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Summary: Google Ads for Therapists (2025) This comprehensive guide from My Therapy Flow (https://mytherapyflow.com/google-ads-therapist-guide/) provides mental health practitioners with a detailed framework for implementing Google Ads campaigns to grow their practices. The guide emphasizes that Google Ads offers therapists a faster alternative to SEO for gaining visibility on Google search results. Rather than waiting six to twelve months for organic rankings, practitioners can appear in search results shortly after launching their campaigns through this pay-per-click platform. Pre-Campaign Preparation Before launching campaigns, the guide recommends therapists establish several foundational elements. Practitioners should develop unique offers such as free consultations, immediate availability, or telehealth services to differentiate themselves in a competitive market. Understanding client lifetime value is critical for determining sustainable advertising costs. The authors suggest starting with a minimum budget of twenty dollars daily for two to three months, allowing sufficient time for data collection and campaign optimization. Website Optimization Requirements The guide stresses that website preparation is essential for campaign success. Sites should feature clear calls to action, dedicated service pages, prominent contact information, optimized page speed, and social proof through testimonials. These elements facilitate smooth user experiences when prospects click advertisements. Campaign Configuration For setup, the guide recommends using Expert Mode and selecting search campaigns without goal guidance for more straightforward implementation. Initial campaigns should use click-focused bidding strategies until conversions occur, at which point practitioners can transition to conversion-focused bidding. Location targeting should begin locally before expanding, and practitioners should exclude Google search partners and display networks initially to concentrate budget on higher-quality search traffic. Keyword Strategy The authors advocate starting with ten to twenty phrase-match keywords closely related to core services. Recommended keywords include variations of “therapist,” “therapy services,” location-specific terms, and specialty designations. The guide explains keyword match types—broad, phrase, and exact—with phrase match recommended for new campaigns to balance reach and relevance. Ad Creation Best Practices Effective ads should utilize all fifteen available headlines and four descriptions to test various combinations. The guide recommends examining competitor advertisements for inspiration and suggests creating two to three ads per ad group. Optional extensions like sitelinks and callouts can enhance ad visibility and performance. Ongoing Optimization Post-launch, the guide emphasizes regular review of the search terms report to identify irrelevant queries and add negative keywords. Common negative keywords for therapists include “physical therapy” and “massage therapy.” The authors stress that conversion tracking for phone calls and form submissions is vital for measuring campaign effectiveness and enabling algorithm-based optimization. Practical Considerations The guide acknowledges that initial campaign performance may require patience, with the first month typically involving experimentation and data gathering. Budget recommendations account for competitive cost-per-click rates in mental health advertising, and the authors note that campaigns struggling initially can become strong performers after several months of refinement. This resource from My Therapy Flow provides practitioners with actionable guidance grounded in their experience working with numerous therapy practices, offering both strategic direction and technical implementation details for leveraging Google Ads effectively. Source Credit: This summary is based on content from My Therapy Flow’s “Google Ads for Therapists (2025)” guide, available at https://mytherapyflow.com/google-ads-therapist-guide/.​​​​​​​​​

By Emily Pethel By Emily Pethel Emily is a Remnant Member and about to graduate with degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling! We love our members and Emily is especially fantastic. As a Naval Officer, she has a broad range of skills in areas such as Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD), mentorship, speech writing, teaching, public speaking, leadership, strategic communications, driving a 100,000 horsepower ship, and even counter narcotics enforcement tactics. Find Emily on Remnant Counselor Collective HERE Find Emily on LinkedIn HERE As both a professional counselor and lifelong horsewoman, I’ve come to believe that horses may be some of the most honest and gifted teachers we have when it comes to understanding the therapeutic core of attunement. In the counseling room, we talk often about attunement as the art of being with our clients in a present, regulated, and empathic way. But in the barn, attunement is not a metaphor—it’s a matter of safety, communication, and trust. Beth Anstandig, author of The Human Herd (2022), beautifully describes a four-channel model of natural leadership awareness: What is happening inside me? What is happening inside the other? What is happening between us? What is happening in the environment? According to Anstandig, most people tend to focus heavily on channels 2 and 4—scanning the other person (or animal) and the surrounding environment for potential threats, feedback, or cues. This orientation has evolutionary roots and social reinforcement, but it creates a significant gap in our self-awareness. When we become fixated on “What is the horse doing?” or “Is there a trigger in the environment?” we miss two of the most crucial elements of authentic connection: our own internal state and the relational field between