Common Questions About Reviews for Therapists
Why Do Reviews Matter as a Therapist, Psychologist, Counselor, or Psychiatrist?
Online reviews often shape a prospective client’s first impression of your practice. Before reaching out, many people search for therapists online and compare websites, directories, and Google Business Profiles.
Although reviews should never be viewed as the sole indicator of clinical quality, they can influence whether someone chooses to contact your practice.
Reviews matter because they can:
- Help prospective clients learn about your practice.
- Influence whether someone contacts your office.
- Affect the overall perception of your professionalism and client experience.
- Contribute to your online visibility alongside other local SEO factors, such as the completeness and accuracy of your Google Business Profile.
- Provide constructive feedback that may help identify opportunities to improve administrative processes or the overall client experience.
While not every review accurately reflects the quality of care provided, maintaining a professional online presence remains an important part of operating a modern private practice.
Should I Respond to Negative Reviews?
One of the most common questions I receive is:
“Should I respond to negative reviews?”
For psychotherapists and many other mental health professionals, the safest and most ethically appropriate approach is generally not to respond publicly to either positive or negative client reviews.
Even a simple response such as “Thank you for your feedback” may be interpreted as confirming that the reviewer is or was your client. Because psychotherapy involves highly confidential information, publicly acknowledging a therapeutic relationship may create ethical and legal concerns under HIPAA, as well as your profession’s code of ethics.
For this reason, many attorneys, malpractice insurance carriers, ethics experts, and risk-management professionals recommend avoiding public responses to client reviews altogether.
If a review appears inaccurate, misleading, or concerning, consider consulting your malpractice insurance carrier, healthcare attorney, or professional licensing board before deciding whether any action is appropriate.
If the review appears to have been written by someone who is not a client, different considerations may apply. Even then, clinicians should exercise caution and avoid discussing any information that could imply a therapeutic relationship.
In rare situations, a clinician may choose to contact an existing client privately if the content of a review raises concerns about the client’s immediate safety or wellbeing. Any outreach should be based on the client’s ongoing clinical needs—not because of the public review itself. A useful question to consider is:
“Would I still contact this client if the review had never been posted?”
Many practices also include a section within their informed consent documents or practice policies explaining that clinicians cannot respond to online reviews because of confidentiality obligations. Setting expectations early may help reduce misunderstandings later.
**Disclaimer:** This information is intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered legal or ethical advice. Because HIPAA regulations, state laws, licensing board expectations, and professional ethics requirements may vary, consult with a qualified healthcare attorney, your malpractice insurance carrier, or your licensing board if you have questions about responding to online reviews.
Can I Ask Clients for Reviews as a Therapist?
In many cases, asking current therapy clients for reviews or testimonials is inconsistent with professional ethics codes.
For example:
ACA Code of Ethics (2014, C.3.b):
Counselors who use testimonials do not solicit them from current clients nor former clients nor any other persons who may be vulnerable to undue influence.
APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (Standard 5.05):
Psychologists do not solicit testimonials from current therapy clients/patients or other persons who because of their particular circumstances are vulnerable to undue influence.
NASW Code of Ethics (4.07.b):
Social workers should not engage in solicitation of testimonial endorsements from current clients or from other people who, because of their particular circumstances, are vulnerable to undue influence.
Because ethical requirements vary by profession and state, clinicians should also review their licensing board’s requirements and consult with legal or risk-management professionals if they have questions.
How to Ethically Get Google Reviews as a Therapist
Although requesting client reviews is often discouraged, there are many ethical ways to strengthen your online presence.
Maintain a Complete Google Business Profile
Ensure your business information, office hours, contact information, website, and services remain accurate and up to date.
Publish Helpful Educational Content
Creating educational blog posts, videos, or resources demonstrates your expertise while helping prospective clients better understand your approach to care.
Build Professional Relationships
Positive relationships with referral partners, physicians, attorneys, schools, and other healthcare professionals can strengthen your professional reputation and lead to additional referrals over time.
Showcase Your Credentials
Clearly display your education, licenses, certifications, specialties, and clinical experience on your website so prospective clients can learn about your qualifications.
Make Your Reviews Accessible
If you maintain a Google Business Profile, you may choose to provide a link so visitors can read publicly available reviews. Before displaying or promoting reviews, consider your profession’s ethical standards and practice policies regarding testimonials.
Removing Negative Reviews
Many therapists wonder whether they can have a negative review removed from Google or another review platform. In most cases, the answer is no. Review platforms generally do not remove reviews simply because they are negative or critical.
However, a review may be eligible for removal if it violates the platform’s content policies. Examples may include:
- Spam or fake reviews.
- Reviews from individuals who have never interacted with your practice.
- Harassment, hate speech, or threats.
- Conflicts of interest.
- Reviews that violate the platform’s published policies.
If you believe a review violates a platform’s guidelines, you can report it for review through the appropriate reporting process. Avoid publicly arguing with the reviewer while the platform evaluates your request.
Keep in mind that each review platform has its own policies and procedures, so it’s important to review their current guidelines before submitting a removal request.
Displaying Reviews on Your Website
Many therapists ask whether they should feature reviews on their own website.
From a marketing perspective, authentic third-party reviews may help prospective clients feel more confident when learning about a practice. However, therapists should carefully balance potential marketing benefits with ethical obligations surrounding client confidentiality and testimonials.
Some clinicians choose not to display testimonials at all because of ethical considerations.
