Three Places a Therapy Practice Can Appear in Local Search

A therapy practice does not compete for one generic Google ranking.

Someone searching for a therapist in their city may first see a local pack with three practices, then a directory such as Psychology Today in the traditional organic results, then independent practice websites. Earlier in the process, before they look for a provider at all, they may see insurers, nonprofits, health publishers or directory articles instead.

We reviewed “therapist” plus the city name across 28 US markets to see where independent practices appear, where directories sit, and what changes from one market to the next. Three result types came back again and again, and each asks for a different kind of work.

• Local packs. Keep the Google Business Profile accurate and current.
• Directory pages. Complete the fields that decide which filtered lists can include the practice.
• Practice websites. Explain services, clinicians, payment, care format and the next step in more detail than a profile can carry.

Throughout, “traditional organic” means the ordinary blue-link results, not the map or the question box.

What This Study Measures

Traditional organic results from Ahrefs’ US database on September 3, 2026, for a fixed “therapist + city” query across 28 selected markets. Public local pack entries where Ahrefs exposed them. Ahrefs Domain Rating and URL Rating as third-party link metrics.

It does not measure a searcher’s exact local, mobile or personalized results. It does not cover “near me” searches, clicks, contact requests, booked consultations, ongoing clients, or clinical fit. It shows ranking results in a limited sample, not why Google chose any of them.

Garrett Digital builds websites and runs search marketing for therapy and medical practices. This is a search-visibility study, not clinical, legal or ethics guidance.

What We Found

1. Local packs gave practices a place to appear that directories did not occupy in this sample.
2. Psychology Today was a recurring high-ranking directory result, and independent practice websites appeared alongside it in every market.
3. Broad informational therapy questions were usually answered by national publishers, insurers, nonprofits, forums and directory editorial pages.
4. Each result type asks for different work. Local information has to be accurate, directory fields complete, and the website has to carry the deeper decision.

One Austin Search Shows the Three Result Types

For a broad local search such as “therapist austin,” Google can show a local pack, traditional organic results, a People Also Ask block and one or more directories. The order changes by location and time. The roles differ.

In the sampled Austin result, the local pack showed three practices. Psychology Today was the first traditional organic result. The rest included independent practices, another directory, a nonprofit and a review site.

The chips to the right of each result are our annotations rather than part of the result. The gray ones carry a Domain Rating, DR for short: Ahrefs’ 0-to-100 estimate of how many sites link to a domain. It is a third-party metric, not a Google ranking factor, and it matters here because of how low it turns out to be for the practices that rank.

What does a person see for therapist Austin?

One search, three roles. A local pack of practices, the directory as the first traditional organic result, a People Also Ask block, then a list that is mostly practices.

How to read it Top to bottom is the order on the page. Each entry is one result as a searcher would see it; the chips on the right are our notes: green for what kind of site holds the slot, gray for its Domain Rating.

therapist austin

1. Local pack

   • Just Mind Counseling
   • ATX Counseling
   • Deep Centered Mental Health

   Three practices. No directory appeared in any pack we read.

2. psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/tx/austin

   Find Therapists and Psychologists in Austin, TX

   Therapy directoryDR 93This page UR 4

3. People also ask

   • How much is therapy in Austin?⌄
   • Is it better to see a therapist or psychologist?⌄

4. therapyaustin.com

   Therapy Austin

   Independent practiceDR 27

5. justmind.org

   Just Mind Counseling

   Independent practiceDR 50

6. zocdoc.com

   Best Therapists Near Me in Austin, TX

   Health directoryDR 89

7. atx-counseling.com

   ATX Counseling

   Independent practiceDR 15

8. austinymca.org

   Therapy, Counseling & Mental Health Services

   Nonprofit (YMCA)DR 54

9. bloomtherapytx.com

   Bloom Therapy

   Independent practiceDR 26

10. yelp.com

    TOP 10 BEST Therapist in Austin, TX

    Review siteDR 94

This is one snapshot, not a permanent order. It shows why a practice should treat its Google Business Profile, its directory profile and its website as three separate parts of its search presence.

Independent Practices Filled 39 of 42 Local Pack Slots

A local pack appeared in all 28 sampled markets once ambiguous city names were clarified. Ahrefs exposed readable business entries for 14 of those packs, 42 slots in all. Thirty-nine belonged to independent practices and three to national chains.

No directory appeared as a provider in any pack we could read. That absence is the finding. Psychology Today ranks above almost every practice in the traditional organic results, and in the results a searcher meets first it was not present at all.

Whitespark’s 2026 local search ranking factor survey estimates Google Business Profile signals at 32% and review signals at 16% of local pack ranking influence. That is an industry survey rather than Google’s published formula, and it cannot explain why any one practice appeared here. It does reinforce the practical value of keeping local business information current.

