In the frum community, most clients reach a therapist through someone they trust. A new practice grows by becoming known to the people who make those referrals, and by making it easy for them to pass your name along.
Where referrals come from
- Schools. Principals, menahalim and guidance staff see children and families in difficulty every week. They refer to therapists they know work well with children, parents or both.
- Doctors. Pediatricians and family doctors see anxiety, depression and eating concerns before anyone else does.
- Other therapists. A colleague whose schedule is full, who does not treat a certain issue, or who needs someone for a spouse or child, will pass on names.
- Referral services. Organizations such as Relief match callers with therapists by phone and keep their own list of clinicians.
- Past clients. Word of mouth from people you have helped, usually with a friend or relative.
- Rabbanim and rebbetzins. People often bring a problem to their rav first. Many rabbanim keep a short list of therapists they send people to.
Most of these sources are careful. A principal or rav who sends someone to the wrong therapist hears about it. They refer to people they are confident in.
What makes a referral source comfortable
A referral source wants to know a few things before giving out your name:
- Who you help. Adults, teens, children, couples, families. Men, women or both.
- What you treat. The two or three things you work with most, stated plainly.
- How you work. Your approach in words a non-therapist understands.
- That you understand the community. How you work with frum clients and their values.
- The practical details. Where you see clients, whether you work online, languages, whether you take insurance, and whether you have openings.
If the answers are easy to find, the referral is easy to make. If they have to call you to find out, many will pick someone else.
Practical steps
Be specific about who you help. "I work with adults with anxiety and depression" gives a referral source something to match. "I work with a wide range of issues" does not.
Introduce yourself directly. Call or visit the doctors, schools and rabbanim near you. Keep it short: who you are, who you work with, and how to reach you. Follow up with something they can keep.
Give them one link. Referral sources forward names by WhatsApp, text and email. A single page with your photo, what you do, where, and how to reach you is easier to pass on than a phone number alone.
Keep your availability current. Nothing costs goodwill faster than a referral who calls and hears you have not taken new clients for a year. If you are full, say so, and update it when you have openings.
Close the loop. With the client's permission, let the person who referred them know they came in. Schools and rabbanim remember therapists who follow up.
Build relationships with colleagues. Join a peer consultation group, go to community events such as Nefesh conferences, and refer out generously. Colleagues refer to the people they know.
Run a group or give a talk. A parenting class, a support group or a talk at a shul or school lets people see how you work before they have to commit to therapy.
Where FrumHealth.org fits
FrumHealth.org gives you a page that answers the questions above: who you help, how you work, your languages, where you see clients, and whether you are taking new clients. People can find it by searching for a provider in their city or describing what they need, and they can message or video-call you from the page when you are online.
When you list, the site also makes a profile card you can post or send on WhatsApp, and one link you can give to colleagues, schools and rabbanim.
Listing your practice is free. Premium adds pages and flyers for your groups and events, blog posts linked to your listing, and the Verified badge.
We cannot promise a number of clients. A clear page makes it easier for the people who already send you referrals, and for people searching on their own, to understand what you offer.