us and the other being. The Untrained Eye: Mislabeling Behavior as Disobedience As a horse trainer, I’ve often worked with clients who are frustrated by their horse’s so-called “behavior problems.” They’ll describe the horse as spooky, stubborn, inattentive, or pushy. They note that it’s windy, that the plastic bag is flapping again, or that the horse always balks at the same corner of the arena. What they rarely notice is that they’ve stepped back without realizing it. Their feet shifted. Their energy dipped. Their breath caught. Something moved inside them—but they didn’t register it. And neither did they recognize what it felt like when the connection between them and the horse broke, or shifted. In a clinic with Warrick Schiller, an internationally known horseman and behavior specialist, I watched him pause a session to ask a handler, “What happened in you when your horse stopped listening?” The handler looked confused and replied, “I don’t know. I just got frustrated.” Warrick gently pressed, “Where did you feel that in your body?” The handler had no answer—but the horse had already responded to the change in her. This is the critical gap between channels 1 and 3—what is happening inside me, and what is happening between us. In both horsemanship and counseling, this is where change begins. Developing Somatic Awareness Through Groundwork Groundwork with horses provides a living laboratory for somatic awareness. I’ve seen clients and students move backwards unconsciously, tighten their shoulders, raise their voice, or stop breathing altogether while handling a horse—all in response to subtle fear, anticipation, or frustration. These micro-reactions send mixed signals to the horse, who is wired to respond to incongruent energy faster than we can cognitively process it. Warrick Schiller (2022) often emphasizes the importance of congruency—the alignment of intention, body language, and internal state. “Your horse doesn’t do what you say,” he writes, “he does what you are.” This echoes the core principle of therapeutic presence in counseling: our nervous system regulation is our first and most impactful intervention. HeartMath and Attunement: A Shared Tool for Horse and Human In my counseling practice, I use HeartMath’s coherence tools to help clients (and myself) become more attuned to internal state shifts. Coherence refers to a state of synchronized physiological and emotional regulation—when the heart, breath, and nervous system work in harmony (McCraty et al., 2009). I first began using HeartMath as part of my MBA research into the physiological effects of human-horse interaction. What I discovered was that horses responded noticeably to the shifts in human coherence, often approaching or softening their own body language when the human participant practiced slow, heart-focused breathing. In clinical counseling sessions, particularly those involving trauma or dysregulation, I’ve found HeartMath’s techniques invaluable. Before walking into a session—or a round pen—I take 30 seconds to breathe into coherence, bringing my attention to my heart and generating a sense of calm appreciation. The difference is tangible. The horse softens. The client settles. The connection strengthens. Anstandig (2022) notes that the “relational field” between two beings is a dynamic, living force that can be consciously shaped—but only if we’re attuned enough to notice its fluctuations. That field doesn’t exist in isolation; it is born from the convergence of internal awareness (Channel 1) and mutual presence (Channel 3). When either is absent, the connection falters. Implications for Counseling Practice So what does all this mean for those of us who don’t lead horses into the counseling room? First, we must reclaim Channel 1. If we, as clinicians, aren’t tuned into our own bodily and emotional signals, we risk slipping into cognitive overdrive—trying to think our way through therapeutic rapport while our nervous system quietly leaks stress, irritation, or fatigue. Second, we must train our awareness of Channel 3. The field between therapist and client is filled with information—pacing, posture, breath, tone, silence—that communicates far more than words. Our job is not only to observe the client, but to feel into the space between us with curiosity and care. Just as horsemen learn to ride with “feel”—a word used so often it's nearly mythical—so too must we develop feel in the therapy room. Not as guesswork, but as embodied responsiveness. As Schiller (2022) writes, “Feel is your ability to be aware of what’s going on and to respond in the moment in a way that helps the horse find peace.” I would argue the same can be said for our clients. Closing Thoughts Attunement is not a posture we adopt or a skill we check off a list. It is a way of being. Whether I’m holding a lead rope or holding space for a client, I return again and again to the four awareness channels: What is happening in me? What is happening in the other? What is happening between us? What is happening in the environment?   Attunement is not something we do—it’s a way we show up. Whether I’m holding a lead rope or holding space in a therapy session, I return again and again to those four awareness channels. Horses have shown me that connection doesn’t begin with control—it begins with presence. And tools like HeartMath help me practice that presence with intention, both in the barn and in the counseling room.   References Anstandig, B. (2022). The human herd: Awakening our natural leadership. Morgan James Publishing. McCraty, R., Atkinson, M., Tomasino, D., & Bradley, R. T. (2009). The coherent heart: Heart-brain interactions, psychophysiological coherence, and the emergence of system-wide order. Integral Review, 5(2), 10–115. Schiller, W. (2022). The principles of training horses with feel: A mindful, connection-based approach. Warwick Schiller Performance Horsemanship.  

