Social Media Tips for Psychologists: How to Grow Your Mental Health Practice Online
- Hookle
- Apr 25
- 6 min read
Table of Content
Bonus Tip 💡: Ease Your Workload With Social Media Management Apps
In today’s digital age, having a strong online presence isn’t optional - it’s essential. For psychologists and mental health professionals, social media offers a powerful way to build trust, reach more people, and grow your practice ethically and authentically.
Having a strong online presence isn’t optional - it’s essential
Whether you're just starting out or looking to enhance your existing social presence, here are 15 practical tips to help you build an impactful digital presence - without compromising your professional boundaries.
What is Social Media Marketing for Psychologists?
Social media marketing for psychologists means building an online presence that helps you connect with potential clients, raise awareness about mental health, and grow your practice.
It includes sharing valuable content such as tips for managing anxiety or stress, myth-busting facts about therapy, behind-the-scenes glimpses of your office (without clients), inspirational quotes, and updates about your services.
Offering content that is both helpful and approachable, you position yourself as a trusted professional
And the good news? With the right tools - especially AI-powered ones (we’ll get into those later) - managing social media doesn’t have to be overwhelming. These tools can help automate your posts, suggest content ideas, and streamline your strategy so you can focus more on supporting your clients and less on what to post next.
What Social Media Channels Are Best for Psychologists?
The best social media platforms for psychologists include Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and LinkedIn. These platforms allow you to connect meaningfully with your audience while educating and reducing stigma around mental health.
LinkedIn is especially powerful if your practice focuses on professionals, corporate wellness, or mental health advocacy. It also helps build authority and connect with referral partners.
Master one or two first, then expand as you grow
If you're just starting out, don't feel pressured to be active on every platform. Begin with one or two that align with your audience and comfort level. Master those first, then expand as you grow.
8 Simple Tips to Grow Your Practice Online
Here are practical, down-to-earth tips to help you grow your online presence, connect meaningfully with your audience, and build momentum - whether you're just starting your practice or looking to expand it. Let’s dive in!
1. Stay Within Professional Boundaries
Psychologist Lily Robinson does a great job educating her audience about schema therapy in an accessible way. She also sets clear boundaries by including disclaimers like “TikTok is not therapy” in her captions - an excellent reminder of how to share ethically online.
As a mental health professional, it’s crucial to maintain ethical standards on social media
As a mental health professional, it’s crucial to maintain ethical standards on social media. Avoid giving personal advice or discussing individual cases. Instead, focus on general education and use disclaimers like “This is for informational purposes only” to protect both yourself and your audience while still offering value.
2. Educate, Don’t Diagnose
A great example comes from Dr. Julie, a psychologist and author who shared a short, engaging video explaining how your brain works when you feel down - making the science relatable and easy to understand. She cleverly linked the clip to her book, offering both value and a natural next step for her audience.
Content that educates and empowers your audience builds trust
Take inspiration from this approach: share general mental health tips, coping strategies, and self-care advice. Break down complex topics like anxiety, trauma, or mindfulness into short, digestible posts or videos. Content that educates and empowers your audience builds trust - and encourages them to engage with your services or resources.
3. Use Google Business Profile
As a local business, your Google Business Profile is essential. Make sure it’s up to date with your office hours, location, website, and the services you offer.
Post helpful updates and tips regularly - Google displays this content in local search results, making it easier for potential clients in your area to find and trust you. And don’t forget to link your social media to Google listing for extra visibility.
Make sure your Google Business Profile is up to date
And don’t stop there - stay consistent by publishing Google updates. Tools like Hookle make it easy to publish posts across your social media platforms and Google Business Profile at the same time. It’s the simplest way to stay top of mind in your local community while saving time.
No profile yet? No problem - it’s free and only takes a few minutes to set up. Set up your Google Business Profile here.
4. Create Short Video Clips
Above Psych and Fit, a clinical health psychologist from Ireland and PhD candidate in neuroscience, shares powerful short clips on topics like healing from trauma. Her professional profile, combined with clear and relatable content, builds trust and credibility with her audience.
Keep your tone simple, warm, and educational to connect effectively
Video is one of the most engaging forms of content on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Short clips - just 15-30 seconds - on topics like “3 grounding techniques for anxiety” or “How to spot burnout” work well. Keep your tone simple, warm, and educational to connect effectively.
5. Add Value With Infographics and Quotes
A great example comes from Psychology Tips Daily, who shares short clips and psychology facts designed for everyday use. Even though many of the quotes or tips have been seen before, it’s all about how you present them.
Use visuals to share bite-sized content like positive psychology quotes
You can do the same - use visuals to share bite-sized content like positive psychology quotes, brain health infographics, or emotional wellbeing checklists. These types of posts are not only easy to digest but also highly shareable, helping your message spread further while staying useful and supportive.
6. Highlight Client Wins (With Consent)
Tóth Laura, a UK-based psychologist, shared a powerful client story. The client believed planning could erase anxiety - until life proved otherwise. She couldn’t control everything, but she could choose her mindset and actions. That shift changed everything - a great example of sharing wins with care.
You can also use anonymized “before and after” client stories to inspire others
If you receive positive feedback or testimonials - and have client consent - don’t hesitate to share them. Social proof builds trust. You can also use anonymized “before and after” client stories to illustrate growth and inspire others.
7. Use Hashtags Wisely
Hashtags help your posts get discovered by the right audience. A great example comes from the Arizona Center for Emotionally Focused Therapy (AZEFT), who use strategically selected hashtags like #arizonapsychologists and #arizonasocialworkers to increase local visibility.
Keep it focused - about 5 to 10 relevant hashtags is usually the sweet spot
Follow their lead by using location-based hashtags such as #NYCTherapist or #LondonCounsellor, and combine them with topic-specific tags like #MentalHealthAwareness, #AnxietySupport, or #TherapyTips. This boosts your reach among people looking for support in your area and within your specialty. Keep it focused - about 5 to 10 relevant hashtags is usually the sweet spot.
8. Create a Content Calendar
Plan your content in advance with a calendar. Note important mental health dates like World Mental Health Day, Mental Health Awareness Month, or Stress Awareness Week, and create posts around them. This makes your content timely, relevant, and connected to broader conversations in your field.
Plan your content in advance with a calendar
Use social media management tools like Hookle (as shown above) to schedule your posts ahead of time. These tools automatically suggests content ideas - including holidays and awareness days - so you never run out of timely topics to share.
Ease Your Workload With Social Media Management Apps
Maintaining a consistent and professional presence across multiple social media channels can be time-consuming - especially when you're managing a full caseload. That’s where social media management apps like Hookle come in.
Hookle is designed for busy psychologists like you
This simple yet powerful mobile app helps you create, schedule, and publish content across social platforms and Google Business Profile - all from one place. Hookle also offers smart post ideas, performance tracking, and AI support to make your social media efforts easier and more effective.
Don’t just take our word for it - try it yourself. Download Hookle for free and take the stress out of social media while confidently growing your mental health practice.
.png)
.png)
.png)