The Importance of Websites for Therapists of Color

Over the last year, I've been sharpening my freelance skills and trying to find my niche. It's been a year or so since I discovered my love for web design, but I had to figure out what kind of websites I wanted to design. I have to admit, for a few months, this question had me stumped. For a while, I was taking any client I could get, but I discovered that I did not enjoy designing all websites. I began to understand that in order to keep myself motivated, I have to infuse everything I do with passion, and as usual, my passion involves mental health advocacy!One day, I was scrolling through my Facebook feed and I saw a post from a therapist I know, urging her therapist friends to get websites. I had never thought about it before, but in today's world, therapists need websites! It's essential to reaching vulnerable populations and making therapy more accessible to the masses. I started thinking about all of the folks who anxiously put off calling a possible new therapist, even if they found them on a reputable website like Psychology Today.There's only so much a brief description can do to assure a potential patient that this therapist is "the one".

Reasons for Therapists to Get a Website

• I personally love to check out a therapist's website and get a vibe for their personality. Websites also give therapists a chance to elaborate on who they are, why they do what they do, and what they have to offer.
• A website can also put a potential patient's mind at ease by displaying costs and insurances accepted. A Frequent Asked Question page can dispell common myths or misconceptions about therapy, so patients aren't so freaked out about trying therapy for the first time or understand what's different about your practice.
• Perhaps the main draw of having a website (for anyone, not just therapists) is that websites attract business. Folks can Google you and view a visual resume of everything you do, including additional resources professionals may have put together, books written, online communities, and workshops facilitated.

I spent some time researching the websites of therapists I knew and admired until I understood the essence of exactly what a therapist's website should include. Now, I'm ready to begin the work of making therapists of color more visible in the online space. Stigma fighting takes many forms, and I believe that creating online platforms for those who serve marginalized communities is an important step in the right direction.So, I'm offering a discounted web design packages for therapists of color to make it easier for them to create an accessible online platform. If you are a therapist of color or you know one who needs a website, send them my way! Fill out the contact form on my Work With Me page to begin the process!