By Dr. Mark Mayfield Guiding Parents Through Their Teen’s Self-Injury Journey Discovering that a child is self-injuring is a terrifying moment for any parent. They may experience fear, confusion, guilt, or even anger. As clinicians, one of our essential roles is not only to support the teenager but also to guide their parents through the complex emotions and challenges that come with self-injury. What Parents Need to Know Many parents instinctively respond with panic or punishment, but this can further isolate the teen and worsen the behavior. Instead, they need to: Stay Calm and Listen – A non-judgmental approach encourages open communication. Avoid Jumping to Conclusions – Self-injury does not necessarily mean the teen is suicidal, but it does indicate distress. Seek Professional Help – Therapists trained in self-harm intervention can help families develop a plan for safety and healing. Remove Immediate Means of Self-Injury – While it’s not a cure, reducing access to sharp objects can provide a crucial layer of safety. Validate Their Child’s Feelings – Even if they don’t understand the behavior, acknowledging the child’s emotions is key. How Clinicians Can Help Education: Providing psychoeducation about self-injury helps parents separate fact from fear. Family Counseling: Facilitating family discussions can strengthen communication and trust. Developing a Safety Plan: Teaching parents how to create a supportive, structured home environment is essential. A Call to Action Clinicians must be equipped with the right tools to help parents navigate this journey effectively. Our training program, Helping Clinicians Support Teens Who Self-Injure, offers evidence-based approaches to empower families and promote healing. Sign up today and become a resource for families in crisis! SIGN UP HERE

Understanding Why Teens Self-Injure: Part 1 By Dr. Mark Mayfield Breaking the Silence on Teen Self-Injury Self-injury among adolescents is a growing concern, yet it remains a misunderstood and often hidden issue. Many parents and professionals struggle to comprehend why a teenager would deliberately harm themselves. While self-injury is not the same as a suicide attempt, it is a clear signal that a young person is in distress and needs help. Why Do Teens Self-Injure? Self-injury, commonly in the form of cutting, burning, or scratching, serves as a coping mechanism for many teens. While it may seem counterintuitive, self-harm can temporarily provide relief from overwhelming emotions. Here are some common reasons why teens engage in this behavior: Emotional Regulation – Teens who struggle with anxiety, depression, or trauma may find self-harm as a way to release pent-up emotions. A Sense of Control – When life feels chaotic or unpredictable, self-injury may give a sense of control over one's body and feelings. Physical Expression of Emotional Pain – Some teens find it difficult to articulate their distress, and self-harm becomes a tangible way to express their internal struggles. Peer Influence or Exposure – Social media and peer groups can play a role in normalizing self-injury, making it a learned behavior. Self-Punishment – Feelings of guilt, shame, or self-loathing can lead to self-inflicted pain as a form of punishment. How Can Clinicians Help? Understanding the underlying emotions behind self-injury is the first step in helping teens navigate healthier coping strategies. As clinicians, we must provide a judgment-free space where teens feel safe expressing their emotions. Therapeutic interventions, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and mindfulness techniques, can help teens develop healthier emotional regulation skills. Take Action If you are a clinician working with teens, it is vital to educate yourself on self-injury warning signs and intervention strategies. Our upcoming training, Helping Clinicians Support Teens Who Self-Injure, provides comprehensive tools to assess risk, intervene effectively, and engage families in the healing process.  SIGN UP HERE