Positioning Angles for Therapy Services

Finding the angle that makes therapy services resonate—without crossing CRPO ethical boundaries.

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The core job

Therapy marketing requires a delicate balance:

• Connect emotionally with people who need help
• Differentiate from other therapists
• Build trust through credibility signals
• Stay compliant with CRPO advertising standards

This skill finds multiple valid positioning angles, each CRPO-compliant, each resonating with different segments of your audience.

Output format: 3-5 distinct angle options, each with:

• The angle (one sentence)
• Why it works (the psychology)
• Headline direction (how it would sound in copy)
• When to use it (audience segments, situations)
• CRPO compliance check (confirms it's factual and verifiable)

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CRPO Compliance First

MANDATORY Rules for All Angles

✅ ALLOWED:

• Factual service descriptions
• Professional credentials (RP, CRPO #10979)
• Therapeutic approaches (ACT, CBT, person-centered)
• Appointment availability (same-week, evening/weekend)
• Geographic service area (Ontario, virtual)
• Insurance receipts offered

❌ PROHIBITED:

• Outcome guarantees ("cure anxiety," "fix depression")
• Superlatives without proof ("best therapist," "top-rated")
• Testimonials or client reviews
• Before/after transformation claims
• Success rates (unless from published research)
• Comparative claims ("better than other therapists")

CRPO Standard 6.2 Summary:

• All statements must be factual and verifiable
• Cannot suggest CRPO endorsement
• Cannot exaggerate conditions treated
• Must use proper credential display

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The Therapy Angle-Finding Process

Step 1: Identify the Real Transformation

NOT: "Reduce anxiety" (outcome promise) YES: "Learn tools to manage anxious thoughts" (process focus)

NOT: "Cure depression" (outcome promise) YES: "Professional support for depression" (service description)

NOT: "Fix your relationships" (outcome promise) YES: "Explore relationship patterns in a safe space" (process focus)

The transformation for therapy:

• Feeling understood (validation, connection)
• Having tools (skills, strategies)
• Having support (not being alone)
• Making sense (patterns, understanding)
• Taking action (what therapy helps with, not guarantees)

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Step 2: Map the Competitive Landscape

What would clients do if NextStep didn't exist?

Alternatives:

1. Do nothing (live with problem, hope it gets better)
2. Self-help (apps, books, meditation, podcasts)
3. Talk to friends/family (free but no expertise)
4. Medication only (treat symptoms, not patterns)
5. Other therapists (wait lists, poor fits, expensive)
6. Crisis services (ER, crisis line - reactive, not ongoing)

Each alternative has frustrations. Those become angle opportunities.

Angle opportunities:

• vs. Do nothing: "You don't have to handle this alone"
• vs. Self-help: "Relational therapy vs. app-based solutions"
• vs. Friends/family: "Professional space without judgment"
• vs. Medication only: "Understand patterns, not just symptoms"
• vs. Other therapists: "Same-week availability," "Evening/weekend," "Young male therapist"
• vs. Crisis: "Ongoing support before things reach crisis"

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Step 3: Find the Unique Mechanism

For NextStep Therapy:

Mechanism: Relational, person-centered therapy where connection is central—not worksheets, not homework, not being told what to do.

How to frame it (CRPO-compliant):

• "Therapy rooted in connection, not worksheets"
• "Curiosity-driven approach vs. prescriptive methods"
• "Operationalizing YOUR language, not clinical jargon"
• "ACT-informed, psychodynamic-influenced, person-centered"
• "Speaking the same language as young professional men"

Jesse's differentiators (from voice discovery):

• Relatability (young man who's been through it)
• Not the expert who tells you what to do
• Uses client-generated metaphors
• Works with emotion in the present moment
• Alliance/understanding over technique

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Step 4: Assess Market Sophistication

Stage 3 (Crowded): Many therapists in Ontario, similar claims, skepticism rising.

