If you’re in the business of healing, chances are you didn’t sign up for this to become a “brand.” You’re not here to sell yourself like a product or rack up likes on social media. You are a service of the heart not a sale of wind. You’re here because you care—deeply, often sacrificially—about the people you serve.
And yet… here we are.
In a world where people are overwhelmed, scrolling, searching for someone they can trust, your online presence matters. Clients aren’t just looking for therapy—they’re looking for a healer. A human. A guide. A companion. A sacred chamber of secrets. Someone whose words, photos, and offerings make them feel safe enough to take the first step and trust the healing process.
I was told early on, “You are the Brand,” by my business mentor and owner of multiple franchises including industries like healthcare, stadium event staffing, food service, and insurance, told me back in 2017 when I first incorporated Contemplative Caregiver. I was a student in my second year at graduate school at Naropa University in Boulder Colorado, USA. Back then, I did not fully grasp what it Jorge meant. However, I have consistently been advertising and marketing myself as Contemplative Caregiver since 2017. My why, and what, and how have morphed and changed overtime. Now, a distillation of seven years has prompted clarity of vision and I want to help you, professional caregiver, teacher, counselor, social worker, and psychologist, to be of renown and celebrated in the communities you serve.
This month, the Contemplative Community Mental Health Leadership Group (CMHLG) is asking: How do we build online presence without losing ourselves in the process? What does it look like to show up online—not as a performer, but as a professional grounded in purpose?
Meet Rachel Hiles: Branding With Purpose for Counselors, Social Workers, and Psychologists
To help us answer that, we’re honored to welcome Rachel Hiles, MPA to our session on Wednesday, June 26. I (Andrew) met Rachel in 2018 at the National Caregiving Conference in Chicago, Illinois, USA, and we have been allies and friends ever since! Rachel is a delightful, witty, and resourceful human that everyone in the healing arts should have in their Rolodex, annual expense reports under marketing, or at least in your mind when referring clients with caregiver, disability, and resource navigation challenges in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area.
Rachel is the founder of nth degree media & designs, TakingCareOfGrandma, and Sandwiched KC, a nonprofit that supports family caregivers in Kansas City. Her background spans disability services, nonprofit leadership, and caregiving—as someone who built her design business while caring for her grandmother full-time.
Rachel’s approach to branding is not about aesthetics first—it’s about clarity. Through Simon Sinek’s Start With Why model, she teaches therapists, social workers, psychologists, and other healing professionals how to connect with their core purpose and translate that into visual and written presence. Rachel recommends you watch this video of Simon Sinek’s Ted talk
Understanding the Golden Circle: For Counselors, Social Workers, and Psychologists Seeking Alignment
The heart of Rachel’s framework comes from Simon Sinek’s “Golden Circle”—a model for authentic communication that begins with the deepest layer and moves outward:
- WHY — The belief, cause, or mission that drives you
- HOW — The unique tone, personality, and style you bring
- WHAT — The services you offer
Most providers start by naming what they do. Rachel invites us to reverse that. Because people don’t just choose therapy—they choose why you offer it and how you do it. That’s what makes you different. That’s what makes you findable.
Clarify Your WHY: For Counselors, Social Workers, and Psychologists Reconnecting With Purpose
Prompt: Why do I do this work, even on the hardest days?
This isn’t an elevator pitch. This is your heartbeat.
Rachel will guide us through reflecting on:
- What first drew you to this profession
- The change you hope to see in the world
- The population or experience you feel most called to serve
- What gives you energy, even in hard sessions
Example therapist WHYs:
- “Because I believe grief is sacred, not pathological, I create spaces for loss to be expressed without apology.”
- “Because I know how isolating caregiving can be, I help family caregivers reconnect with their identities and mental health.”
- “Because I believe queer youth deserve to grow up whole, I offer trauma-informed, affirming therapy that centers self-trust.”
Your WHY doesn’t have to sound like anyone else’s. But it should guide everything else you do. At Contemplative
Define Your HOW: For Counselors, Social Workers, and Psychologists Naming Their Approach
Prompt: How do I show up in my work?
HOW is not just your modality—it’s the relational tone and creative presence you bring into the room.
During our session, Rachel will help us map our “brand tone” through short prompts like:
- “My clients say I’m the kind of therapist who…”
- “My approach is best described as…”
- “I’m most alive in my work when…”
We’ll also name 2–3 brand adjectives that capture how our clients experience us.
Example HOWs:
- “Direct, warm, and no-nonsense. I believe healing happens in truth-telling, not sugar-coating.”
