Therapist Websites Using Squarespace in 2022

Like many of us, I'm taking stock of 2022, and ooh boy, this was a year.

I learned so much about what it takes to have a small child and a small business, and not gonna lie, at times, it was painful. BUT, the result is that I moved part of my business model to templates to diversify my income. An income stream that is not dependent on my 1:1 presence is key for me in this season of my life.

Speaking of websites (like I always do 🤪), this article is about some that I created in 2022. I was honored to work on every project I got to do, and I am grateful to all my amazing clients.

Elizabeth Johnston Therapy

Services: Website Design & Development  | Copywriting

This project means a lot to me. I worked with Elizabeth on her website in the spring and had many personal things going on in my life. The learning that I mentioned above? Yeah, a lot of that happened during this time.

Elizabeth waited several months to work with me. Then we had to push back her start date. Then I had multiple issues causing me to have to delay. She and I had to have some tough conversations. Most of my projects are smooth sailing. This one was rocky af. The fact that we could work through it and it came out so beautifully makes this incredibly rewarding.

I could not have gotten this project done anywhere near the timeframe were it not for the lovely and talented Leilani Choi at Joah Studio. While I was trying to get my life together, she worked with Elizabeth to develop her brand (the color palette, typography, and logo design are all Leilani's gorgeous work).

Lotus Embodied Counseling

Services: Brand Design | Website Design & Development | Copy Editing

I love this website. Sharnise Hendrick, the founder of Lotus Embodied Counseling, is just one of those people who makes you feel good to be around, and the work she is doing and her vision for her business is inspiring and exciting. I was thrilled to get to work with her.

Rosa Khorshidi, LMFT

Services: Brand Design | Website Design & Development | Copywriting

When my client asks for color and movement, I give them color and movement! I was so excited to partner with Rosa Khorshidi on this website for many reasons. It was super fun to let my creativity and love of color run free and to get a chance to do some fun things with code that I don't always get to do. But it was more than that. I loved learning about Rosa, her culture, and her work.

We centered the palette around turquoise, a color and gemstone with deep cultural roots in Iran. We also incorporated "tiles" and shapes reminiscent of what you would find in traditional Iranian mosaics and architecture. We also wanted to reinforce the idea of hope and joy, so the animation gives us the feeling of clouds parting (you have to see it on the home page), the sun rising, and elements floating.

Gender Expression Care by Monica Prata

Services: Website Development | Copywriting

Monica Prata is a Gender Expression Specialist who works with transgender, non-binary, and folx all along the gender spectrum to access everything they need to fully express themselves that they usually can't find in a medical setting. Need help with where to find shoes that fit? How to apply makeup to enhance or de-emphasize certain features? How to use clothing to express the body shape you want (at any budget)? You won't find answers to these vital questions at most doctor's offices. And they are an essential component of the overall well-being of a TGNB person. Monica is designing services to fill this gap in transgender healthcare, offering both online workshops and 1:1 services.

"It's healthcare, but make it fashion," I believe is the direction Monica and I decided upon. To achieve this, first, I referred Monica to an experienced brand designer to help her create a super polished, high-end logo system and overall brand concept.

Enter Ellen Catlin at Low Tide Design. Because we were working under a deadline (Monica was slated to speak at an upcoming WPATH conference in Sept 2021), we needed to get the website done quickly, so we also chose one of Low Tide's templates to start from. I added features and sections as necessary to create the design we wanted.

I LOVED collaborating to bring Monica's vision for her practice to life. Given the vibrancy of her population, she wanted this reflected in the design. At the same time, she wanted it to carry the weight of the importance of this work.

Catie Hunter Counseling

Services: Website Template | Website Development | Copy Editing

I created this website for Catie Hunter Counseling from a template that I use internally (aka, it's not yet for sale to the public-I have several templates like that!). We chose to go this route of starting from a template a) to keep the costs low and b) because the template's design really resonated with Catie.

I detailed more about our process, which was super interesting (spoiler alert: we did not follow the plan we had initially set) here on my blog.

Celia Morgan Counseling

Services: Website Template | Brand Development | Copy Editing

Celia Morgan is a therapist in South Carolina who provides therapy to people across the life cycle. She is a transplant from Massachusetts to South Carolina (she still holds a license here in MA), so I was excited to help her set up her new practice.

We built her website using my Amber Template as the starting point. After some strategy and planning sessions, we devised a color and font system to apply to the template. Celia then used my copywriting workbook to write all the copy herself. I helped her with some light copy editing and assembled the Home Page for her. Then she put the rest of the site together herself! After she finished, I also provided an audit to ensure it looked cohesive and the mobile version looked great.

Here’s what she had to say about the process:

"Before using Melissa's templates, I was lost about what to write on my website. Using Melissa's templates took the stress away almost tenfold! Not only was it much less time-consuming, but I was also able to do some of my best writing–clear and concise! I was surprised by how painless and stress-free it was! I had tried to make a website on my own before and really struggled. If you are considering buying a template–do it!"

-Celia Morgan

I hope this post is helpful and inspiring to you as you look to design your own dream website for your practice.

It doesn't have to look one particular way, and there's no longer any such thing as "what a therapist's website should look like." As long as it comes across professionally, ethically, and reflects your style and the style of your ideal client, then you can't lose.

If you're interested in making your own site, but need a little help, check out my therapist Squarespace website template shop and subscribe to my newsletter for free tips on DIY design!

Happy & Healthy 2023!