AI and SEO: What Actually Matters for Therapists

Can ChatGPT Recommend You as a Therapist?

A few versions of a question has come up in several online therapist groups lately:

“Can I get ChatGPT to recommend my practice if someone asks for a therapist like me?”

It’s a smart question—especially as more people turn to AI tools instead of Google when they’re looking for help.

The answer? Sort of. But not in the way you might imagine.

Let’s break this down into three clear categories, because not all AI tools work the same way.

1. ChatGPT (web or app, by OpenAI)

By default, ChatGPT does not search the internet in real time. It gives answers based on training data (often several months old), unless you’re using the paid version with browsing capabilities.

If you're a ChatGPT Plus user (on GPT-4 or GPT-4o), it may access current info through a feature called “Browse with Bing”—but only if the query requires it and only if the browsing mode is enabled in that session.

That means:

• Your site isn’t visible to ChatGPT unless it was part of its training data (unlikely)

• It may reference large, established directories that were part of its data

• Users have to explicitly ask for and read content about you—it won't spontaneously recommend you unless prompted

Bottom line: ChatGPT can’t “discover” you unless your site is well-known, linked in other places, or someone feeds it your link.

2. Bing Chat (now called Microsoft Copilot)

This is where things change.

Copilot (available through Bing, Edge, and the Microsoft Copilot app) uses a GPT-powered model, but pulls live web data from Bing’s search index.

That means:

• If your website is listed and well-optimized on Bing, it can be cited in Copilot answers

• Copilot may summarize and link to your content when someone searches for therapists in your area

• This is the closest thing right now to “getting recommended” by an AI tool

This is traditional SEO—but with generative output layered on top.

So if someone types into Copilot:

“Who are some couples counselors in Fresno who work with African American clients?”

Copilot might summarize info from public therapist directories or local service pages—and link directly to you if you’ve done the groundwork.

3. Google’s AI Overviews (Search Generative Experience)

Still in limited rollout, but expanding quickly. Google’s AI Overviews pull from live search results and trusted content—not training data.

That means:

• If your site ranks well in Google, it can show up in AI Overviews

• Your blog posts, service pages, and local content may be quoted or summarized

• Google still uses classic signals: page clarity, backlinks, schema, and authority

In short: if you’re already doing good SEO, you’re already optimizing for AI-driven search.

What Therapists Should Focus On

To show up in any of these AI-powered tools, here’s what helps:

• Clear service pages with location and specialty info

• Listings in trusted directories (e.g., TherapyDen, Gottman Network)

• Well-structured content (headings, schema markup, FAQs)

• Local SEO fundamentals (Google Business Profile, backlinks from your area)

Beware The Hype

Every few months (or weeks or even days), there’s a new wave of hype around AI and SEO. Maybe you’ve seen posts claiming people are “training AI programs to recommend their clients” or building multi-agent systems that game the algorithm.

Yes, AI is changing SEO. But probably not the way you think.

The more complex examples you might see online—like setting up multiple AI “agents” to talk to each other, generate keyword clusters, evaluate pages, and automate SEO strategy—are technically possible. Tools like LangChain or LangGraph do allow for complex AI workflows. But they’re built for developers, not therapists.

And frankly, they’re fragile. If any part of the chain breaks (a data source changes, an API fails, an output isn't structured correctly), the whole system can fall apart.

These setups are fascinating, but they’re not where your energy needs to go. Especially not if your website isn’t already showing up for key terms.

AI builds on what’s already working. Not instead of it.

Whether it’s ChatGPT, Google’s Search Generative Experience, or some future tool we haven’t seen yet, AI models rely on traditional SEO signals to determine what content is helpful, trustworthy, and relevant.

Here’s what still matters—maybe more than ever:

• Technical SEO: Fast, mobile-friendly pages that are easy to crawl still matter.

• Structured data: Schema markup helps AI tools understand your content clearly.

• Backlinks and authority: Trust indicators (like backlinks from relevant directories) help search engines and AI know your site is credible.

• Content clarity: Clear, conversational writing that matches searcher intent helps both Google and your potential clients.

• AEO and GEO: Answer Engine Optimization and Generative Engine Optimization are just new and emerging terms for “make it easy for machines to understand your expertise.” TBD when the industry lands on an agreed upon term.

So what should you do?

Stick to the basics. That’s not a cop-out—it’s a strategy. SEO in 2025 is still built on strong, accessible websites that speak clearly to both search engines and potential clients.

If your service pages are sparse, your blogs are outdated, or your structure is unclear, AI isn’t going to fix that. But if your site is already grounded in clarity and trust? Then AI may actually start to work in your favor.

And that’s where you want to be.

Make sure your SEO is rooted in clarity, structure, and connection. That’s how you future-proof your practice—no complicated tools required.