Why Therapists Need SEO and AEO
Therapists need SEO and AEO because most people looking for therapy start with a Google or AI search. SEO and AEO help your practice show up in those results at the moment someone is looking for support.
Jade Pruett is the founder of HelloSEO, an SEO and AEO agency for therapy practices, and a cofounder of MetaMonster. She's spent the last six years helping therapists get found on search. She's also been on the client side of the couch.
When I think about SEO for therapy practices, it always reminds me of finding a therapist for the first time. I had never been to therapy, and I was still dealing with my own stigma. I didn't want to tell my friends just yet. I just knew I needed help.
During a break at work, when I had a little time to myself, I started searching online. I didn't know enough about therapy to do any sort of informed search. So I just typed "therapist near me," and I found a website that seemed good and filled out the form.
I only reached out to one therapist that entire search. Reaching out to several and weighing them against each other felt like too much. That was the one shot I took at starting therapy.
That's how a lot of people start therapy: privately, with one search and one shot. SEO and AEO are how you make sure your practice is the one they find.
That's how a lot of people start therapy: privately, with one search and one shot.
What are SEO and AEO?
A series of tactics and strategies that help you rank higher in search engine results. We often think of Google, but it also includes Bing, Yahoo, and DuckDuckGo.
A new marketing strategy to help you get recommended in ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude and other AI models.
It is also often called GEO, AIO, and LLMO (the industry hasn't decided on a name.)
Why search is one of the best marketing channels for therapists
Like in my earlier story, when people are ready to find help, they typically do it in private. Finding a therapist is a vulnerable and timely experience.
Potential clients aren't going to ask all of their friends, post on Facebook asking for the perfect therapist, or scroll Instagram and hope they come across someone eventually. They're more likely to think, "I need help now." So they go to Google or AI, where they can privately search for exactly what they need right when they need it.
The typical client journey
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SearchThey type a feeling, a specialty or "therapist near me."
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Scan the resultsThey look over the map, a few websites and a directory or two.
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Read a pageThey look for who you help, how you work, your fees and whether you take their insurance.
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Get comfortableThey check your license and training, and get a feel for whether you're the right fit.
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Reach outThey fill out a form or book a consultation.
Good SEO helps you show up at step one, and makes sure the page they land on carries them gently through the rest.
Google and AI are also where we ask our most private questions. Long before someone types "anxiety therapist near me," they're asking things like, "What does a panic attack feel like?" or "Why can't I sleep?" Before someone searches for a couples counselor, they are likely searching for, "how to stop arguing with my partner."
This gives you as a therapist the opportunity to show up and start answering questions before people even realize they need a therapist.
Picture someone at 11pm typing "couples counseling in Chicago" after another argument with their partner. They open three websites, skim for fees and insurance, check the therapist's license, and fill out the form on the page that answered those questions first. Asking ChatGPT the same question, they would get one short answer naming two or three practices.
That's all five steps in one sitting: search, scan, read, get comfortable, reach out. The page they reach out to is the one that answers the fee, insurance and license questions without making the reader hunt for them.
People are searching on Google and in AI
In 2025, "therapist near me" was searched between 368,000 and 550,000 times a month in the US (DataForSEO Labs keyword data, US, 2025). That is before you count every variation with a specialty, a city or an insurance plan attached.
According to a KFF poll from early 2026, 1 in 3 adults used AI for health information last year, and 16% of all US adults used it for mental health information. More and more, this is how people are asking questions about their mental health and looking for support.
Both numbers go up when you look at younger adults. Among people under 30, 28% used AI for mental health information in the last year.
KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust · Feb 24 to Mar 2, 2026 · 1,343 US adults
What I really love about AI and therapists together is that these LLMs already have context for the people who are using them. When someone finally tells their chatbot, "All right, I'm ready to find a therapist," it can give them specific recommendations.
I always use myself as the example. Back in 2025, I asked ChatGPT to recommend a therapist for me. It already knew that I live in South Carolina, that I'm a new mom and that I run a business. It found me a therapist who specializes in postpartum and high-achieving women. She was a perfect fit.
Where your clients' inquiries actually come from
When we look at lead source data from four of our client practices (all group practices in metropolitan areas), Google brought in 44% of all leads. A few leads also came in from Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo and AI assistants.
The Google Ads numbers aren't SEO data, of course. But they show the same thing: people are using search to look for exactly what they need, and they're finding it, whether that's through ad spend or organic search.
We can also see that, across the board, organic search beat Psychology Today. A couple of years ago, Psychology Today was a huge player in the leads game. I still see it serving some of my clients, but it has become wildly oversaturated. In some cases, massive companies are using it too, which makes it a lot less effective at getting people onto your website or through your door.
And the results keep building
Our clients usually see a noticeable rise in impressions and clicks within the first month, and inquiries build month over month from there. Here are a few of our favorite results. (You can read the full Chicago case study or see more on our client results page.)
Read the case studies
How SEO compares with what you're already doing
| Channel | Looking for a therapist right now? | How you pay | Keeps working when you stop? |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEO and AEO | Yes | A monthly investment, no cost per click | Yes, and it builds over time |
| Google Ads | Yes | Every click | No, it stops with the budget |
| Psychology Today | Yes | A monthly listing fee | Only while you pay |
| Social media | Rarely | Your time, most days | Posts fade within days |
| Referrals | Yes | Free | Hard to predict |
Ready to Explore SEO and AEO?
If you're considering SEO and AEO for your practice, we would love to help!
Here are a few different ways to start working together:
Free SEO Report Card
If you haven't already, start here. You'll get instant insights into your SEO and how your website is doing, plus a full video from me explaining your SEO in easier-to-understand terms, with a few more insights.
Get yoursSEO Power Hour
We hop on a call, share screens and do as much SEO as we can in an hour to get you started. From there, we can decide whether you want to keep going on your own or do it together.
Book the hourDone-for-you SEO and AEO
Our full SEO retainer. You sacrifice almost no time at all, and we focus on everything you need to be successful in traditional search and in AI.
Learn more"Working with Jade and the team at HelloSEO has been amazing. As a psychotherapist, SEO has never been my passion, but I realized its importance in my marketing strategy. Their knowledge and expertise have helped me to grow my business, bring in new clients, and allow me more flexibility in my time."
Think of it as a tx plan for your practice. If you'd like help being found by the people already looking for you, book a call with me. I'd love to hear about your practice, because everyone deserves a hello in return.
Book a call with Jade