If you decide to display reviews, consider using publicly available third-party reviews rather than selectively highlighting only positive testimonials. Authenticity generally builds greater trust than a page containing only five-star endorsements.
Common Online Reputation Mistakes Therapists Should Avoid
Protecting your online reputation involves more than collecting positive reviews. It also means avoiding practices that may create ethical, legal, or professional concerns.
Some common mistakes include:
- Publicly responding to client reviews.
- Asking current therapy clients for testimonials or online reviews.
- Purchasing fake reviews or participating in review exchange programs.
- Ignoring inaccurate information on your website or online business profiles.
- Failing to monitor your online presence regularly.
- Sharing identifiable client stories without appropriate authorization.
- Arguing with reviewers on social media or review platforms.
Maintaining professionalism and protecting client confidentiality should remain the foundation of every therapist’s online presence.
How to Protect Your Online Reputation
Protecting your reputation involves much more than monitoring reviews. Consider the following best practices:
- Regularly monitor your Google Business Profile and other professional listings.
- Set up Google Alerts for your name and practice.
- Keep your website and online profiles accurate and current.
- Follow HIPAA requirements and your profession’s ethical standards when communicating online.
- Avoid publicly responding to client reviews unless you have received appropriate legal or risk-management guidance.
- Maintain clear informed consent documents that explain your practice’s policy regarding online reviews.
- Continue providing high-quality clinical care and professional client service.
Over time, consistently ethical and professional practice remains one of the strongest foundations for building a positive reputation.
Frequently Asked Clinical Questions
Below are the practical questions clinicians ask when managing their digital reputation:
Can I turn off Google reviews entirely for my private practice profile?
No. Google does not provide an option for business owners to disable reviews on an active Google Business Profile. If your practice has a public Google Business Profile, people can generally leave reviews in accordance with Google’s policies.
While you cannot turn off reviews, you can report reviews that you believe violate Google’s content policies, such as spam, impersonation, or reviews that otherwise violate the platform’s guidelines.
If a reviewer was never my client, is it a HIPAA violation to state that publicly?
In most situations, mental health professionals should avoid publicly commenting on whether someone is or is not a current or former client. Public discussions about client status may create ethical or privacy concerns and can complicate your response.
If you believe a review was posted by someone who was never your client, consider reporting the review through the platform’s reporting process rather than responding publicly. If you are unsure how to proceed, consult your malpractice insurance carrier, licensing board, or healthcare attorney.
Is it ethical to ask a client to change or remove a negative review?
Mental health professionals should approach this situation with great caution. Contacting a current or former client about changing or removing a review may create concerns related to undue influence, the therapeutic relationship, professional boundaries, and client confidentiality.
If a review raises questions about ethics or risk management, many clinicians choose to consult their malpractice insurance carrier or legal counsel before contacting the individual. Any communication with an existing client should always be guided by the client’s clinical needs—not by reputation management.
How can I gather client feedback without requesting public reviews?
Many clinicians use confidential or anonymous client satisfaction surveys as part of their quality improvement efforts. Anonymous feedback can help identify opportunities to improve administrative processes, communication, and the overall client experience without relying on public testimonials.
Before implementing a feedback system, review your profession’s ethical standards and any applicable legal or privacy requirements. If you have questions, consult your licensing board, malpractice insurance carrier, or healthcare attorney.
Should My Practice Have an Online Reviews Policy?
Many private practices choose to include an online reviews policy as part of their informed consent paperwork or practice policies.
An online reviews policy can help clients understand that therapists are generally unable to respond publicly to reviews because doing so could compromise confidentiality or create ethical concerns. Setting expectations at the beginning of the therapeutic relationship may help reduce misunderstandings later.
A reviews policy may also explain that:
- The practice does not request reviews from current clients.
- Clinicians cannot publicly acknowledge or respond to online reviews.
- Clients are free to share their experiences online if they choose, but the practice will generally not engage in public discussions regarding client care.
Because ethical standards and legal requirements vary by profession and jurisdiction, consider reviewing your policy with legal counsel or your malpractice insurance carrier before implementing it.
Final Thoughts
Your online reputation can influence whether prospective clients choose to contact your practice, but protecting client confidentiality should always remain your highest priority.
While reviews may provide useful feedback and help prospective clients learn about your practice, therapists should approach online reputation management differently than businesses in many other industries. Decisions regarding reviews should always be guided by HIPAA, applicable laws, professional ethics codes, and the best interests of clients.
If you have questions about responding to reviews or using testimonials, consider consulting your malpractice insurance carrier, healthcare attorney, or licensing board for guidance specific to your profession and jurisdiction.
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References:
- American Counseling Association. (2014). ACA Code of Ethics. https://www.counseling.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/ethics/2014-aca-code-of-ethics.pdf
- American Psychological Association. (2017). Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (2002, amended effective June 1, 2010, and January 1, 2017). https://www.apa.org/ethics/code
- BrightLocal. (2025). Local Consumer Review Survey 2025. https://www.brightlocal.com/research/local-consumer-review-survey-2025/
- Google. (n.d.). Google Business Profile Help. https://support.google.com/business/ (See sections on reviews and local ranking)
- National Association of Social Workers. (2021). Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers. https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule. Office for Civil Rights. https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/index.html
- Zendesk. (2025). Zendesk Customer Experience Trends Report 2025. https://cxtrends.zendesk.com/