see it
Small private practices are not emergency services. A responsible site says so and points you to help that is available around the clock: call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or call 911.
Why a good website matters to a therapy practice
None of this is about looking fancy. It is about lowering the barrier for someone who is already struggling. Every unanswered question is a reason to close the tab and put it off another month.
Our site is built and looked after by Clickflame, a web design and local search team in Long Beach that works with local practices and service businesses. We asked them for a site that answers the questions above quickly and reads well on a phone, because that is where most people find us.
If you have been reading therapist websites late at night and still are not sure, that is fine. You do not need the perfect words. Call us at (949) 636-2207 or (949) 581-8334 and we will take it from there.