Therapy practices also face review constraints that many local businesses do not. APA Standard 5.05 says psychologists “do not solicit testimonials from current therapy clients/patients or other persons who because of their particular circumstances are vulnerable to undue influence,” and ACA Standard C.3.b bars counselors from soliciting them from current or former clients. A generic “ask every happy client” campaign may conflict with those rules, so follow guidance from your licensing board, professional association, supervisor or counsel before adopting one.

Psychology Today Was the Highest-Ranking Directory in 25 of 28 Markets

Psychology Today appeared in the traditional organic top ten in all 28 sampled markets. It was the highest-placed organic result in 25 of them: position 2 in 19 markets, position 1 in 4, position 3 in 3, and position 6 in the remaining 2.

In seven city-page checks, its city URLs carried Ahrefs URL Ratings from 0 to 4, while the overall domain has a Domain Rating of 93. The data cannot show why Google ranked those pages. It is consistent with a directory that has a strong domain, a repeatable city-page structure and a close match for broad local therapist searches.

For a practice, the useful question is not how to outrank the directory everywhere. It is where a practice can appear beside it, and what a prospective client sees after arriving.

Is Austin typical, or an exception?

Psychology Today appears in the sampled top ten for every city, most often at position 2. Independent practice websites appear in every city as well, though their positions vary.

How to read it Each row is one city and each numbered column is a traditional organic position. Color shows the type of site that held it. Hatched cells are a SERP feature, such as the local pack or People Also Ask, rather than an organic listing. Cities are ordered by the provider count on their directory page, largest first.

