If you run a private therapy practice in the UK, you’ve probably been told to list yourself on every directory under the sun. Counselling Directory, Psychology Today, BACP, Welldoing, Therapy Tribe — the list goes on. Each one promises more enquiries, more visibility, and a “boost” to your SEO.
Some of that is true. A lot of it isn’t.
This guide breaks down the directories that actually move the needle for UK therapists — for SEO, for client enquiries, and for the time and money you put in. We’ll cover what they cost, what kind of traffic they send, and whether the SEO value is real or marketing fluff. A US section is included at the end for online therapists with cross-Atlantic clients.
At the end of the post, you can download a free Google Sheet of every directory mentioned, with links, costs, and SEO value scores, ready to work through.
Before we get into specific platforms, it helps to understand why directories matter at all. There are only two real reasons to list:
1. Direct enquiries. Someone searches the directory, sees your profile, clicks through, and contacts you. This is the bread and butter of most therapist directories.
2. SEO value. The directory links to your website, and that link tells Google your practice is real, established, and trusted. This is called a “citation” or “backlink” and it helps your own site rank better in Google search.
The best directories do both. The worst do neither and just take your money.
Most therapists overestimate directories for SEO and underestimate them for direct enquiries. A Psychology Today listing rarely moves your Google rankings much. But it can absolutely send you 5–10 enquiries a month if your profile is well-written. Keep both jobs in mind as you read.
Three things to assess for every directory you consider:
Don’t pay for a directory unless at least two of these three are strong.
If you can only afford to be on one UK directory, make it Counselling Directory. The combination of high domain authority, strong client awareness, and follow links makes it the single highest-ROI listing for most therapists.
The UK market leader. Ranks well on Google for almost every "[therapy type] [location]" search, which means therapists with strong profiles get a steady flow of enquiries. To stand out, you need a complete profile, a professional photo, a clearly written bio, and ideally video introductions.
Well-established, well-trafficked and respected. The SEO value is excellent because Psychology Today is one of the most-linked-to mental health domains in the world. Enquiry rate in the UK is lower than Counselling Directory, but it ranks well for many UK therapy searches and is worth having alongside.
A slept-on resource. If you're already a BACP member, you should absolutely be on it — no extra cost. Solid SEO benefit because BACP carries real authority both with Google and with potential clients. Enquiries are lower volume but higher quality.
Same logic as BACP. If you're a UKCP-registered psychotherapist, your inclusion is automatic and the directory itself ranks well for searches like "UKCP therapist [city]". Lower volume than BACP but a strong credibility signal.
A thoughtful, well-curated platform with a stronger editorial angle than most. Audience tends to be middle-class, urban, and open to longer-term work — good if you're a psychotherapist or psychodynamic counsellor, less ideal if you specialise in short-term CBT.
A growing UK directory with reasonable Google visibility. The free tier is worth claiming even if you don't pay to upgrade — it's a free citation and a free backlink.
More of a community than a search-driven directory. Useful brand exposure platform but won't drive significant enquiries on its own.
If you're a hypnotherapist, these niche directories deserve more weight than general therapy ones. They rank well for hypnotherapy-specific searches and the audience is highly targeted.
Beyond therapy-specific directories, there are general business citation sources that improve your local SEO. These don’t usually send direct enquiries, but they tell Google your practice is real and consistent across the web. NAP consistency (Name, Address, Phone) across these sites is a known local ranking factor.
The ones worth claiming:
Aim to claim and complete the first five. The remaining five are bonus citations that take 10 minutes each to set up.
If you offer online therapy to clients in the US or work internationally, here are the major directories worth knowing about. Note: most US directories require US-based licensure to list properly, so check eligibility before paying.
The dominant directory in the American market. If you can list legitimately (i.e. you're a licensed US therapist), it's almost always worth it.
A well-established, well-respected US directory with strong domain authority. Smaller audience than Psychology Today but a more engaged one.
A newer, free US directory focused on inclusive, social-justice-aware therapy. Strong following in progressive urban areas. Free is free — claim it.
Focuses on affordable therapy. Worth it if you offer sliding-scale or reduced-fee sessions.
Identity-affirming directory popular with LGBTQ+ and BIPOC therapists. A niche but loyal audience.
Zencare vets every therapist they list, which gives it a premium feel. Only operates in certain US cities, so check coverage before signing up.
Here’s a sensible benchmark:
Beyond that, you’ll get diminishing returns. Better to have eight excellent, well-maintained profiles than 30 half-filled ones.
To make this easier, I’ve put every directory mentioned here into a single Google Sheet — with links, current costs, SEO value scores, and a checklist column so you can tick them off as you complete each profile.
Download the free Therapist Directory Spreadsheet
The sheet covers:
Directories are one part of a wider local SEO strategy. They build credibility, send enquiries, and feed Google trust signals — but they don’t replace a properly optimised website, a strong Google Business Profile, or a content strategy that ranks for the searches your clients actually make.
If you want a full review of where your practice currently stands across directories, your website, and Google, request a Free SEO Snapshot — we’ll send you a prioritised list of what to fix first.
For a wider audit of your therapist SEO foundations, the Therapist SEO Checklist walks through every area worth reviewing.
Done well, directories quietly send you a few new clients every month while your SEO compounds in the background. Done badly, they cost money and time you can’t afford to waste.
Ben is the founder of SEO for Therapists, a specialist SEO agency working exclusively with private practice therapists, counsellors and mental health clinics across the UK. He helps therapists move away from a reliance on directories and start ranking organically on Google — ethically, sustainably, and without the marketing fluff.
More about Ben →