Why Psychologists Don't Actively Seek Reviews

Confidentiality & Ethics

Mental health professionals must follow strict ethical guidelines (e.g., APA, BPS, etc.), which discourage soliciting testimonials from clients due to confidentiality concerns and the potential for coercion.

Trust, Not Just Stars

Instead of relying on star-ratings and public reviews, psychologists often gain credibility through referrals from doctors, word of mouth, credentials, experience, and research contributions.

Power Imbalance

 Clients might feel pressured to leave positive reviews, even if their experience was mixed, due to the nature of the therapeutic relationship.  This would not be optimal so we avoid this situation by not asking for reviews.

Bias & Inaccuracy

Reviews can be misleading since therapy effectiveness varies by individual, and people who are dissatisfied might be more likely to leave a review, skewing the perception of a therapist’s abilities.

Privacy of Clients

Encouraging reviews might inadvertently reveal that someone is receiving therapy, which could be a breach of their privacy.  With therapy it is always best to err on the side of caution.

Key Takeaways

That said, some therapists do have reviews on platforms like Google or Psychology Today, but ethical practitioners generally don’t solicit them.  Keep that in mind when viewing a clinic's Google reviews.