Market	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
New York	Directory, psychologytoday.com, DR 93	SERP feature	Directory, therapistsofny.com, DR 41	SERP feature	Directory, zencare.co, DR 77	Independent practice, healthyminds.nyc, DR 21	Independent practice, newyorkcitypsychotherapists.com, DR 19	Hospital, university, nonprofit, nypcc.org, DR 38	Independent practice, claritytherapynyc.com, DR 45	Directory, zocdoc.com, DR 89
Los Angeles	SERP feature	Directory, psychologytoday.com, DR 93	SERP feature	Directory, zocdoc.com, DR 89	Independent practice, westsidepsychla.com, DR 17	Directory, yelp.com, DR 94	Independent practice, losangelesmftherapist.com, DR 39	Directory, zencare.co, DR 77	Independent practice, therapyinla.com, DR 8	Directory, goodtherapy.org, DR 84
Chicago	SERP feature	Directory, psychologytoday.com, DR 93	SERP feature	Directory, zocdoc.com, DR 89	Independent practice, lincolnparktherapygroup.com, DR 19	Independent practice, cityscapecounseling.com, DR 38	Independent practice, depthcounseling.org, DR 31	National therapy chain, innovative-care.com, DR 40	Independent practice, lilycounseling.com, DR 6	National therapy chain, lifestance.com, DR 72
Austin	SERP feature	Directory, psychologytoday.com, DR 93	SERP feature	Independent practice, therapyaustin.com, DR 27	Independent practice, justmind.org, DR 50	Directory, zocdoc.com, DR 89	Independent practice, atx-counseling.com, DR 15	Hospital, university, nonprofit, austinymca.org, DR 54	Independent practice, bloomtherapytx.com, DR 26	Directory, yelp.com, DR 94
Portland	SERP feature	Directory, portlandtherapycenter.com, DR 70	Directory, psychologytoday.com, DR 93	SERP feature	Hospital, university, nonprofit, bridgetown.church, DR 55	National therapy chain, lifestance.com, DR 72	Independent practice, woodhaventherapy.com, DR 2	Independent practice, portlandmh.com, DR 33	Independent practice, insightnorthwest.com, DR 25	Independent practice, portland-therapist.org, DR 23
Denver	SERP feature	Directory, psychologytoday.com, DR 93	SERP feature	Independent practice, denverwellnesscounseling.com, DR 25	Independent practice, denvermetrocounseling.com, DR 27	Directory, therapyden.com, DR 81	Independent practice, fullbloomcounseling.com, DR 30	Independent practice, denverwellnessassociates.com, DR 14	Directory, mentalhealthmatch.com, DR 75	Directory, zocdoc.com, DR 89
Houston	SERP feature	SERP feature	Directory, psychologytoday.com, DR 93	Independent practice, houston-therapy.com, DR 30	Directory, zocdoc.com, DR 89	Independent practice, resiliencecenterhouston.com, DR 13	Independent practice, mymoderntherapy.com, DR 37	Independent practice, beingcounseling.com, DR 0	Directory, openpathcollective.org, DR 80	Independent practice, greaterhoustoncounselingservices.com, DR 3
Phoenix	Directory, psychologytoday.com, DR 93	SERP feature	Independent practice, phoenixtherapistshub.com, DR 11	SERP feature	Independent practice, biltmorecounseling.com, DR 30	Independent practice, phxcounselingcollective.com, DR 23	Directory, goodtherapy.org, DR 84	Independent practice, thrivetherapyphx.com, DR 27	Directory, findapsychologist.org, DR 64	Independent practice, elevatecounselingaz.com, DR 12
Philadelphia	SERP feature	Directory, psychologytoday.com, DR 93	SERP feature	Independent practice, philadelphiapsychotherapy.org, DR 9	Forum or media, phillymag.com, DR 80	Independent practice, therapyforwomencenter.com, DR 54	Directory, zocdoc.com, DR 89	Independent practice, walnutpsychotherapycenter.com, DR 20	National therapy chain, thriveworks.com, DR 71	Directory, goodtherapy.org, DR 84
San Antonio	SERP feature	Directory, psychologytoday.com, DR 93	SERP feature	Independent practice, balancedcounselingsa.com, DR 28	Independent practice, sacounselingcenter.com, DR 12	Hospital, university, nonprofit, uthscsa.edu, DR 79	Independent practice, desta-therapy.com, DR 18	Independent practice, alignedmindcounseling.com, DR 2	Directory, zocdoc.com, DR 89	Independent practice, alliancepsychologytx.com, DR 33
Dallas	SERP feature	Directory, psychologytoday.com, DR 93	Independent practice, dallastherapycollective.com, DR 17	SERP feature	Directory, goodtherapy.org, DR 84	Independent practice, dtacare.com, DR 25	Directory, zocdoc.com, DR 89	Directory, openpathcollective.org, DR 80	Independent practice, therapywithabby.com, DR 1	Independent practice, eastdallastherapy.com, DR 4
Atlanta	SERP feature	SERP feature	Directory, psychologytoday.com, DR 93	Directory, zocdoc.com, DR 89	Independent practice, eastatlantacounseling.com, DR 8	Independent practice, atlantatherapistbuckhead.com, DR 20	Independent practice, keycounselingatl.com, DR 30	Independent practice, bestwithinyou.com, DR 40	Directory, growtherapy.com, DR 80	Hospital, university, nonprofit, samaritanatlanta.org, DR 11
Seattle	Directory, psychologytoday.com, DR 93	SERP feature	SERP feature	Independent practice, seattleanxiety.com, DR 38	Independent practice, selfspaceseattle.com, DR 34	Independent practice, seattlecounselingandwellness.com, DR 26	Forum or media, reddit.com, DR 95	Directory, goodtherapy.org, DR 84	Directory, zocdoc.com, DR 89	National therapy chain, meadowbrookcounseling.com, DR 30
Nashville	SERP feature	Directory, psychologytoday.com, DR 93	Independent practice, nashvilletherapygroup.com, DR 12	SERP feature	Independent practice, nashvillepsych.com, DR 11	Directory, therapyden.com, DR 81	Directory, yelp.com, DR 94	Directory, therapist.com, DR 66	Hospital, university, nonprofit, nashvillepsychotherapyinstitute.org, DR 44	National therapy chain, thriveworks.com, DR 71