- “Slow, gentle, and grief-honoring. I guide people at a pace that respects their nervous systems.”
- “Affirming, creative, and collaborative. My clients are co-authors in their healing story.”
This becomes the emotional filter for all your messaging—how you write copy, choose photos, or even greet someone in a contact form.
Name Your WHAT: For Counselors, Social Workers, and Psychologists Describing Services Clearly
Prompt: What do I offer—and how do I say it like a human, not a menu?
Most mental health professionals offer a combination of individual, group, community, or educational services. But instead of listing modalities, we’ll learn how to describe our offerings through the lens of our WHY and HOW.
Formula:
- “Because I believe [why], I help [who] by [how], offering [what].”
Examples:
- “Because I believe trauma shouldn’t define your story, I help adults reconnect with their bodies through EMDR and nature-based therapy.”
- “I help grief survivors navigate meaning-making after loss through creative expression and storytelling groups.”
- “I support chronically ill adults facing medical trauma with slow, affirming, somatic-based psychotherapy.”
This language is not about shrinking or diluting your expertise—it’s about making it accessible and memorable to the people who need you.
Align Your Voice and Visuals: For Counselors, Social Workers, and Psychologists Creating Resonant Presence
Prompt: Does my website feel like a reflection of who I am—or a template I grabbed under pressure?
Once your core message is clear, Rachel will help us bring that clarity into your digital presence. That means asking:
- Does my headshot reflect my tone and energy?
- Do the colors on my site feel aligned with my practice values?
- Is the font readable and warm—or stiff and medical?
- Is my language consistent from homepage to contact form?
Example alignments:
- A grief therapist might use neutral tones, textures, and calm photography to create space for quiet reflection.
- A youth therapist might lean into bright color accents, friendly headers, and welcoming illustrations.
- A supervisor working with new clinicians might use steady tones, clean layouts, and messages of grounded support.
Rachel will help you collect your own inspiration.
Pre-Session Prep: For for Counselors, Social Workers, and Psychologists Attending June 26
To help you get the most out of Rachel’s session, we’re encouraging everyone to complete the following by June 25:
- Watch this TED Talk (18 min):
Simon Sinek: Start With Why - Reflect on your WHY:
Write a few sentences answering: “Why do I do this work, even on the hard days?” - Find a brand you admire:
Take a screenshot or link to a therapist’s website or profile you like. What do you notice about tone, visuals, or voice? - Scan your own materials:
Look at your website, Psychology Today profile, or social media. What message are you sending—intentionally or not? Check out our blog with 30+ other places to get referrals online to help you get inspired by the many opportunities available to you. - Pick three words:
What feeling do you want your clients to have when they interact with your brand?
Session Details
🗓️ Date: Thursday, June 26, 2025
🕙 Time: 10:00–11:30 AM Mountain Time
📍 Location: Online via Google Meet (Send Email to andrew@contemplativecaregiver.com)
💬 Cost: Free
👥 Who Should Attend: Mental health students in internship, provisionally licensed and fully licensed counselors, social workers, psychologists, based in Colorado.
Structure:
- First 45 min: CMHLG’s four-part check-in (Personal, Professional, Administrative, and Theoretical)
- Last 45 min: Rachel’s guided session with examples, group exercises, and Q&A
Looking Ahead: July 17 With Dr. Vargas
After Rachel’s session, we’ll take a brief break and resume with Dr. Vargas on Wednesday, July 17. This session will focus on:
- Building reflective supervision practices
- Navigating power and feedback in clinical relationships
- Holding leadership roles in group practice or academic settings
- Cultivating peer consultation that feeds your work
If you’re moving toward becoming a clinical supervisor, or simply want to refine your feedback and mentoring skills, don’t miss this one.
Final Thoughts: For Counselors, Social Workers, and Psychologists Wanting to Be Seen, Not Marketed
If you’ve felt pressure to brand yourself—but cringe every time you open Canva or try to write an “About Me” blurb—you’re not alone. You don’t have to perform, pretend, or polish your way into someone’s trust.
You just have to show up with clarity (by nature you move with integrity, so don’t worry about that).
This session with Rachel Hiles is not about becoming a marketing expert. It’s about becoming visible in a way that reflects your real strengths, intentions, and presence.
So if your website feels like someone else’s, or your online profile feels flat, or you’re tired of translating your values into market language—you belong in this conversation.
Join us. Reclaim your story. And let’s start with why.
Contemplative Caregiver 