This means:

• Simple superiority claims won't work ("best therapist in Ontario")
• Need to explain the mechanism (WHY this approach is different)
• Credibility signals matter (CRPO #10979, ACT specialization)
• Specificity cuts through noise (same-week, virtual, young male therapist)

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Step 5: Run the Therapy Angle Generators

The Relational Angle

Lead with connection over technique.

Frame:

"Therapy where connection is everything—not worksheets, not homework, not being told what to do."

Why it works:

• Differentiates from CBT apps and workbook therapy
• Addresses frustration with previous therapy
• Alliance is #1 factor in outcomes (research-backed)

Headline direction:

"Relational Therapy for Ontario | Where Understanding Comes First"

When to use:

• Audience: Previous therapy felt cold/prescriptive
• Segment: People frustrated with apps/workbooks
• Stage: Problem-aware (know therapy might help)

CRPO compliance: ✅ Factual (describes approach, not outcomes)

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The Availability Angle

Lead with accessibility.

Frame:

"Same-week virtual appointments. Evening and weekend options. No months-long wait."

Why it works:

• Solves #1 barrier (long wait lists)
• Factual and verifiable
• Immediate value proposition

Headline direction:

"Ontario Virtual Therapy | Same-Week Appointments Available"

When to use:

• Audience: Urgency (struggling now, not in 3 months)
• Segment: Professionals who can't do 2pm Tuesdays
• Stage: Solution-aware (know they need therapy, need logistics)

CRPO compliance: ✅ Factual (verifiable availability)

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The Relatability Angle

Lead with shared identity.

Frame:

"Young male therapist for young men dealing with anxiety, burnout, and the gap between who they should be and who they are."

Why it works:

• Addresses "speaking the same language"
• Young men often struggle to find relatable therapists
• Specificity creates belonging

Headline direction:

"Therapy for Men in Ontario | Professional, Relatable Support"

When to use:

• Audience: Young men (20s-40s)
• Segment: Professionals, high-achievers with imposter syndrome
• Stage: Product-aware (looking for right fit)

CRPO compliance: ✅ Factual (describes therapist and target audience)

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The Anti-Expert Angle

Lead with collaboration, not prescription.

Frame:

"Person-centered therapy. You're the expert in your own life—therapy provides space to explore, not answers to memorize."

Why it works:

• Differentiates from directive/prescriptive approaches
• Appeals to people who felt patronized by previous therapy
• Carl Rogers philosophy (research-backed)

Headline direction:

"Person-Centered Therapy Ontario | Explore, Don't Memorize"

When to use:

• Audience: Intellectually curious, resists being told what to do
• Segment: Previous therapy felt condescending
• Stage: Solution-aware (comparing approaches)

CRPO compliance: ✅ Factual (describes therapeutic philosophy)

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The Specificity Angle

Lead with the exact service details.

Frame:

"Virtual ACT therapy for anxiety. CRPO registered (RP #10979). Same-week availability. Evening and weekend appointments. Insurance receipts provided."

Why it works:

• Answers all logistical questions upfront
• Credibility through specifics
• Reduces decision friction

Headline direction:

"ACT Therapy for Anxiety Ontario | CRPO #10979 | Virtual Sessions"

When to use:

• Audience: High awareness (ready to book, needs logistics)
• Segment: Direct, no-nonsense people
• Stage: Most aware (just need to know the details)

CRPO compliance: ✅ Factual (all verifiable details)

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The Integration Angle

Lead with the blended approach.

Frame:

"Integrative therapy: ACT principles, psychodynamic awareness, person-centered philosophy. Not locked into one manual."