Salt Lake City	SERP feature	Directory, psychologytoday.com, DR 93	SERP feature	Independent practice, rmcslc.com, DR 13	SERP feature	Hospital, university, nonprofit, healthcare.utah.edu, DR 89	Independent practice, therapycollectiveutah.com, DR 2	Directory, goodtherapy.org, DR 84	Independent practice, redwillowcounseling.com, DR 20	National therapy chain, lifestance.com, DR 72
Richmond	SERP feature	Directory, psychologytoday.com, DR 93	SERP feature	Independent practice, richmondcreativecounseling.com, DR 11	Independent practice, youraspengrove.com, DR 6	Independent practice, aspectcounseling.com, DR 0	National therapy chain, lifestance.com, DR 72	Independent practice, focused-solutions.com, DR 18	National therapy chain, optumbhcare.com, DR 62	Independent practice, aspectcounseling.com, DR 0
Madison	SERP feature	Directory, psychologytoday.com, DR 93	SERP feature	Independent practice, tpcmadison.com, DR 8	Independent practice, heartcounselingllc.com, DR 7	National therapy chain, lifestance.com, DR 72	Independent practice, ftcm.org, DR 4	Independent practice, reflectionsmhwi.com, DR 3	Independent practice, katielindskog.com, DR 14	Independent practice, clearpathmadison.com, DR 21
Asheville	SERP feature	Directory, psychologytoday.com, DR 93	Hospital, university, nonprofit, allsoulscounseling.org, DR 25	SERP feature	SERP feature	Independent practice, resilientmindcounseling.com, DR 27	Independent practice, flourishasheville.com, DR 14	Independent practice, apogeebehavioralmedicine.com, DR 20	Independent practice, traumatherapync.com, DR 11	Independent practice, mindfulcounselingpllc.com, DR 9
Boise	SERP feature	Directory, psychologytoday.com, DR 93	Independent practice, boisecounseling.org, DR 24	National therapy chain, thriveworks.com, DR 71	Directory, therapyden.com, DR 81	SERP feature	Independent practice, boisecounselingctr.com, DR 3	Independent practice, lifepathidaho.com, DR 3	Directory, theravive.com, DR 72	Directory, therapist.com, DR 66
Kansas City	Independent practice, healing-grace.com, DR 5	Directory, goodtherapy.org, DR 84	Independent practice, soundmind.live, DR 3	Independent practice, clinicalcounselingassociates.org, DR 16	Independent practice, kansascitytherapy.net, DR 0	Directory, psychologytoday.com, DR 93	Independent practice, heartlandtherapykc.com, DR 0	Independent practice, sunflowermed.com, DR 38	National therapy chain, thriveworks.com, DR 71	Directory, theravive.com, DR 72
Tucson	Directory, psychologytoday.com, DR 93	SERP feature	SERP feature	Independent practice, tucsoncounselingassociates.com, DR 22	Independent practice, psychiatrytucson.com, DR 10	Directory, mentalhealthmatch.com, DR 75	Independent practice, tucsoncounseling.org, DR 0	Independent practice, joshuatreetucson.com, DR 27	Independent practice, letallthrive.com, DR 8	Directory, yelp.com, DR 94
Missoula	SERP feature	Directory, psychologytoday.com, DR 93	SERP feature	Independent practice, bozemancounseling.org, DR 27	SERP feature	Independent practice, sunflowercounseling.com, DR 6	National therapy chain, noramentalhealth.com, DR 34	Independent practice, wccmt.com, DR 0	Independent practice, missoulatherapy.com, DR 2	Independent practice, montanacsp.com, DR 9
Lubbock	SERP feature	Directory, psychologytoday.com, DR 93	SERP feature	Independent practice, journeyscc.org, DR 1	Hospital, university, nonprofit, ttuhsc.edu, DR 73	Independent practice, lubbockcounselingcenter.com, DR 1	Independent practice, phoenixarisecounseling.com, DR 11	Directory, mentalhealthmatch.com, DR 75	Independent practice, fcslubbock.org, DR 16	Independent practice, shellythompsontherapy.com, DR 4
Duluth	SERP feature	Independent practice, insightcounselingduluth.com, DR 14	SERP feature	Independent practice, duluthcounselingcenter.com, DR 5	SERP feature	Directory, psychologytoday.com, DR 93	Independent practice, northlandpsychological.com, DR 7	National therapy chain, sagentbh.com, DR 50	Independent practice, trcduluth.com, DR 0	Independent practice, upnorth-therapy.com, DR 5
Bangor	SERP feature	Directory, psychologytoday.com, DR 93	SERP feature	Directory, therapist.com, DR 66	Independent practice, stonycreekcare.com, DR 3	Directory, findatherapist.com, DR 55	National therapy chain, fyzical.com, DR 69	Hospital, university, nonprofit, northernlighthealth.org, DR 65	Independent practice, newperspectivescs.com, DR 2	Hospital, university, nonprofit, mabelwadsworth.org, DR 39
Tyler	SERP feature	Directory, psychologytoday.com, DR 93	SERP feature	Independent practice, werelisteningeasttexas.org, DR 7	Directory, mentalhealthmatch.com, DR 75	Independent practice, legendarycounseling.com, DR 1	Independent practice, rosecitycounselingetx.com, DR 0	Independent practice, livingwelltyler.com, DR 18	Independent practice, crosspointcounseling.com, DR 7	Independent practice, anewdaycounseling.com, DR 0
Fargo	SERP feature	Directory, psychologytoday.com, DR 93	SERP feature	Independent practice, newstoryfargo.com, DR 2	Independent practice, solacecounselingfargo.com, DR 10	Hospital, university, nonprofit, thevillagefamily.org, DR 45	Independent practice, willowtreecounselingfm.com, DR 2	Independent practice, riverhavenfargo.com, DR 1	National therapy chain, sagentbh.com, DR 50	Independent practice, mentalhealthkoa.com, DR 3
Cheyenne	SERP feature	Directory, psychologytoday.com, DR 93	National therapy chain, elliementalhealth.com, DR 64	Independent practice, northernstarcounseling.com, DR 5	SERP feature	Independent practice, momentumcac.com, DR 15	Independent practice, hansenandassociates.org, DR 3	Independent practice, cheyennecfcc.org, DR 2	Independent practice, specialtycounseling.com, DR 13	Independent practice, thrivecounselingservicescheyenne.com, DR 12

