Google Analytics vs. The Therapist

I went to a training this afternoon on Google Analytics.  For the record, I am a psychotherapist and my brain is wired to assess your emotional status, be present with you and your feelings and help guide you to make positive changes to feel better and lead a healthier life.  I have been to many of these types of trainings and each time I have left with a panic attack of my own about SEO’s and Key Words and plug-ins.  Today’s training, led by Meg at Clapping Dog Media (how cute a name is that?) was more helpful than the others and at its conclusion I announced “I barely have a panic attack.”

I am going to these trainings so that YOU can find ME.  I learn all of this information about Google and how Google finds websites when people do searches for therapists or guitar stores or nursing bra companies.  It’s a big world out there and an even bigger Internet world growing bigger by the second based on the statistics that Meg presented at the training. 

Meg instructed me to write more blog posts ( Exhibit A – this post) add links to my website and said blog posts (see above Clapping Dog woof woof) and do all of these overwhelming computer-type-things that scare the beep out of my soft science brain.  She even told me that Google will affirm this blog post if it is 350 words, but she recommends 750-1000 (current word count is 248 in case you are counting).

And here I am, a solo practitioner psychotherapist whose passion is working with teens, adopted kids, college students and adults.  I love assuring a teen that they are indeed heard when they feel so very alone, and walking a freshman in college through the anxiety of their first semester exams.  Last week I finished an awesome client session and texted my colleagues “Some sessions can be so fulfilling”.  I had just helped a client dissect her  longtime relationship to see how her insecurities from childhood were informing some of her current unhealthy interactions with her partner. It felt so good to guide her through this difficult session only to witness her come out the other side more informed and relaxed about her behaviors.

Friends, Google Analytics is not seeing this work that happens between my clients and me.  The metrics  and Headline Titles will not soothe a depressed adolescent or a recent widow struggling with grief.  I know I have to do the backend work for clients to find  me.  I know it is important and I am very grateful to Meg and all of the hardworking technology people who make it possible for me to do my work.  Zoom has saved us all this year and I am eternally thankful that smart IT people made it happen for us.

Mr. Google,  I will try to do my due diligence so you can send beautiful people to my door (or my screen) to meet with me so that we can do good work together. I believe that this work lessens the pain in the world and spreads a little more peace and joy.

That’s 512 words, folks.  I hope Meg will be satisfied.