7 Tips On How To Name Your Therapy Practice

Whether you're a new therapist just starting out, or transitioning to a practice from another organization, it's essential to choosing a name for your practice that makes an excellent first impression and communicates your expertise may be necessary for your business. This process often requires a lot of thought, and you may consider many different iterations before settling on a name that suits you and your practice. 

In this post, we'll list a few factors to keep in mind that might provide some inspiration and act as a launching point for finding the best practice name. We'll also offer some advice on what things to avoid when choosing your name and share resources and tools for helping you start and maintain a thriving practice. 

1. Consider your expertise

Consider your therapeutic approach or philosophy. If you specialize in a specific type of therapy (like cognitive-behavioral therapy or mindfulness-based therapy), you might incorporate that into the name. Focus on the positive outcomes or benefits clients can expect. Words like "wellness," "healing," "growth," or "support" can convey a sense of what clients will gain from your practice.

2. Who are you treating?

If you're already established, consider not just who you treat now but what your ideal client looks like in the future. Think about your target audience. The name should resonate with the people you aim to serve. For instance, a name that appeals to younger individuals might be appropriate if you work with adolescents.

3. Brainstorm 

Once you've established points one and two, have a brainstorming session to come up with ideas, inspiration, and keywords. To get the ball rolling, you may consider words or phrases that resonate with you and evoke a sense of comfort and relaxation. For example, do you prefer calming imagery that includes elements of nature, or are you more confident with clinically informed terms that suggest healing? Consider how you plan to incorporate your philosophy and personal values into the practice, as well. 

Take your time when brainstorming different options—once you've created a list of terms and phrases, experiment with fitting them together. The right name can communicate your practice's values and attract the clients you want to serve. Also, keep in mind that short names are the easiest to remember, so limit your word count to no more than two or three if possible. 

4. Think long-term

Once you've narrowed down your list of potential names, think about how well they stand up to the test of time. Consider a name that can grow with your practice, and avoid using specific terms that can limit your practice's scope if it expands in the future. Also, remember that misunderstandings happen. If you rush naming your practice, you're more likely to pick a name that sends the wrong signals. 

For example, if you do choose to incorporate a clinical term, is your name still plain and straightforward enough for everyone to understand? Double-check whether your title contains words, initials, or abbreviations that may be misconstrued as unprofessional (i.e., inappropriate, unethical, silly).

5. Optimize your name for online exposure

Whether you plan to develop an in-person practice, practice remote therapy, or a combination of both, it helps to choose a name that includes keywords that will provide search engine optimization (SEO) opportunities. This will help you build your practice and continue to expand in the long term. 

Keywords are words or phrases that people most commonly use when searching for products or services online. For example, people searching for a therapist in their area may use clusters of words like "anxiety therapists near me" or "anxiety therapy in my area." There are many resources and online tools (such as Google Keyword Planner) to help you find keywords with a high search volume that fits with your title.

6. Get advice from friends, family, and mentors

Run your ideas by friends, family, or colleagues to get feedback— they might offer insights or perspectives you hadn't considered. 

7. If all else fails, seek help from a professional

Deciding on a practice name can be overwhelming and time-consuming. To save time and minimize stress, some mental health professionals seek outside counsel for naming and marketing their practice. Many pros offer customized packages that include as little or as much help as you need. Whether you simply need someone to successfully name your practice or want someone who can deliver an entire marketing package complete with a website full of SEO-driven content, a quick internet search will lead you to plenty of resources for finding the right marketer for you. 

What things to avoid when naming your practice

Just as there are things you should do when naming your practice, there are also things you should not do. Some of these include:

• Naming your practice after yourself

Using your name within your practice title may seem like a good idea, but that concept doesn't always age well, particularly if you decide to expand or sell your practice in the future. 

• Overcomplicating

Simple and brief (as possible) may be best. A name that is easy to remember and pronounce is more likely to stick with potential clients. Avoid using complex or obscure words that might be hard to understand or remember. If you're unsure, it may help to get feedback from friends and colleagues— particularly people that you know from different cultural backgrounds. They can help you determine whether your name is easy to understand and remember for a broader client base.

• Using outdated or "trendy" names

It's essential to pick a name that reflects today's positive approach toward therapy without using terms or phrases that probably won't stay relevant over time. 

• Cut corners 

It might be tempting to begin using your name right away, but you may want toit's crucial to take your time and ensure the name is not already in use by another therapy practice in your area. Check for trademarks or legal implications of the name you choose to avoid any potential issues in the future.

Also, check for domain availability if you plan to have a website. Your domain name (URL) is as vital for attracting clients as your practice name. If the domain is already taken, consider coming up with something completely different rather than making minor adjustments to the existing name. For example, if you love the title "Healing Path" and someone already uses HealingPath.com, the name can easily be tweaked to Healing-Path.com or HealingPath.org, but potential clients won't likely remember those minor differences when searching for your site. 

Online resources

Several platforms offer free and paid marketing tools, therapy resources, and continuing education for therapists. A few of the most popular include:

• Therapist Aid

This site has therapy tools like customizable worksheets, videos, and articles about a wide range of topics to cover practically any focus or niche. For example, if you specialize in positive psychology, you'll find identity exploration exercise worksheets, self-care assessments, and gratitude journal prompts. Counselors who treat adolescents may find it helpful to have access to body image and cognitive distortion worksheets, interactive guided meditations and grounding exercises, and videos about anger management.  

• Psychology Tools

This site also offers a wide variety of resources and tools for therapists that are browsable by topic, techniques, therapies, or mechanisms. There are in-depth guides on complex therapeutic concepts, mental health assessment tools, audio exercises, and more. This site also provides education for patients, including information on specific disorders and how to learn certain therapeutic techniques. 

• Between Sessions

This paid interactive website provides client-engagement software for mental health professionals. Here, you'll find tools like a workbook creator that lets you assemble curated client-centered workbooks, a progress notes generator that organizes and summarizes your notes, and a treatment plan generator that makes suggestions for the best interventions for your clients based on your observations and input. The site also features an expansive library of tools, including worksheets, practice management forms, audio workbooks, and more.