• Independent practice
• Directory
• National therapy chain
• Hospital, university, nonprofit
• Forum or media
• SERP feature

Psychology Today appeared in the sampled top ten for every city. Independent practice websites appeared in every city as well, though their positions varied. Other directories, national chains, institutions and media sites appeared less consistently.

Many First-Page Practice Websites Had Low Domain Rating

Across the 28 sampled result pages, we identified 120 independent practice websites in the traditional organic top ten. Their Domain Ratings were often low.

The 120 independent practice websites in the traditional organic ten across 28 markets, by Ahrefs Domain Rating. Median 12.

How to read it Each dot is one practice website that ranked, placed by its Ahrefs Domain Rating from 0 to 100. Dots are spread vertically only so they do not hide each other; height means nothing. The dashed line is the median and the shaded bands print the share of dots inside them.

120 values from 0 to 100 DR. Median 12 DR. Under 10: 43 percent. 10 to 30: 43 percent.

The median was 12. Forty-three percent fell below 10, and another 42% between 10 and 30. Ten markets had at least one ranking practice site at Domain Rating 5 or lower, and position 1 for “emdr therapist austin” went to a site at 0.

Does more authority put a practice higher on the page?

Among the 120 practice sites in the organic ten, median Domain Rating drifts between 7 and 20 from position 3 to 10 with no direction.

How to read it Each row is a traditional organic position. The first column counts the practice sites we found there across 28 cities; the second is their median Domain Rating. If authority tracked position, the second column would fall as you read down.

Organic position	Practice sites at this position	Median Domain Rating
3	5%	12%
4	17%	13%
5	15%	11%
6	14%	20.5%
7	20%	9%
8	17%	18%
9	16%	9.5%
10	14%	7%

If a higher Domain Rating were closely associated with a higher organic position, the median rating would be higher near the top of the table and lower further down. It did not follow that shape here. Across the 120 results, the correlation between Domain Rating and organic position was r = −0.11, and URL Rating was similarly weak at −0.10.

That does not mean links never matter. It means a high Ahrefs link metric was not required for a practice site to appear on the first organic page for the city queries we studied. Prior local search research has reported a similarly weak relationship between authority metrics and first-page local visibility. This study adds a therapy-specific sample, where the ranking practice sites often carried even lower values.

Before buying links, check the site itself: a clear city or location page, real services and clinician options, current contact, fee, insurance and care-format details, whether Google can crawl and index the intended pages, and whether the Google Business Profile and the website agree with each other.

Which Directories Appeared in Each Market

Psychology Today was the only directory present in all 28 sampled markets. Zocdoc appeared in 11. In eight markets, Psychology Today was the only directory in the traditional organic top ten.

Which directories appeared in my market?

Psychology Today appeared in every column. Zocdoc appeared in 11 markets. In eight markets no second directory appeared at all.

How to read it Directories down the side, cities across the top, ordered by the provider count on each city page. A dot means that directory appeared in the traditional organic top ten for that city. The number at the row end is how many of the 28 it appeared in.

	3,000+ providers listed													1,000 to 2,999								Under 1,000
Directory	New York	Los Angeles	Chicago	Austin	Portland	Denver	Houston	Phoenix	Philadelphia	San Antonio	Dallas	Atlanta	Seattle	Nashville	Salt Lake City	Richmond	Madison	Asheville	Boise	Kansas City	Tucson	Missoula	Lubbock	Duluth	Bangor	Tyler	Fargo	Cheyenne	of 28
Psychology Today	present	present	present	present	present	present	present	present	present	present	present	present	present	present	present	present	present	present	present	present	present	present	present	present	present	present	present	present	28
Zocdoc	present	present	present	present	absent	present	present	absent	present	present	present	present	present	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	11
GoodTherapy	absent	present	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	present	present	absent	present	absent	present	absent	present	absent	absent	absent	absent	present	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	7
Yelp	absent	present	absent	present	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	present	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	present	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	4
MentalHealthMatch	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	present	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	present	absent	present	absent	absent	present	absent	absent	4
TherapyDen	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	present	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	present	absent	absent	absent	absent	present	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	3
therapist.com	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	present	absent	absent	absent	absent	present	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	present	absent	absent	absent	3
Zencare	present	present	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	2
Theravive	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	present	present	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	2
Open Path Collective	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	present	absent	absent	absent	present	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	2
Therapists of New York	present	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	1
Portland Therapy Center	absent	absent	absent	absent	present	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	1
findapsychologist.org	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	present	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	1
Grow Therapy	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	present	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	1
findatherapist.com	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	absent	present	absent	absent	absent	1

BetterHelp, Talkspace and Alma did not appear in the sampled “therapist + city” top tens, and Grow Therapy appeared once. Their absence here does not make them irrelevant: this study did not examine branded searches, paid results, insurance networks, referrals or other therapy query types.

Zocdoc was the second most common directory in these results. Whether it is worth a profile depends on the practice’s market, specialties, payer relationships, capacity, and the kinds of searches it wants to support.

Provider Count Was One Signal of Market Crowding

Psychology Today prints a provider count at the top of every city page. Austin shows 3,000+. Madison shows 1,000+. Fargo shows 200+. We recorded it for all 28 markets.

How crowded is my market?

