Empty Chair - UK Counsellors Forum

Working as a private counsellor and seeking to develop my business I am finding a tension between trying to sell my "product" whilst being honest and realistic about what counselling is and what it can achieve - for example it is not a quick fix and to claim that it can solve certain problems would be unethical.

But at the same time I do believe counselling can really benefit people in many ways. I am trying to work out how to communicate these benefits more effectively to members of the public who look at our website. I think often as counsellors we undersell rather than oversell our service.

Any thoughts on this?

Gill

Hi Gill

I totally agree with you and joined this forum hoping for more 'business' discussions. I am currently working on promoting my own private practice and just about every part of this feels unethical, although of course it isn't, but I totally hear what you are saying!

I have also taken out Google Adwords and Facebook advertising campaigns, targeting my market directly with headings that catch people's attention. In fact, I am actually daring to have a little 'fun' with this as I do not see all counselling as having to be totally doom and gloom in it's approach - after all, we need it to catch the eye of the prospective client, not send them to sleep or depress them further!

I would be really happy to share experiences here and perhaps more will come on board!

Sue Christy
www.suechristycounselling.co.uk

Advertising is something I also struggle with, I tend not to make any claims about what counselling can do for the same reasons previously stated but that leaves me only really able to speak about what type of therapy I practice which can be a bit dry and probably not massively important to a person looking for a counsellor.

I am currently starting up private practice and advertising. I am finding that reputation and word of mouth is invaluable to attract clients. What better recommendation of the benefits and the highs and lows of the therapeutic relationship than a client spreading the word to other folk. I am hoping to soon be counselling student counsellors and I am on the university list. I have noticed through my own training courses that students do tend to ask around and ask other people's opinons on certain counsellors. Clients may well do the same.

Amanda