Why it works:

• Appeals to people frustrated with "one-size-fits-all"
• Shows sophistication and flexibility
• Jesse's actual evolving approach

Headline direction:

"Integrative Therapy Ontario | ACT + Psychodynamic + Person-Centered"

When to use:

• Audience: Therapy-savvy, know what CBT/ACT/psychodynamic mean
• Segment: Previous manualized therapy felt limiting
• Stage: Product-aware (comparing therapeutic approaches)

CRPO compliance: ✅ Factual (describes approach, not outcomes)

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Output Format

When finding angles, deliver this:

Angle Options for [Service/Page]

Angle 1: [Name]

• The angle: [One sentence positioning]
• Why it works: [Psychology/market insight]
• Headline direction: "[Example headline]"
• When to use: [Conditions where this angle is strongest]
• CRPO compliance: ✅ or ⚠️ with explanation

Angle 2: [Name]

• The angle: [One sentence positioning]
• Why it works: [Psychology/market insight]
• Headline direction: "[Example headline]"
• When to use: [Conditions where this angle is strongest]
• CRPO compliance: ✅ or ⚠️ with explanation

[Continue for 3-5 total options]

Recommended starting point: [Which angle to test first and why]

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Common Therapy Service Angles (Pre-Built)

For Anxiety Therapy Pages

Angle 1: Relational Focus

• "Virtual anxiety therapy where understanding comes first"
• Works for: People burned out on CBT apps

Angle 2: Availability

• "Same-week anxiety therapy across Ontario"
• Works for: Urgent need, can't wait 3 months

Angle 3: ACT Specialization

• "ACT therapy for anxiety | Learn to respond differently"
• Works for: Therapy-savvy audience

For Professional/Workplace Pages

Angle 1: Identity Match

• "Therapy for professionals navigating burnout and imposter syndrome"
• Works for: Young professionals, high-achievers

Angle 2: Scheduling

• "Evening and weekend therapy for professionals who can't do 2pm Tuesdays"
• Works for: Busy professionals

Angle 3: Relatability

• "Young male therapist who understands professional pressure"
• Works for: Young male professionals

For Student Pages

Angle 1: Academic Specificity

• "Therapy for university students: academic anxiety, social pressure, identity questions"
• Works for: Current students

Angle 2: Relatability

• "Virtual therapy for Ontario students | Flexible scheduling around classes"
• Works for: Students with packed schedules

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Forbidden Angles for Therapy

Never use these (CRPO violations):

❌ The Transformation Angle - "From anxious to confident in 8 weeks"

• Violates: Outcome guarantee

❌ The Social Proof Angle - "Rated #1 therapist in Toronto by 500+ clients"

• Violates: Testimonials, unverifiable claims

❌ The Success Rate Angle - "95% of clients report reduced anxiety"

• Violates: Outcome claims without published research

❌ The Cure Angle - "Finally cure your depression"

• Violates: Outcome guarantee, misleading

❌ The Superlative Angle - "Ontario's best CBT therapist"

• Violates: Unverifiable superlative

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How This Connects to Other Skills

This skill runs BEFORE:

• direct-response-copy-therapy (provides the angle to write from)
• therapy-content-generator (establishes positioning for page)
• conversion-optimizer (angle informs CTA strategy)

This skill uses input from:

• brand-voice (extracted voice profile for tone matching)
• keyword-research (target keywords inform angle choice)

The flow:

1. positioning-angles-therapy identifies 3-5 options
2. User picks one (or you recommend)
3. Other skills execute using that angle

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The Test

Before delivering angles, verify each one:

1. Is it CRPO-compliant? No outcome guarantees, no testimonials, no superlatives
2. Is it specific? "Same-week availability" beats "fast service"
3. Is it differentiated? Could another therapist claim the same thing?
4. Is it believable? Does evidence support the claim?
5. Is it relevant? Does it match the target audience's needs?
6. Is it empathetic? Does it acknowledge their experience without dramatizing?

If any answer is no, revise or discard the angle.

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Sources

Therapy Marketing:

• SEO for Therapists 2024
• Private Practice Marketing

Positioning Frameworks:

• April Dunford - "Obviously Awesome" (5-component positioning)
• Eugene Schwartz - Market awareness stages

CRPO Compliance:

• CRPO Advertising Standards
• CRPO Standard 6.2