The Two Reasons to List on a Directory
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 to 10 enquiries a month if your profile is well-written. Keep both jobs in mind as you read.
What Makes a Directory "Worth It"
Three things to assess for every directory you consider:
- Domain authority — how strong the directory's own site is on Google. Higher means more SEO value passes to your site.
- Link type — does it give you a follow link (passes SEO value) or nofollow (does not)? Both still count as citations, but follow links are more valuable.
- Audience match — does the directory actually attract the kind of clients you want to work with?
Do not pay for a directory unless at least two of these three are strong.
Top Pick — Editor's recommendation
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.
UK Directories
The eight UK therapist directories worth your time, money and SEO effort.
UK Therapist Directories: The Ones That Matter
Counselling Directory
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.
Verdict: Worth it for most UK therapists. The single best directory if you only join one.
Psychology Today (UK)
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.
Verdict: Worth it if budget allows, especially alongside Counselling Directory.
BACP Therapist Directory
A slept-on resource. If you are already a BACP member, you should absolutely be on it with 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.
Verdict: Yes, if you are a BACP member. Free SEO value with no effort. *Included with membership (£177/year).
UKCP Find a Therapist
Same logic as BACP. If you are 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.
Verdict: Yes, if you are UKCP registered. No reason not to be on it. *Included with UKCP membership.
Welldoing.org
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 are a psychotherapist or psychodynamic counsellor, less ideal if you specialise in short-term CBT.
Verdict: Good supplementary directory, especially for psychodynamic/integrative therapists in major cities.
Harley Therapy Directory
A growing UK directory with reasonable Google visibility. The free tier is worth claiming even if you do not pay to upgrade. It is a free citation and a free backlink.
Verdict: Worth the free listing. Paid tier is borderline.
The Counsellors Café
More of a community than a search-driven directory. Useful brand exposure platform but will not drive significant enquiries on its own.
Verdict: Free listing only. Skip the paid tier unless you are already active in the community.
Find a Hypnotherapist (CNHC / NCH)
If you are 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.
Verdict: Essential if you offer hypnotherapy. *Included with CNHC or NCH membership.
UK Citation Sources (Not Directories, But Worth Listing)
Beyond therapy-specific directories, there are general business citation sources that improve your local SEO. These do not 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:
- Google Business Profile — non-negotiable, the single most important listing
- Bing Places — Microsoft's equivalent, free and quick to set up
- Apple Maps Business Connect — increasingly important as iPhone users default to Apple Maps
- Yell.com — high authority UK business directory, free basic listing
- Yelp UK — modest enquiry volume but a strong citation
- Thomson Local — free citation worth claiming
- Foursquare/Factual — feeds data to other map services
- FreeIndex — free UK directory
- Hotfrog — free UK business directory
- TouchLocal — free UK directory
Aim to claim and complete the first five. The remaining five are bonus citations that take 10 minutes each to set up.
US Directories
The six US directories online and cross-border therapists should know about.
US Directories (For Online & Cross-Border Therapists)
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.
Psychology Today (US)
The dominant directory in the American market. If you can list legitimately (i.e. you are a licensed US therapist), it is almost always worth it.
Verdict: Essential for any US-licensed therapist. Strongest single ROI in the US market.
GoodTherapy
A well-established, well-respected US directory with strong domain authority. Smaller audience than Psychology Today but a more engaged one.
Verdict: Strong second choice alongside Psychology Today.
TherapyDen
A newer, free US directory focused on inclusive, social-justice-aware therapy. Strong following in progressive urban areas. Free is free. Claim it.
Verdict: Claim it. It is free and adds an SEO citation with no downside.
Open Path Collective
Focuses on affordable therapy. Worth it if you offer sliding-scale or reduced-fee sessions.
Verdict: Yes, but only if you offer reduced-fee sessions.
Inclusive Therapists
Identity-affirming directory popular with LGBTQ+ and BIPOC therapists. A niche but loyal audience.
Verdict: Strong fit if your work aligns with the platform's values.
Zencare
Zencare vets every therapist they list, which gives it a premium feel. Only operates in certain US cities, so check coverage before signing up.
Verdict: Excellent if you operate in a supported city. *Enquiry volume depends on city coverage.
Directories to Avoid (or Be Cautious With)
Not every directory deserves your time or money. The platforms below are the ones we see therapists waste budget on most often. Some charge monthly fees for almost no return. Others create SEO problems rather than solving them.
Low-traffic aggregators like Therapy Tribe
Platforms that list thousands of therapists but rarely rank on Google or send direct enquiries. You pay monthly for visibility that does not exist.
Generic "SEO directory" spam sites
Sites that exist purely to sell listings to anyone. Weak domain authority, no real client audience, and often nofollow links that pass almost no SEO value.
International directories with no UK relevance
US-only or global directories that do not rank for UK therapy searches. Fine if you have US licensure and target US clients. A waste of money for a UK-only practice.
Pay-to-list sites with nofollow-only links
Some directories charge a fee but only offer nofollow links. They still count as citations, but you are paying for a fraction of the SEO benefit a follow link provides.
Duplicate or inconsistent citation services
Services that auto-submit your NAP to hundreds of low-quality sites. They often create inconsistent addresses and phone numbers, which hurts local SEO rather than helping it.
How Many Directories Should You Be On?
Here is a sensible benchmark:
- 5 to 8 specialist therapy directories (paid and free, including BACP/UKCP if applicable)
- 5 to 10 general business citation sources (free, for SEO consistency)
- 1 Google Business Profile (non-negotiable)
Beyond that, you will get diminishing returns. Better to have eight excellent, well-maintained profiles than 30 half-filled ones.
Get the Full Directory List as a Google Sheet
To make this easier, I have 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.
Thanks. Your request has been sent. I will email you the spreadsheet link shortly.
The sheet covers:
- 8 UK therapy directories
- 10 UK citation sources
- 6 US therapy directories
- Cost, SEO value, link type, and domain authority for each
- A blank "status" column for tracking your progress
What Next?
Directories are one part of a wider local SEO strategy. They build credibility, send enquiries, and feed Google trust signals, but they do not 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 will 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 cannot afford to waste.
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