Where the directory lists under 1,000 therapists, a Domain Rating 1 practice site is on the page and Ahrefs’ median cost-per-click estimate is about $4. At 3,000 and above the lowest practice rating is around 8 and the estimate about $8. Modest, capped at the top, and a signal rather than a rule.

How to read it Each row groups cities by the provider count on their Psychology Today city page. The columns are medians across the cities in that group, so the top row summarizes 13 cities and the bottom row 7.

Therapists listed on the city's directory page	Markets	Lowest practice DR, median	Practice sites in the ten, median	Cost per click, median $
3,000+	13%	8%	4%	8%
1,000 to 2,999	8%	3%	5%	6%
Under 1,000	7%	1%	5%	4%

In sampled markets where the directory displayed fewer than 1,000 providers, the median lowest Domain Rating among ranking practice sites was 1. In the group displaying 3,000 or more, it was 8, and Ahrefs’ median cost-per-click estimate was higher as well.

The top category is capped at 3,000, the sample was purposive, and provider count likely reflects several things at once, including market size, therapist supply, advertiser demand and local competition. Treat it as context rather than a ranking or advertising forecast.

It did hold up better than a keyword difficulty score. Ahrefs Keyword Difficulty did not consistently match the authority of the sites on the sampled first pages. Lubbock scores 57, harder than Los Angeles, and carries two Domain Rating 1 sites at positions 4 and 6. Before setting an SEO or ads target, look at the directory count, the local pack and the sites already ranking.

Broad Therapy Questions Were Mostly Answered by National Sites

Broad questions such as “how to find a therapist” and “how much does therapy cost” carried higher estimated search volume than the city-level provider queries in this study. Their first pages were largely occupied by national publishers, insurers, nonprofits, forums and directory editorial content. Two of the four informational queries we checked also returned an AI Overview, which none of the 28 city queries did.

Who answers the questions people ask before they search for a provider?

A 7,600-search-a-month question, served by a forum, health media, an insurer and the directory’s editorial section. One practice is on the page, at position 10, with a Domain Rating of 4.

How to read it Same layout as the Austin page above, for a national question instead of a city search. Read the callouts for who holds each slot.

how much does therapy cost

1. reddit.com/r/TalkTherapy

   How much do you pay for therapy/week?

   Forum (Reddit)DR 95

2. projecthealthyminds.com

   How Much Does Therapy Cost

   NonprofitDR 61

3. goodrx.com

   Therapy Without Insurance

   Health publisherDR 85

4. psychologytoday.com/us/basics/therapy

   Cost and Insurance Coverage

   Therapy directory, editorial pageDR 93

5. findoctave.com

   What Is the Average Cost of Therapy

   Telehealth platformDR 62

6. thriveworks.com

   How Much Does Therapy Cost

   National therapy chainDR 71

7. northwesternmutual.com

   How Much Does Therapy Cost and How Do You Pay

   InsurerDR 78

8. feelgoodcounseling.com

   How Much Does Therapy Cost in Chicago

   Independent practiceDR 4The only practice on the page

A local practice does not need to abandon educational content. The more realistic openings sit closer to a prospective client’s local decision: fees, sliding-scale access, accepted insurance, telehealth availability, appointment format, specialty services and the first-contact process. “Sliding scale therapy,” “affordable therapy” and “low cost therapy” plus a city ran 90 to 150 searches a month in every market we checked, about a seventh of the provider query.

Broad question	Typical sampled result types	More local question	Page a practice can maintain
How much does therapy cost?	Forums, publishers, insurers, directories	Affordable therapy in Austin	Fees, self-pay, sliding-scale and access
How do I find a therapist?	Directories, nonprofits, professional bodies	Therapist accepting new clients in Austin	Getting started and current availability
What is EMDR?	Health information sources and AI features	EMDR therapy in Austin	A service page, if the practice provides it
Does insurance cover therapy?	Insurers, publishers, forums	Do you accept Aetna?	Current insurance and payment

One practice page did appear for the broad cost query, at position 10 with a Domain Rating of 4. Its title carries a city, and we assumed the city was what got it in. It was not; the localized query has no measured volume, and the page draws an estimated 270 visits a month from the national cost cluster. A single example cannot explain why it ranked.

Dermatology and Dentistry Checks Showed a Similar Local Result

We ran six additional searches for dermatology and dentistry in Austin, Boise and Chicago. Independent practices held 39 of 49 traditional organic positions, with a median Domain Rating of 9 and eight sites at 2 or below.

Does the same shape appear outside therapy?

Independent practices held 39 of 49 organic positions. The result at position 2 changed by specialty: an insurer in dentistry, a health system in the two larger dermatology markets, a practice in Boise.

How to read it Same grid as the 28-city figure, six medical searches instead. The legend adds two types the therapy grid never needed, insurer and health system.

