What Your Clients Are Actually Googling (And How It Should Influence Your Marketing)

If you were searching for a therapist during your hardest moment… what would you Google?

• “Why can’t I stop crying?”

• “How do I deal with anxiety attacks at work?”

• “Therapist for trauma near me”

• “I think I’m burned out. Is this depression?”

These are the kinds of raw, late-night searches real people type into Google when they’re in pain. And this is exactly where your therapy marketing should begin.

Why Clinical Language Doesn’t Connect Online

It’s easy to get caught up in polished phrases like “trauma-informed therapy” or “support for emotional regulation.” While accurate and professional, these aren’t the words most potential clients use when they’re searching for help.

When someone is overwhelmed, they’re not thinking in clinical terms, they’re thinking in feelings. And if your therapist website or practice blog is filled only with technical jargon, you’re missing the chance to show up when people need you most.

How to Find the Words Your Clients Are Googling

Start simple: put yourself in their shoes.

Ask yourself:

If I were struggling right now, what would I search for?

The answers you come up with are content goldmines. These raw, emotional questions can become:

• Blog post titles

• Social media captions

• Website page headers

• Email subject lines

• FAQs that reflect real client concerns

Content That Meets Clients Where They Are

When your therapy practice content mirrors the exact words people are googling, two things happen:

1. Google notices. Using natural, client-centered keywords improves your therapy SEO and makes it more likely your practice will appear in search results.

2. Clients feel understood. When they see their own words reflected back, they feel an immediate sense of safety and connection.

This is empathy-first marketing: meeting clients where they are, in their language, and making it easier for them to find you when they need you most.