Why “I Work With Anxiety and Depression” Isn’t A Niche
If your answer to “who do you work with?” is “I work with anxiety and depression,” you don’t have a niche. You have a description of 80% of therapy clients.
I know this feels controversial. You went to school to help people with mental health issues. Anxiety and depression are mental health issues. Why wouldn’t you list them?
Because when everyone says the same thing, no one stands out. And when no one stands out, clients pick based on convenience or cost - not fit.
What a niche actually is.
A niche isn’t just a diagnosis or population. It’s a specific person with a specific problem at a specific point in their life.
Compare these:
“I work with anxiety.”
vs.
“I work with high-achieving women in their 30s who look like they have it all together but are secretly exhausted by their own perfectionism.”
The first one describes a symptom. The second one describes a human being. Which one would you click on if you were that woman?
The specificity objection.
“But if I get too specific, I’ll turn people away!”
Maybe. But you’ll also attract the right people - the ones who read your website and think “it’s like they’re describing my life.”
Here’s what actually happens when you niche down: You become memorable. Referral sources think of you for specific situations. Your marketing becomes easier because you know exactly who you’re talking to. And counterintuitively, you often get more inquiries, not fewer.
I’d rather have 10 inquiries from people who are genuinely a great fit than 50 inquiries from people who picked me because I was available on Tuesdays.
How to find your niche.
Start with energy, not strategy.
Who do you love working with? Not who can you work with - who lights you up? Who do you think about between sessions because you’re genuinely invested in their progress?
Now flip it: Who drains you? Who do you dread seeing on your schedule? What types of clients leave you feeling depleted?
The patterns there will tell you more than any market research.
Then ask: What do I bring that’s different? Maybe it’s lived experience. Maybe it’s a specific training. Maybe it’s your style or approach. Your niche lives at the intersection of who you love working with and what makes you uniquely suited to help them.
The “I help” statement.
Try this formula: I help [specific person] who is struggling with [specific problem] so they can [specific transformation].
Not: “I help adults with anxiety and depression.”
Instead: “I help new moms who feel like they’re failing at everything rebuild their confidence and actually enjoy motherhood.”
The first is forgettable. The second makes the right person feel seen.
The Playbook walks you through finding your niche step by step. Grab it here: https://a.co/d/g6bBKPZ