Superficial. Distracting. Ego-driven. A place where influencers shout and scroll endlessly, and therapists quietly question whether they belong there at all. Social media gets a bad rap.

But social media is actually psychology in action!

It’s full of human behaviour. Emotional triggers. Connection-seeking. Avoidance. Patterns. Longing. Shame. Hope.

Which means therapists are perfectly positioned to understand what’s really going on, and to use that understanding to build a meaningful presence in a grounded, thoughtful way that actually serves the people they want to help.

So, if showing up online has ever felt weird or awkward or overly self-promotional, this is for you. Because when you understand how your audience processes what they see online, it becomes easier to connect with them without feeling like you have to become someone else to do it.

Here are 3 psychological effects that show up constantly on social media. You might already be familiar with them in a clinical context, but let’s explore how they show up in content creation, connection, and visibility.

1. The Spotlight Effect

The spotlight effect is the tendency we all have to overestimate how much people notice or care about what we’re doing.

It’s that feeling you get when you post something and immediately think: “Ugh, what if this sounds unprofessional? What if I’ve said it all wrong? What if someone from uni sees this and thinks it’s cringey?”

It’s very human. And also very untrue.

Because here’s the thing: most people are thinking about themselves. About their own posts. About their inbox. Their to-do list. Whether they’re late for the school run. Whether their boss is annoyed with them. Whether they should delete that story they posted last night.

They’re not scrutinising your every word, checking for typos, or rolling their eyes at your Canva choices. They’re scrolling. Skimming. Responding to what resonates.

When you keep the spotlight effect in mind, it becomes easier to show up.

You realise it’s OK if a post isn’t perfect. It’s OK if your hair’s a bit frizzy on video. It’s OK if your caption rambles slightly or doesn’t get loads of likes.

Because the people you’re trying to reach (the ones who do notice) aren’t looking for a polished, fake you. They’re looking for the authentic, real you.

They’re looking for someone who gets it. Someone who helps them feel less alone in their experience. Someone who offers a bit of calm, clarity, or insight in a sea of noise.

And if that’s you, then your ‘imperfect’ post is already doing its job.

2. The Mere Exposure Effect

The mere exposure effect refers to a simple truth: the more we see something, the more we tend to like it (or at the very least, trust it).

It’s the reason we end up humming along to a song we didn’t even like the first time. Or why an advert we’ve seen ten times suddenly feels familiar enough to act on.

In the context of therapy marketing, it matters a lot because so many therapists worry about saying the same thing too often.

It doesn’t matter that you already posted something about boundaries or that you shared a carousel about anxiety last month.

Repetition is how trust is built.

Most of your audience isn’t reading every word of every post. Most people are catching snippets here and there, maybe when they’re breastfeeding, or waiting for the kettle, or trying to distract themselves from a difficult emotion.

They’re not auditing your content for originality. They’re looking for resonance. And resonance often comes through repetition.

Seeing your name pop up again. Recognising a phrase you often use. Noticing the consistent way you describe your work. Those small moments of familiarity start to build a sense of safety.

It’s why it’s so helpful to have a few key content themes (like your content pillars) and to revisit them again and again.

You’re deepening the message. Reinforcing what matters. Creating a clear sense of who you are, what you do, and who you help.

This is especially important if you’re someone who doesn’t post every day… and let’s be honest, most therapists aren’t. 

Because when your message is clear and your presence is steady, people start to trust you before they’ve even met you.

3. The Pratfall Effect

The Pratfall Effect is one of my favourites, especially for therapists who worry about coming across as too ‘messy’ or not ‘expert’ enough.

The idea is this: when someone who is generally competent makes a small mistake or shows a human flaw, they become more likeable, not less.

So if you’ve ever said the wrong thing, shared something a little clumsy, or admitted you were nervous about filming your first reel… guess what? That probably made people warm to you!

Because perfection is intimidating.

We might admire it from afar, but we don’t always trust it. We certainly don’t always relate to it. And in the world of therapy, trust and relatability are everything.

This doesn’t mean you need to spill your personal struggles online or turn your feed into a diary. But it does mean that showing some personality (some reality) can make a big difference.

You don’t need to be clinical all the time. You don’t have to hide your sense of humour, or your love of dogs, or the fact that you sometimes get a bit ranty about capitalism or the wellness industry.

Your ideal clients don’t just choose you just for your qualifications. They choose you because something in your energy, your tone, your values feels like a fit.

And when you let a little bit of your real self into your content (especially the slightly messy, silly, or honest parts) it invites your audience to do the same.

It reminds them that they don’t have to be perfect either. And that’s a really powerful message to receive, especially in a world that constantly tells them they’re not doing enough.

Social Media Is a Psychological Space

Social media is often framed as purely a marketing tool, and yes, it is that. But it’s also a relational space. A psychological space. A space where people go to feel something. To connect. To be seen.

And when we approach it like that – as a place to build trust, not just to promote – we end up creating content that actually resonates with people.

The good news is you already have the skills to do this! You’ve been building rapport, holding boundaries, understanding emotions, and reflecting back insight for years. You know how to listen. You know how to notice patterns. You know how to make someone feel seen.

Social media just asks you to take those same skills and translate them into a new format. Not for everyone. Not for every moment. But for the people who might be quietly scrolling, wondering if there’s a therapist out there who gets it.

Want to pick my brains about social media and how to show up online as a therapist? Book The Empower Hour!