10 Ethical Ways Therapists Can Get More Google Reviews
Therapists often struggle with asking clients for reviews. Here are 10 practical, ethical ways to invite more Google reviews-without pressure or sales tactics. Learn when to ask, how to keep it HIPAA-safe, and why reviews matter for growing your practice.
I'll be honest: I've never liked asking for feedback.
Not from supervisors. Not from clients. Not even from friends. The moment I open that line of asking, it feels like I'm peeling back my skin and offering my heart up for critique.
When it comes to therapy clients, the stakes feel even higher. Asking someone who's just bared their grief, shame, or heartbreak to also leave a Google review? It feels... excruciating. Like a violation.
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But here's what truly keeps me up at night:
- Nearly every potential client reads reviews. In 2025, more than 99% of American consumers read online reviews before making purchases-93% say they influence their decisions.
- For local businesses (like your therapy practice), the pattern is no different. Around 92% of consumers check online reviews before their very first visit.
- And when they do read reviews, they care about stars. Over 52% of consumers look for an average rating of at least 4 out of 5 stars before considering a local business.
So on one side of this tension is the visceral discomfort of asking, heart tight in my throat. And on the other side is this very real truth: those few stars, those few sentences, might be exactly what gives someone else the courage to reach out, even in their darkest moment.
Matt Hussey
That tension, that fracture between feeling awkward and wishing your work mattered, is exactly why I've been collecting ethical, gentle ways to ask for feedback. Because I believe you can grow your visibility without selling out your soul.
Here are ten grounded, human ways therapists can invite Google reviews without feeling like a breach.
Before I go on
I know some regulators prevent solicitation of reviews. The UKCP for example is one of them. This isn't a post about breaking the rules and saying 'to hell with you!' Far from it.
This is a post about how reviews, in some places, and at some times, can be useful.
Before we jump in, here's some food for thought: The world of therapy regulation is often disjointed and inconsistent. As practitioners we're the ones on the front-lines having to compete with corporates moving into the space, AI eating our lunch, and non-regulated professionals using every trick of the trade to get ahead of you and the work you do.
This piece is about levelling the playing field. I believe in empowering practitioners to do more with what they have. We need to be to adapt to a world that is changing faster than we realise.
10 Ethical Ways to Ask for Google Reviews (Without Feeling Like You're Selling Your Soul)
1. Make It Stupidly Simple
If someone wants to leave you a review, don't make them hunt for it. Have your Google review link ready. Add it to your email signature, your website, even a discreet QR code on your business card. Remove friction, because every extra click makes it less likely they'll follow through. Here's how to set this up.
2. Ask at the Right Moment
Timing is everything. Not after a messy, painful session. Not when someone's in crisis. But sometimes, a client leaves saying, "This has helped me so much." That's your cue to gently say, "If you'd ever like to share that in a Google review, it could really help others find the support they need."
3. Use Gentle Follow-ups
A short, warm line in your follow-up email:"If today's session felt helpful, and you'd like to, here's a link to share your experience-it means a lot." Keep it light, not pushy. They should feel free to ignore it without guilt.
Matt Hussey
4. Explain Why It Matters
People aren't just writing for you, they're writing for the scared, 2am Googler who doesn't know where else to turn. Frame it as an act of service: "Your words could help someone else feel less alone."
5. Be Transparent About Effort
One star rating + one sentence is enough. Clients often imagine they need to write a long testimonial, which feels overwhelming. Make it clear that short is not just okay, it's perfect.
6. Normalize Feedback in Your Practice
If feedback is part of your culture-checking in at the end of sessions, asking what's working, what could shift-then asking for reviews doesn't feel like a bolt from the blue. It's just one more way they can reflect.
7. Respond with Gratitude (Not Details)
When someone does leave a review, respond. Always. A simple, compliant "Thank you for sharing" goes a long way. No client details. No confirming they came to you. Just gratitude.
Matt Hussey
8. Plant Seeds in Non-Session Spaces
Instead of asking face-to-face (which can feel icky), mention reviews on your website, in your newsletter, or in your intake/onboarding info. This creates quiet awareness, without putting pressure on anyone mid-session.
9. Leverage Your Wider Network
Reviews don't only have to come from current clients. Colleagues, supervisees, peers, even people who've attended your workshops can leave reviews about your professionalism and presence. Those voices matter too.
10. Protect the Relationship Above All Else
If asking feels like it risks the trust of a client, don't do it. Reviews are powerful, yes, but not at the cost of the therapeutic alliance. You can grow your visibility in other ways. The relationship always comes first.
Closing Thoughts
Asking for reviews will probably never feel easy. For many of us, it will always carry a sting of awkwardness, like we're tipping the sacredness of therapy into the clunky world of marketing.
But here's the reframe I've had to make for myself: it isn't really about me. It's about the person who is right now googling "therapist near me" with their heart in their throat, wondering if anyone will understand them.
Matt Hussey
Your reviews are not vanity metrics. They're tiny lanterns, lighting the path for someone who doesn't yet know if they'll make it through.
Small Things You Can Do Right Now
- Find your review link - Google "Business Profile Manager," copy your unique review link, and save it somewhere easy to grab.
- Add it to one place - pop it into your email signature or a thank-you note template. Don't overcomplicate it.
- Draft one gentle line - something like: "If today felt helpful, sharing your experience here could help others find support too."
- Respond to any existing reviews - a quick, grateful reply (that preserves confidentiality, no details) builds trust and shows you're present.
- Decide your boundary - when you will ask, and when you won't. Protecting the therapeutic relationship always comes first.
If asking for reviews feels painful-welcome to the club. But maybe that pain is a sign that you care deeply about doing it ethically. And maybe, just maybe, that's the exact kind of care people are searching for when they read reviews in the first place.
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