So you’re starting (or restarting) your private practice website—and you’re wondering… should you build it yourself with a therapist Squarespace template? Or go all-in on a custom site that’s designed and written just for you?

Honestly? It’s really easy to get stuck here. Especially when you’re juggling everything else it takes to run a practice. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but there is a best fit for where you’re at right now.

In this post, I’ll walk through the pros and trade-offs of both options—and give you a few questions that might help you figure out what actually makes sense for your goals, your budget, and your brain.

Let’s talk templates

Templates are basically pre-designed websites you can personalize. My templates, for example, are built on Squarespace and designed specifically for therapists and coaches. So they’re:

Clean and professional, without feeling cold or corporate
Structured with compliance in mind (like BCACC or CRPO guidelines)
Set up to gently guide visitors toward reaching out
Easy to update, even if tech isn’t your thing

You just plug in your words, tweak the colors and photos, and boom—you’ve got a legit website you can publish in days, not weeks.

Even my own personal website (yes, this one!) started with a WordPress template I bought online. It was a cost-effective way to get a solid structure and built-in features. And over time, I made it more my own.

Therapist Squarespace templates are great if you:

Feel okay writing your own copy (or already have some of it written)
Want to launch sooner than later
Don’t need a totally unique brand design right now
Prefer to have a starting point instead of a blank page

✨ Bonus: You can always get a bit of help on top—like having someone (me!) write a few key pages or advise you on what to say where.

What makes custom design different

Custom sites are built from the ground up around you—your voice, your vibe, your goals, your people.

If we work together on a custom site, I’m not just making it look pretty. I help you:

Figure out exactly what to include—and what you can skip
Write service pages that reflect your actual approach (and help with SEO)
Choose visuals that feel like you—not like a therapy stock photo graveyard
Build a layout that looks great on mobile and desktop

We collaborate to make it feel like a real extension of your practice, not just a digital placeholder.

Custom is great if you:

Want help finding the right words (and the right emotional tone)
Have a specific niche, vibe, or strategy you want to show off
Want SEO-optimized content written for you
Feel overwhelmed by all the decisions a site involves

Even if you have a strong sense of what you want, custom gives you space to co-create. Sometimes clients have the perfect idea for a visual or section—but just don’t know how to bring it to life.

Timeline + involvement: how much time are we talking?

Comparison at a glance

Feature

🎁 Template

🎨 Custom Site

Timeline

⚡️ 1–5 days

📆 3–5 weeks

Involvement Level

✌🏻 Mostly solo (light guidance)

🤝 Collaborative, co-creative

Cost Range

$399–$499 CAD

$2,000–$4,000+ CAD

(Ren Strategies typically starts at $1,200 for a basic 8-page site - copy + design)

Customization

Medium

High

SEO Potential

Moderate (DIY copy)

High (done-for-you copy)

Support Available

Email support + copy add-ons

1:1 calls + strategic input

Scalability Later

Easy to upgrade

Built to grow from the start

Some folks begin with a therapist Squarespace template and later upgrade to custom. Others bypass DIY altogether and go straight to custom because they recognize they’re swamped and want support.

Both approaches work.

What about SEO?

Good question. SEO (search engine optimization) isn’t just about keywords—it’s about how your site is structured, how fast it loads, how mobile-friendly it is, and whether the content speaks to what your clients are Googling.

Templates come with the right bones—fast, responsive, and clean. But if you want your site to rank well and feel deeply aligned, custom gives you the extra boost. That’s because I write your pages with both humans and search engines in mind. For example, we might intentionally include phrases like “online therapy for anxiety in Alberta” or “trauma therapy in Vancouver” based on your niche.

That said, you can totally rank with a template too—especially if you’re confident writing, or you get help on the copy side.

A quick gut check to help you decide

Ask yourself:

✅ Do I want to get this live in days, not weeks?

✅ Am I okay editing a few sections and writing most of my own copy?

✅ Is budget a major consideration right now?

→ A template is a good fit for you.

Check out my Squarespace templates on Etsy or send me a note if you’re unsure.

✅ Do I want help finding the right words and visuals?

✅ Do I feel overwhelmed about what to include?

✅ Am I craving something that really feels like me?

→ You might be ready for a custom site.

Book a free intro call to see what that would look like.

Final thoughts

There’s no gold star for going custom. And there’s no shame in going DIY. Both are valid paths.

The question is: What do you need right now to feel confident showing up online? Start there. You can always build from it later.

Need a second opinion? I’m just a message away.

Done-for-you therapist Squarespace template or custom website? How to choose