Good Enough Counsellors

The BACP No More Stiff Upper Lip campaign has generated significant national coverage - and strong reactions within the therapy profession.
Rather than asking whether the campaign was “good” or “bad”, I’m exploring something slightly different:
What was the campaign trying to do?
Whether it "worked" - and what that even means
And what can we learn from it as therapists building private practices

Takeaways:
Niching inevitably includes some people and excludes others
Securing media attention and professional approval are not always the same thing
Standing out may invite a critical reaction
Think about how it might land with clients
A critical reaction does not automatically mean failure

This episode discusses the BACP No More Stiff Upper Lip campaign, therapy marketing, and niching in private practice.
You can also find me here:
The Good Enough Counsellors Facebook Group
Josephine Hughes on Facebook
Josephine Hughes on YouTube
My website: josephinehughes.com
Setting up in private practice? Download my free checklist HERE
Need ideas for how to get clients? Download my free handout 21 Ways for Counsellors to Attract New Clients HERE
Keywords
private practice, women over 50, mental wellbeing, BACP campaign, No More Stiff Upper Lip, mental health awareness, therapy for women, public conversation about therapy, media coverage for therapy, counselling for women

How do you move from being found online to actually being booked by the right clients?
In this episode, website and marketing specialist Kat Love breaks down the three stages of marketing for therapists, from visibility and awareness, to consideration, to making it easy for clients to take the next step.
We talk about why marketing for therapists often feels overwhelming, how to reduce friction on your website so enquiries come more easily, how to avoid “psychobabble” that pushes potential clients away, and how to build ethical social proof without compromising your values.
By the end of the episode, you'll understand which stage of your marketing needs attention and how to move from being found to being booked in a way that feels grounded and realistic.
Takeaways
Marketing moves through three stages: being found, being considered, and being booked.
Visibility is often uncomfortable. Choose activities in your marketing window of tolerance
Clients move at different speeds. Not everyone books straight away
Make the next step clear and reassuring on your website
Avoid psychobabble. Use the words your clients would use.
Social proof can be ethical and does not have to rely on testimonials

You can find Kat at their website: https://katlove.com
If the psychobabble section has you rethinking your website or directory profile, you can find support in Therapy Growth Group where we regularly work on profiles, niching and clear messaging so that potential clients understand exactly how you help.
Setting up in private practice? Download my free checklist HERE
Need ideas for how to get clients? Download my free handout 21 Ways for Counsellors to Attract New Clients HERE
You can also find me here:
The Good Enough Counsellors Facebook Group
Josephine Hughes on Facebook
Josephine Hughes on YouTube
My website: josephinehughes.com
Keywords: marketing for therapists, private practice growth, therapist websites, referral networks, content marketing for therapists, SEO for therapy practices, ethical marketing, client testimonials, psychobabble in therapy, visibility in marketing, awareness stage marketing, consideration stage marketing, building a client base
The information contained in Good Enough Counsellors is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this podcast are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this podcast.
Josephine Hughes disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this podcast.

This episode continues last month’s discussion on why clients don’t always follow therapists on social media. In Part 1, I talked about how professional language can unintentionally create distance between therapists and potential clients. In this episode, I zoom out a little. Because it’s not just about the words we use - it’s about how people experience our content emotionally.
Clients don’t follow therapists because they’re impressed. They follow when they feel understood.
Takeaways
Why social media can feel exposing and discouraging for therapists
How fear of judgement can make our posts sound careful or stilted
Why tone matters just as much as language
How small moments of appropriate self-disclosure can build connection
Why clients often follow for a while before making contact
How consistency over time helps people decide whether they feel safe with you

I also share examples from my own experience, including how story-based posts help people relate to you rather than feeling talked at.
At the end of the episode, I also share four simple themes you could use for March, based on upcoming awareness days:
Safety, harm, and being believed
Identity, visibility, and inclusion
Rest, regulation, and wellbeing
Care, connection, and unseen roles

And a reminder that in Therapy Growth Group, we're about to embark on Find Your Focus, including the Make Your Profile Work intensive week. This will help you shape your social media and blog posts to speak to the people you most want to reach.
Setting up in private practice? Download my free checklist HERE
Need ideas for how to get clients? Download my free handout 21 Ways for Counsellors to Attract New Clients HERE
You can also find me here:
The Good Enough Counsellors Facebook Group
Josephine Hughes on Facebook
Josephine Hughes on YouTube
My website: josephinehughes.com
Keywords: social media, therapists, client engagement, authenticity, emotional connection, content ideas, March themes, overcoming challenges, building trust, managing responses
The information contained in Good Enough Counsellors is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this podcast are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or

In this episode, I’m joined by Claire Hendrickson, a neurodivergent therapist who has built her private practice in a way that truly works for her.
Rather than rushing, pushing, or following someone else’s formula, Claire has grown her practice at her own pace, listening to her nervous system and respecting her capacity. Over time, her steady and compassionate approach has led to a busy, sustainable practice.
We talk openly about what it means to do private practice differently, especially if you’re neurodivergent, carry complex identity experiences, or feel pressure to be further ahead than you are.
This conversation is for anyone who quietly worries they’re behind, doing it wrong, or taking too long.
In this episode, we explore:
What it looks like to build a private practice at your own pace
How working with your nervous system supports growth
The pressure therapists feel to rush or meet external expectations
Navigating recognition and visibility when you’re neurodivergent
Claire also shares her experience as a member of Therapy Growth Group, and how having gentle, accessible support helped her move forward without overwhelming herself.

You can find Claire via her website HERE
Setting up in private practice? Download my free checklist HERE
Need ideas for how to get clients? Download my free handout 21 Ways for Counsellors to Attract New Clients HERE
You can also find me here:
The Good Enough Counsellors Facebook Group
Josephine Hughes on Facebook
Josephine Hughes on YouTube
My website: josephinehughes.com
The information contained in Good Enough Counsellors is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this podcast are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this podcast.
Josephine Hughes disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this podcast.

This 100th episode is a pause to reflect on what happens when you keep going, even when you don’t feel ready.
In conversation with Natasha, who has edited the podcast from the very beginning, I look back over how The Good Enough Counsellors podcast grew from small, tentative steps into something that now reaches therapists around the world. But more importantly, we talk about what this journey can teach us about private practice, confidence, visibility, and the legacy we leave through our work.
This episode is about the power of ordinary stories, trusting that small actions add up, and recognising that the work you do as a therapist can ripple out far beyond what you see day to day. We reflect on the power of everyday people doing meaningful work, and why showing up, imperfectly, really does make a difference.
In this episode, we cover
What 100 episodes has taught me about starting before you feel ready
Why small, consistent steps matter in private practice
The importance of letting people know how they can work with you
How sharing your voice can help build confidence and connection
Lessons from guest conversations about anxiety, self doubt, and diversity
Why hearing marginalised voices matters in therapy and beyond
The idea of legacy, and how everyday work can have a wider impact
How therapists can trust that what they do really does matter

Mentioned in this episode:
Gloriously Unready, my earlier podcast project
The Lost Sun Society, Natasha's fiction podcast
Therapy Growth Group, my membership for counsellors in private practice

Setting up in private practice? Download my free checklist HERE
Need ideas for how to get clients? Download my free handout 21 Ways for Counsellors to Attract New Clients HERE
You can also find me here:
The Good Enough Counsellors Facebook Group
Josephine Hughes on Facebook
Josephine Hughes on YouTube
My website: josephinehughes.com
Keywords
podcast, therapy, growth, confidence, storytelling, community, mental health, private practice, diversity, inspiration
The information contained in Good...