Theo Ruby Marketing

16/09/2026

Every September the same thing happens. The kids go back, the summer ends, and people who have been putting something off since spring start typing "counsellor near me" into Google.

If your practice isn’t on Google Maps, you’re invisible to that search. And I know why many therapists avoid it: you don’t want your home address published.

You don’t have to publish it. Google lets you show a service area instead of an address, and it works for online and home-based practices.

I’ve written a step-by-step guide to setting it up without giving away where you live. https://theoruby.com/google-business-profile-for-therapists/

15/09/2026

Why aren’t more clients finding and choosing you?

Jane Travis and I are running a free online workshop on exactly that: Thursday 17 September, 11am, for counsellors and therapists.

The last one we ran had 72 people live on the call, which tells me this is the question a lot of you are asking.

Jane covers getting chosen: whether visitors recognise themselves in your words and feel like you’re the right fit. I cover getting found: how Google ranks therapy sites, why directories often outrank you, what AI search is doing to enquiries, and the two or three things to fix first.

One hour. Free. You leave with a short list, not a long one.

Booking your place here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/why-arent-more-clients-finding-and-choosing-you-tickets-1998488357475

10/09/2026

Nine years in and I still drive to Brentford on a Wednesday for a room full of people I could email.

The Business Beanstalk member meeting was on this lunchtime at Time Cafe. Intros, a topic, actions, thanks and requests. Same format every time, and it’s been one of my best sources of referrals since I started.

The reason it works is boring: the same people, every month, actually following through on what they said they’d do.

If you run a business in west London and want to try it, the visitor session is next Wednesday, 16 September, 12.30pm at the Crown and Anchor. Comment or message me and I’ll get you the details.

09/09/2026

The new BACP Ethical Framework becomes mandatory at midday on 3 November. That’s just over eight weeks away, and it talks about AI directly.

It doesn’t ban AI. It asks you to be able to show five things about any AI or digital tool you use: that you’re competent to use it, how it handles data, that clients know about it, that they’ve consented, and that you, not the tool, are making the decisions.

The practical bit: client information can’t go into a free consumer AI tool. Your privacy notice needs to say which tools you use and where the data goes. And you should write down your reasoning for each tool, because that written rationale is what the framework asks for.

I’ve written a plain-English guide to what to do before November. Link in the comments.

08/09/2026

I’m really pleased to be featured in the GreenGuide Chiswick this autumn, alongside lots of brilliant local businesses.

It’s a great way to connect local businesses with people in the area and discover what’s on your doorstep.

Find me in: GreenGuide Chiswick
Autumn 2026

03/09/2026

Are your emails actually reaching people’s inboxes?

It’s easy to assume that when you hit send, your email lands safely in someone’s inbox. But sometimes they can end up in spam without you even realising it.

There are some simple things you can do to improve your email deliverability, and one of my favourite quick checks is Mail Tester.

You send a test email to the address it gives you, and within a few seconds it analyses your email and gives you a score out of 10, along with information about anything that could be affecting your deliverability.

It takes a couple of minutes and can be a really useful check if you're sending newsletters, marketing emails or regular updates to clients.

A small thing that could make a big difference to whether your emails actually get read.

02/09/2026

Are the right clients finding your website - and when they do, are they choosing you?

I’m hosting another free online workshop with Jane Travis on Thursday 17th September, specifically for therapists and counsellors who want their website to work harder for their practice.

We’ll be looking at both sides of the equation:

Getting found - how to improve your visibility on Google, what actually matters for SEO, how AI search is changing things, and the common website issues that could be holding you back.

Getting chosen - how to make sure your website speaks to the right clients, clearly explains what you help with, and gives people a reason to get in touch.

The aim isn't to give you a list of 40 things you need to change. We'll focus on the two or three things that are likely to make the biggest difference to your own website.

It's free, online, relaxed and practical, with plenty of opportunity to bring your own questions.

Thursday 17th September
11am–12pm

You can reserve your free place via the link in the bio.

01/09/2026

Therapists: have you updated your privacy notice yet?

With the new BACP Ethical Framework coming into effect on 3 November, your privacy notice needs to clearly explain how you collect, store and use client information - including the digital and AI tools your practice uses.

I’ve created a free, plain-English privacy notice template specifically for therapists, so you don’t have to start from a blank page.

It includes the key sections you’ll need, with guidance on how to customise it for your own practice, including:

What information you collect
Why you collect it and the relevant legal basis
The digital and AI tools you use
Who you share information with
How long you keep records
Your clients’ rights
How to keep the notice accessible and up to date

It also includes a step-by-step guide to help you work through the template and make sure it actually reflects your practice.

One important disclaimer: this isn't legal advice, and the template is a starting point rather than something to copy and publish without checking. If you're unsure about your obligations, speak to a data protection specialist, your professional body or your insurer.

But if you've been putting off your privacy notice because you don't know where to start, this should make the job considerably easier.

The free template and full guide are available on my website.

27/08/2026