Writing Blog Posts: 5 Ways Therapists Can Generate Ideas for Topics

Blogging is a powerful tool to help therapists build trusting relationships with  potential therapy clients and to become noticed by a wider audience. It is also an essential method of marketing online. Yet, many therapist and holistic practitioners still don’t have blogs that they post to on a regular basis.

One of the main stumbling blocks therapists and holistic practitioners have when it comes to writing is that they don’t know what to write about. The main thing to keep in mind here is that you need to write about things your ideal clients want to know about — information that is helpful to them.

Below are some ways to generate ideas for writing blog posts.

1. Start With What You Know.

Write about topics that come up frequently in counseling or healing sessions or questions that your clients ask you. You can often come up with one or more blog topics from a single client session. For example, imagine your target audience is parents of teenagers who are in trouble, and you just had a counseling session with the parent of a teenager whose teen came home drunk the night before. You might write an article titled, “5 Things You Can Do When You Discover Your Adolescent Has Been Drinking”.

2. Keep Up With Research and Trends in Your Area.

If you want to be a leader in your field and stand out amongst the crowd, it’s important to stay on top of new research and trends in your field. Once your readers see that you are providing timely and helpful information, they are going to be eager to read more of your posts. Start off by subscribing to sites like Talk Walker Alerts and Google Trends to see what is trending on the Internet in your area. You’ll then receive notifications of hot topics that you might want to write about.

3. Read, Read… and Read Some More.

Reading books, blogs, and websites related to your niche area is a great way to find ideas for topics. I am not talking about plagiarizing here (something that is rampant on the web); rather, I am suggesting that you read to get inspiration to write. The more you read other’s ideas, the more ideas you are likely to generate of your own.

4. Write Ideas Down as They Come to You.

You don’t want to sit down with the intention to write and then not know what you are going to write about. To make sure this doesn’t happen, you should have an ongoing list of ideas. Keep a notebook handy or use a notebook app like Evernote and write down your ideas as they come to you. Make sure you always have your list close by, as the best ideas can often strike at unexpected times. You can keep a running list of single topics, but is also a good idea to write a few sentences or a bulleted list of points that sum up the article in a nutshell. Then when it comes time to write, you’ll already have a good start.

5. Get Writing and Make it a Habit.

Get in the flow of writing so you can eventually get to the point where it feels like any other habit. Block out time for writing regularly and then just start writing. The beauty of free writing is that it helps you access ideas that you already have. You might be surprised what your subconscious mind can present you with. When you’ve said all you can think of, go back and edit, creating a logical structure so that it flows easily. Once you get into the flow of writing, it will become much easier to produce interesting articles that your target audience wants to read. Remember, practice makes perfect so never give up, and always remember to have fun with it!

Want to find out how to become a blogger who gets results?

Check out this training, “How to Use Blogging to Build a Sustainable Therapy or Wellness Business.”

***Registration closes on May 24, 2016.***

Get it now…