Barnacle SEO for Therapists: Get Found Online Without a Big Budget

You don’t need an expensive website or a comprehensive SEO program to start getting new clients online. If you’re building a practice on the side or transitioning from a hospital or community clinic, there’s a faster path to online visibility.

It’s called Barnacle SEO. The concept is simple: attach yourself to websites that already rank well in search engines, and let their authority work for you.

What Is Barnacle SEO?

The term was coined by Will Scott in 2008 to describe a strategy where smaller businesses attach themselves to high-authority websites that already dominate search engine results pages. For therapists, this means getting listed on directories and platforms that appear when potential clients search for therapy services.

Traditional search engine optimization takes time. Most therapy practices see meaningful search rankings after 3-6 months of consistent work on content, technical SEO, and link building. Barnacle SEO gives you visibility now, while you’re still building your digital marketing foundation.

Start by Googling Yourself

Before you do anything else, search your own name. What shows up?

If someone heard about you through a referral, they’re probably going to run a Google search before reaching out. What they find shapes their first impression.

You might see your Psychology Today profile, a bio page from the practice where you’re doing associate work, or nothing relevant at all. Whatever shows up, that’s what you need to optimize.

How to Find Your Barnacle SEO Opportunities

This is where the strategy gets practical. You need to figure out which high-authority sites show up when your ideal clients search for someone like you.

Open an incognito or private window in your browser. This prevents Google from personalizing results based on your search history. You want to see what a new potential client would see.

Now search as your ideal client would. If you specialize in working with the LGBTQ+ community, search “LGBTQ therapist Houston.” If you focus on grief, try “grief therapist Austin.” If you use a specific modality, search “EMDR therapist Dallas.”

Check pages one, two, and even three of the results. What directories and platforms keep appearing?

You’ll likely find Psychology Today ranking near the top. You might see TherapyDen, Google Business Profile listings in Google Maps results, or local directories. These are your barnacles. Any platform where you can create a listing and appear in those search results is worth your time.

Make a list of what you find. The directories that show up consistently across your searches are where you should focus first.

Some platforms charge membership fees. Psychology Today costs around $30 per month. Local chambers of commerce typically have annual dues. Don’t let that stop you. Even a handful of new and regular clients will cover those costs many times over.

Psychology Today Often Matters Most

Psychology Today dominates local search for therapists. It ranks on page one for almost every therapy-related search in most cities, and for many potential clients, it’s the first place they look.

But just having a profile isn’t enough. Psychology Today rotates listings randomly, so your profile might only appear near the top of their internal search for a small percentage of searches. In a city with 200+ therapists, you might show up in the top five for one out of every forty views.

That means you need to make every view count.

Fill In Every Field

Psychology Today’s internal search lets people filter by specialty, population served, insurance accepted, and dozens of other criteria. When someone lands on Psychology Today searching for “therapist Houston,” they often narrow down using these filters.

If you work with the LGBTQ+ community but haven’t checked that box, you won’t appear when someone filters for it. If you specialize in grief but left that field blank, you’re invisible to people looking for grief support.

Go through your profile and check every relevant option. Don’t leave fields empty. The more specific you are, the more likely you are to show up when someone filters for exactly what you offer.

Optimize Your Profile for Conversion

Getting found is only half the equation. Your profile also needs to convert visitors into consultations.

This means writing a bio that connects with potential clients, not just lists your credentials. It means adding a video so people can get a sense of your personality before reaching out. It means making your contact information clear and easy to use.

I’ve written detailed guides on both: how to optimize your Psychology Today profile and how to write a therapist bio that connects with clients. If you’re serious about getting clients from Psychology Today, those are worth reading.

Fix Your Contact Method

Psychology Today provides a masking phone number to protect your privacy. The problem is that this number doesn’t support text messages. When potential clients try to text, they get an error message that often lands in their spam folder. They assume you ignored them.

If you’re comfortable sharing your own phone number or can get a separate business line, that removes this friction. If you stick with the masking number, add a note to your profile explaining that people should call and leave a voicemail or use the contact form.

Psychology Today as Your Online Hub

If you don’t have a website yet, or you’re not confident your website converts visitors into clients, Psychology Today can serve as your online hub.

