Recording a great therapist video is easier than you think. The best videos are just a version of the way you’d start a relationship with any new client, particularly in an age of online therapy. A good format keeps it simple. First introduce yourself, giving them a background of your experience and qualifications, and then conclude by letting them know how you can help them.
Think of recording your therapist video in the same ways that you communicate digitally everyday. Many therapists provide therapy via programs like Zoom, so consider framing yourself and introducing yourself as if you were simply joining a session online. Clients often search for therapists on their phones, which means vertical video formats can work as well as horizontal ones. Clients also have a fairly short attention span when exploring therapists, which means that your video doesn’t have to be too long and in depth.
Suggested Script
- Covers this information in this general order:
- Introduction, “Hi, I’m…”
- Clients I support well are…
- My training and specialties are…
- My goal for my clients is to feel / achieve…
Click here to see our Clinical Community Member, Avni Panchal, LCSW introducing herself in a simple, warm, no frills video.
Practical Tips
- Vertical or Horizontal video formats are fine.
- Videos should be about a minute long, and no longer than 90 seconds.
- Using your smartphone is fine.
- Make sure you are well-framed in the video, meaning that you’re centered in the picture.
- Try to record head-on, with the camera about at eye level.
- Pay attention to your lighting making sure it’s bright enough to make the video clear, but not so bright that it creates shadows or glare.
- Check your sound to make sure your voice is clearly recorded.
- If you’re feeling nervous, pretend you’re talking to a client sitting in your office for the first time, making eye contact with the camera.
- Choose a background that is a professional or neutral space, e.g. against a wall.