Query	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
dermatologist austin	SERP feature	SERP feature	Health system, austinregionalclinic.com, DR 55	Independent practice, centralaustinderm.com, DR 29	National provider chain, usdermatologypartners.com, DR 67	Independent practice, austinskinphysicians.com, DR 29	Independent practice, puredermtx.com, DR 13	Independent practice, revelusdermatology.com, DR 29	Independent practice, drsnyder.com, DR 20	Health system, healthcare.ascension.org, DR 79
dermatologist boise	Independent practice, adawestdermatology.com, DR 23	Independent practice, boisedermatology.com, DR 2	Independent practice, idahoderm.com, DR 7	SERP feature	Independent practice, idahoskinsurgerycenter.com, DR 15	Independent practice, dermmohscollective.com, DR 7	Independent practice, ada-dermatology.com, DR 0	Independent practice, sunvalleyskincenter.com, DR 1	Independent practice, deblieckdermatology.com, DR 3	Independent practice, gemstatedermatology.com, DR 7
dermatologist chicago	SERP feature	Health system, nm.org, DR 80	SERP feature	Independent practice, illinoisderm.com, DR 40	Independent practice, dermchicago.com, DR 42	Independent practice, dermic.com, DR 21	Independent practice, kaminskadermatology.com, DR 22	Independent practice, chicagodermatologyphysicians.com, DR 18	Independent practice, pinnacleskin.com, DR 46	Independent practice, vitalskinderm.com, DR 30
dentist austin	SERP feature	Insurer, deltadental.com, DR 79	SERP feature	Independent practice, austincitydental.com, DR 6	Independent practice, southaustindentalassociates.com, DR 4	Independent practice, breezeoralcare.com, DR 9	Independent practice, northwestaustindentists.com, DR 1	Media, statesman.com, DR 83	Independent practice, atxfamilydental.com, DR 20	Independent practice, austinartisticdental.com, DR 9
dentist boise	SERP feature	Independent practice, dentistsofboise.com, DR 0	SERP feature	Insurer, deltadental.com, DR 79	Independent practice, boisedentist.com, DR 16	Independent practice, boiseriverdental.com, DR 2	Independent practice, maplegrovedentistry.net, DR 5	Independent practice, osterkampfamilydental.com, DR 0	Independent practice, boisebenchdentistry.com, DR 3	Independent practice, lowrydental.com, DR 21
dentist chicago	SERP feature	Insurer, deltadental.com, DR 79	SERP feature	Independent practice, northwesterndental.com, DR 7	Independent practice, chicagodentalboutique.com, DR 8	Independent practice, dentaldreamteam.com, DR 4	Nonprofit clinic, howardbrown.org, DR 69	Independent practice, watertowerdentalcare.com, DR 32	Directory, zocdoc.com, DR 89	Independent practice, chicagodentalexperts.com, DR 1

• Independent practice
• Directory
• National provider chain
• Health system
• Insurer
• Nonprofit clinic
• Media
• SERP feature

The top results changed by specialty. Delta Dental appeared prominently for dentist queries, and health systems appeared more often for dermatology in the two larger markets. Zocdoc appeared once, at position 9; Healthgrades and Vitals never did.

Six searches are not enough to generalize across healthcare. The narrower lesson is that local competitive research should be specific to the service people are searching for. A directory result that appears in therapy may not appear in dentistry, dermatology or direct primary care.

What a Therapy Practice Can Do With This Research

The study does not give every practice the same plan. It does suggest an order of work.

1. Keep the Google Business Profile Current

A local pack appeared in every sampled market once ambiguous city names were clarified, and the readable entries were practices or national chains rather than directories.

Check the primary category, the address or service-area setup, hours and phone number, the website and appointment link, current photographs, and the service information. Follow your profession’s ethics guidance before using any review-request tactic.

2. Complete Directory Fields Accurately

Psychology Today’s visibility was concentrated in city and filtered pages. Complete every field that truthfully describes the clinician or practice: populations, concerns, approaches, care format, language, insurance, location, availability and contact details.

Those fields may decide whether a profile is eligible for a filtered list. They do not guarantee placement or contacts.

3. Use the Website for the Deeper Decision

Independent practice websites appeared in every sampled market, including many with modest Domain Rating scores. The site should explain the clinicians and services, fees and insurance and self-pay options, in-person and telehealth care, locations and practical visit information, what a first contact involves, and how to get started.

Use the website checklist to review the information a directory profile cannot carry.

4. Research Your Own Market Before Buying Links or Ads

Before setting an authority target, a link plan or an ads budget, inspect the local result page. Record the local pack, the directories, the practice websites, the institutions, any ads, and the provider count on the directory’s city page. That context is more useful than a keyword difficulty score alone.

5. Publish Practical Local Information

Broad informational questions were largely served by national sites in this sample. A local practice may have better opportunities answering the practical questions it can keep current: fees, payment options, accepted insurance, telehealth availability, appointment formats, specific services, and how to request a consultation.

A practical order for therapy search work

1. 1

   Local pack

   Keep the Google Business Profile accurate and current.

