Become a Therapist-Influencer

The reason your videos don't get views is because you aren't saying anything to anyone.  I know that seems weird and on a platform with over 69 million users, unless you are saying something that speaks directly to a situation someone is currently in, your message will get lost in the void. 

My name is Derrick Javan Hoard and I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist working out of Seattle, Washington.  I have a social media platform of over 850,000 followers, a thriving private practice charging a premium price for therapy, and a successful therapy app called The Situational Practice which provides a consistent source of passive income.  I want to help show you how to get more clients for your practice. 

I had always been fairly skeptical of tik-tok.  I had heard a lot of negative press surrounding it basically being a privacy nightmare with the amount of permissions it has on your phone.  I had one friend in 2018 tell me that it would be a good idea to get one and I declined because I was afraid of "something" happening. 

Fast forward during the pandemic and I was bored and restless just like everyone else.  I decided to download the app and from the beginning, I was very confused. I didn't understand how the "for you" page worked, how to upload content, or just how far or a reach a could have.

I had to make a decision on how I wanted to present myself. Did I want to be just like every other therapist on tik-tok? Therapists hoping that their credentials will somehow carry them to fame just by having them?  I knew that wouldn't work because life coaches exist and thrive on that platform. 

I decided to create a persona and speak the things that we are not allowed therapy.  I began to talk about my perspective on cognitive behavioral therapy, family dynamics as a cause of mental illness, and generally just validate the experiences of the identified patient and it paid off well.

I have been invited to speak at conferences, I have had several public appearances included NPR, The Money Sessions with Tiffany McClain, and asked to write several blog posts for varying businesses. 

There is a formula I followed to be successful on tik-tok. Be yourself, speak the truth, and above all else be engaging.  Many therapists that I work with have problems with all three.  They bring the same boring and "objective" therapist persona they have at work online and no one wants to listen to you drone on about attachment theory.  

Many people say, "but Derrick. I can't be charismatic like you. You have a gift".  Well, thank you, it is a trauma response, and also you don't have to be like me.  You just don't need to be like everyone else. 

Your credentials are amazing and you worked hard for them and no one cares about them until its time to care about them. Life coaches have completely circumvented the entire rat-race and have become a multi-billion dollar industry.  

If you want to be successful in Tik-Tok you first have to figure out who you are, why you are doing what you are doing, and get in your mind an image of the people you want to help. 

With the advent of platforms like betterhelp and talkspace, therapists are competing against so many forces for the attention of their "ideal clients".  I believe to be successful in a  post-covid world, therapists need to start thinking about their "audience", not their "clients".  

Even with my success, I have difficulty competing with the ad spend of these companies and it makes it harder to practice independently.  Insurance panels work and it is nice to only see 10 to 20 clients per week who are highly motivated (cash-paying) and ready to make changes. I also do not miss the paperwork. 

Growing your therapy practice on Tik-Tok right now is an option and I believe in the very near future, it will be a necessity.  When clients go looking for a therapist they want to know you are anti-racist, they want to know your stance on mental illness, they want to be able to research you and find out something that helps them feel comfortable working with you.

If you don't have a presence online you do not exist. 

I would like to teach you how to be successful on Tik-Tok and more than that, I would like to teach you how to be the therapist that you can be, not the one your program conditioned you to be. If you decide to work with me I will provide the following:

• Education on Tik-Tok and the Tik-Tok Algorithm
• Review of your current Tik-Tok profile and offer suggestions
•  Assistance in creating and developing a therapist persona
• Assistance in identifying your "audience"
• Helping you avoid common mistakes and pitfalls (some of them cost me hours of work)
• A simple game-plan to both grow your influence, authority, and therapy practice. 

My hourly rate for The Situational Therapist Consulting is $250 per hour and I do offer financial scholarships for individuals who can demonstrate to me significant financial need. If you are interested in growing your therapy practice as well as you influence, click below to schedule a free 15-minute consultation.  I look forward to hearing from you soon!