Psychology Today has invested heavily in making its profile pages convert well. The layout builds trust and makes it easy to reach out. If you haven’t spent time on web design or user experience for your own site, your Psychology Today profile might actually convert better than your homepage.

This means you can link to your Psychology Today profile from other places. If you have an Instagram account for your practice, use your Psychology Today URL as your website link. If you join a chamber of commerce, link to your Psychology Today profile in their directory. Same with LinkedIn and any other social media profiles.

Once you have a high-quality website you’re confident in, you can switch those links. But in the meantime, Psychology Today gives you a professional, conversion-focused landing page.

Google Business Profile Is Essential

If your searches show Google Maps results (the map with business listings that appears for many local searches), you need a Google Business Profile. This used to be called Google My Business, and it’s one of the most powerful free tools for local SEO.

You don’t need a physical office. Google allows service-area businesses, so you can list your practice without displaying a street address. This works well for therapists who see clients via telehealth or work from a home office.

Setting up requires verification. Google wants to confirm that you own the business, usually by sending a postcard or making a phone call to receive a verification code. It takes extra effort, but it’s worth it.

Once verified, fill in every relevant field: specialties, hours, phone number, and a description of your services. Upload photos. The more complete your profile, the better your chances of showing up in Google Maps results.

A Word of Caution About Yelp

If Yelp shows up in your barnacle research, you might consider creating a listing. But proceed with caution.

Yelp works well for restaurants and home contractors. For therapists, it’s less effective. The bigger issue is Yelp’s sales team. They’re aggressive, tend to over-promise results, and won’t leave you alone once you have a listing.

You can create a free Yelp profile if the platform shows up in your local search results. I don’t recommend paying for Yelp advertising as a therapist. If Yelp doesn’t appear in your barnacle research, skip it entirely.

Get Involved in Your Community

If you serve a specific community, whether that’s the Latino community, the LGBTQ+ community, or parents of children with special needs, look for organizations that serve that population. Chambers of commerce, community centers, and advocacy groups often have business directories where local businesses can get listed.

When someone searches for “Hispanic therapist Austin” or “Spanish-speaking counselor near me,” these local directories sometimes appear in search results alongside the major platforms.

Most organizations charge membership fees, but you get more than a directory listing. You get networking opportunities and referral relationships. The directory listing creates a citation for your business (your name, address, and phone number listed consistently across the web), which helps with local SEO. These listings also provide backlinks that strengthen your website’s authority if you have one.

When you join, make sure your directory listing links to a useful page. If you have a website you’re proud of, link there. If not, link to your Psychology Today profile.

What Barnacle SEO Won’t Do

Barnacle SEO is a starting point, not a complete marketing strategy. It works well when you’re building a practice with limited time and budget.

But there are limits. You don’t control these platforms. Psychology Today could change its algorithm tomorrow. Directory listings don’t build long-term assets the way a website with valuable content does.

Think of barnacle SEO as the foundation for your online presence. As your therapy practice grows, you can build on it with your own website and a broader SEO strategy.

Your Next Steps

1. Google yourself. See what shows up and identify what needs attention.
2. Search like your ideal client. Use an incognito window and try “[your specialty] therapist [your city].” Check pages one through three and note which directories and platforms appear.
3. Claim and optimize your Psychology Today profile. Fill in every field, write a compelling bio, add a video, and fix your contact method.
4. Set up a Google Business Profile. Even without a physical office, you can create a service area business listing that appears in Google Maps results.
5. List your practice on other relevant directories. Focus on the platforms that actually show up in search results for your market.
6. Get involved locally. Join organizations that serve the communities you work with and get listed in their directories.
7. Link strategically. Point your social media profiles and directory listings to your website or Psychology Today profile, whichever converts better.

This won’t replace a comprehensive marketing strategy, but it will get you found by people who are ready to start therapy. For many therapists, especially those just starting out, that’s exactly what you need.

If you’re ready to invest in a more comprehensive online presence, including a website, SEO, or Google Ads, reach out to Garrett Digital. We work with therapy practices to build marketing systems that grow with your practice.