2. 2

   Directory pages

   Complete the fields that truthfully describe the practice or clinician.

3. 3

   Practice website

   Explain services, clinicians, payment, care format and the next step.

4. 4

   Local practical questions

   Publish current answers about access, fees, insurance, availability and the services you provide.

The Practical Takeaway

You do not need to outrank Psychology Today everywhere to be visible in local therapy search.

In this study, practices had three different places to show up. The local pack, where no directory appeared in any readable sample. Traditional organic results, where independent practice websites appeared beside the major directories in every market. And practical local questions about access, fees, insurance, services and how to get started.

A directory profile can help someone narrow options. A Google Business Profile can help a practice appear locally. The website is where a practice explains the details, introduces its clinicians, answers the practical questions and makes the next step clear.

The useful goal is not one ranking. It is a consistent path from a local search to accurate information and a contact process the practice can manage well.

If your practice website does not yet carry that part of the decision, Garrett Digital can help with service pages, provider profiles, local search foundations, paid search landing pages and measurement. Tell us what you are working on.

Method and Limitations

Markets. 28 US cities selected to include large, mid-sized and smaller markets: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Philadelphia, San Antonio, Dallas, Atlanta, Seattle, Austin, Portland, Denver, Nashville, Kansas City, Salt Lake City, Richmond, Tucson, Madison, Asheville, Boise, Fargo, Missoula, Duluth, Bangor, Lubbock, Tyler and Cheyenne. A purposive sample rather than a random national one, and Texas is over-represented with six markets.

Query and data source. “therapist” plus the city name, Ahrefs US database, September 3, 2026. No searcher location and no device were set, which is why “near me” is unmeasured. For ambiguous city names, adding the state produced a localized result and is the recorded query.

Classification. Every ranking domain was classified by hand as independent practice, directory, national chain, institution, insurer, forum or media. Before publishing we re-checked every domain classified as a practice at Domain Rating 40 or above against its live site, because an unfamiliar domain landing in the practice bucket would inflate the headline finding. Three were wrong and were reclassified: two describe themselves as directories or matching services, and one is a professional association. That moved 3 of 123 slots and weakened the Domain Rating correlation from −0.17 to −0.11. Lower-rated domains were not individually re-verified, so the practice count carries some residual risk in the same direction.

Provider count. Read from the public Psychology Today city page for each market. The count displays as “3,000+” at the top and is capped there, so the largest group does not distinguish between cities above that threshold.

What this study does not show. Local, mobile or personalized results; “near me” queries; clicks, inquiries, booked consultations or ongoing clients; clinical fit; or Psychology Today’s internal directory ranking. Domain Rating and URL Rating are Ahrefs metrics, not Google ranking factors.

Corrections during research. A first four-city pass concluded that Psychology Today never held the first organic position; New York contradicted it on the first additional market. A localized cost page appeared to rank because of its city term, and Ahrefs showed its traffic came from national queries instead. The classification correction above is the third. All are kept in the research log.

Prior work. Whitespark’s 2026 Local Search Ranking Factors for the local pack estimates. Improve My Search Ranking’s 20,000-keyword local study for the authority result. Wheelhouse DMG’s healthcare study, 10,000 keywords across Chicago, Columbus and Dallas in six specialties, which found aggregators on the first page for 42% of health searches in Chicago and concluded that smaller providers compete by leaning on locality.

Data and Source Notes

Every figure in this piece, with where it came from and when it was last checked.

How to read it One row per figure in this piece. The value is what the figure claims, the source is where it came from, and the date is when we last checked it.

Figure	What it measures	Source	Verified
28 of 28	markets with a local pack, once the query is unambiguous	Ahrefs SERP overview, US	2026-09-03
39 of 42	readable local pack slots held by independent practices; 0 by directories	Ahrefs SERP overview, 14 markets	2026-09-03
19 of 28	markets where Psychology Today holds organic position 2	Ahrefs SERP overview, US	2026-09-03
0 to 4	URL Rating of the directory city page at position 2, seven markets	Ahrefs URL Rating	2026-09-03
12	median Domain Rating of 123 ranking practice sites; 42% under 10	Ahrefs Domain Rating	2026-09-03
−0.17	correlation of Domain Rating with position, 123 practice sites	Our analysis of Ahrefs data	2026-09-03
0 of 28	markets where BetterHelp, Talkspace or Alma appear	Ahrefs SERP overview, US	2026-09-03
~402,000	monthly US searches for "psychology today" (modeled estimate)	Ahrefs Keywords Explorer	2026-09-03
39 of 49	organic slots held by independent practices across 6 medical SERPs	Ahrefs SERP overview, US	2026-09-03
32% / 15%	weight of GBP signals / link signals in local pack ranking	Whitespark, 2026 Local Search Ranking Factors	2026-09-03

The raw pulls, the classification script and the full ledger of what was proven, disproven and left open are in the repository, so anyone can re-run the analysis without repeating the collection.