Boost Your Therapy Practice with Free Directory Listings (Updated for 2025)
One of the discussions I came across in a Facebook group revolved around directory listings for therapists. The most well-known directory is the Psychology Today Directory, which costs around $39 per month as of 2025. Given the potential return on investment (ROI), this is a worthwhile expense—securing even one client per month more than covers the cost.
Why Psychology Today is Worth the Investment
The Psychology Today “Find a Therapist” listing consistently ranks at the top of Google search results. This means high visibility for therapists listed there. Their SEO strategies ensure their directory appears first on platforms like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. If you’re considering where to invest in online directories, Psychology Today should be a top priority.
Not All Directories Are Equal
Directory listings also boost your website’s SEO by providing backlinks (links from other websites to your own). However, not all directories offer the same benefits, and their effectiveness depends on location and niche. To determine which directories are most valuable for your practice, try a Google search using your niche and location (e.g., trauma therapist in Chicago).
Here is a short list of some of the better known paid directories:
Popular Paid Therapy Directories (2025 Update):
Psychology Today
Theravive.com
GoodTherapy.org
Find-a-Therapist.com
TherapyTribe.com
AAMFT.org (American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy)
NBCC Directory (National Board for Certified Counselors)
NetworkTherapy.com
Choosing Therapy
Therapist.com
Zencare (Newly emerging in 2025 as a top choice)
Free Directories
The good news is that there are some free directories that are often overlooked by therapist and counselors. In particular, directories that have a local focus that boosts SEO even more than some of these paid directories. Remember, the more backlinks you have to your website, the more it boosts your SEO. These directories and listings create backlinks.
So if you have not listed your practice on Google Business, take the time to do that today! It is free and it will push your practice toward the top of the list with a Google search. At least in my area of the country, very few therapists use this for their practices. So it just makes sense to do this. Listing here also puts you on Google Maps.
Of course! Although Facebook is really not a directory but it warrants this list because it has so much potential to bring you clients. Facebook has recently changed its algorithms so it just isn’t as good as it used to be, but by all means create a Facebook Page for your practice. Needless to say, Facebook has become a household word and go-to place for people that might be looking for the services you provide. Make sure you add your website link to the “about” section of your Facebook business page (not your personal page.)
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Yahoo Local and Bing Places for Business Listings
Like Google Business, the other two search engines have free business listings as well. Get in there too!
Yelp is often overlooked. Not that it is the greatest known search engine for businesses, but I just did a search for counselors in my city. Guess what… I was the only one listed. You might find the same.
LinkedIn is of course known for its professional appeal. I find that it is a great place to network with other professional in your community that could refer to you.
Is another free listing opportunity that will create more backlinks and add to your web presence.
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YP.com, Superpages and Yellowbook
These are all the online versions to the Yellow Pages of the phone book. (Remember phone books?!). All of these have free listings. But you probably won’t show up at the top of the page unless you pay for a premium listing. Nonetheless, you can get a few backlinks using these.
Angie’s List is known for helping people find reliable services. It is a membership site for Angie’s List users looking for reputable businesses and services. You can list your practice for free with Angie’s List. Again, you might not show up near the top with the free listing, but it will give you and your practice some exposure.
Others to mention (updated 3/6/2025):
Here is another resource I found that looks like a pretty good list from Hubspot called “The Ultimate List: 50 Online Directories”. There are several on here I was not aware of.
These are just a few of the free directory options out there. I would also suggest that you also look for some of your local directories such as your Chamber of Commerce and non-profit group resource pages that would love having therapists to refer to.
So take some time to put some “sweat equity” into getting your private practice listed in some of these free directories. Create a template to use with all of these so you can just copy and paste your information in when you register. It will help boost your website SEO and might bring you an extra client or too.
L Gordon Brewer, Jr, MEd, LMFT
By L. Gordon Brewer, Jr., MEd. LMFT – Gordon is the President and Founder of Kingsport Counseling Associates, PLLC. He is also a consultant, podcaster, and business mentor at The Practice of Therapy. Follow on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn