I read a horrifying news article today. In rural California, it can take TWO AND A HALF YEARS to find help for a mental health problem. One woman was turned away because she was told her mental health problem wasn’t severe enough. She had to get to a point where she contemplated suicide before she could see someone.
California has a “major, ongoing” shortage of mental health providers, and it’s “especially dire” in rural areas, according to a 2022 survey commissioned by the state. Nearly one-third of California’s residents were living in an area with an insufficient ratio of providers to patients, the report found.
That’s tragic given the breadth of people struggling with their mental health. And you might be saying, “Just use AI! Chatbots to the rescue!” but that comes with its own problems. In a high-profile case, a Florida mom is suing Character.ai because she alleges her son committed suicide at the behest of the company’s chatbot. Even Dartmouth, which developed a successful therapybot, admits that early versions of its AI were spectacular failures.
Therapy is nuanced. It’s a very human thing. Sure, you can talk to ChatGPT when you’re going through a breakup — it’s there for you 24/7 after all — but it can’t replace human connection and human insight. This is why a therapist’s website is invaluable. Many therapists use their website as a static calling card. It lists their bio, contact information, and what insurance they take. That’s fine but there’s so much more they can do.
As a ghostwriter for therapists, I’ve written numerous pieces that were empathic and offered valuable insights to readers. Most of the pieces were optimized for search engines (because SEO blog writing services is one of my specialties), but that’s primarily for therapists who want to drive traffic to their websites. If you’re looking to boost your client list, your website is the best place to differentiate yourself from the other therapists who are in your area.
But to get back to the CalMatters story I read, your website can also be a place of healing. You don’t have to give content away for free. You can create courses on inner child work, healing from trauma, improving relationships, etc. You can build something that’s the culmination of your experience in this healing field. And you can help people who really need help. Someone shouldn’t get to the point of suicide before they hear, “The therapist will see you now.”
As a therapist, I know you value mental health. I know you want others to be well. It may feel daunting to create a course or write a book but you don’t have to do it alone. As a ghostwriter for therapists, this is what I do. I give you back two hours a week to focus on your current clients but can also help you reach more people. We can partner together so everyone, everywhere, receives the tools to thrive in this world, not only survive.
If you’d like to work together, reach out to me. Let’s see if we’re a good fit.