How To Design A Logo For Your Counseling Practice
One of the most common questions I get from private practice therapists about their websites is this: How do I get a logo designed for my counseling practice?
Part of the reason this question comes up so often is because logos are often one of the first items on our “starting a business” checklists. Having a logo makes us, as business owners, feel legit. A logo makes us feel professional.
Many therapists also wonder things like: How much will logo design cost? Can I design my logo myself? Do I need to hire a designer to create my logo? I’ll be answering all of these questions below, but first, let’s talk more about why logos are important for your website and counseling business.
Many assume that logos are just there to add visual appeal to a website, but really, there’s much more to it.
First and foremost, logos are an identifying mark of your brand. Your logo is meant to be a quick way to recognize your business, your style, and your values.
Second, logos can help to build recognition and trust. Take a moment to think about a brand or business that you find trustworthy and reliable and picture their logo. When you see that logo on a product or service offering, do you automatically assume that product or service is high quality and reliable too? Usually, the answer here is “yes,” because we subconsciously associate our experience of a business or brand with their brand marks (logos).
Lastly, logos are a great way to visually convey your personality and therapeutic style to potential clients. I’ve talked before about how visuals on your website (brand colors, photos, fonts, etc.) are a great way to help clients get a sense of what it feels like to sit with you, and logos are no exception here.
It’s worth noting that while logos are an important aspect of your visual brand, they’re not the only aspect of your visual brand. Having a well-designed and aligned logo is one piece of a much bigger puzzle, and it’s important that your logo matches and blends well with your color palette/scheme, photos, fonts, and design style.
How to design a logo for your counseling practice
Regardless of how you choose to create your logo (I’ll describe some options below), it’s important to start with a bit of intention and brainstorming.
1. Consider symbolism
Your logos are a symbolic representation of your therapeutic style, so take some time to define your therapeutic style before having a logo designed. I know this may seem like an impossible task, so use the following questions to guide this process:
What is the essence of the work you do with clients?
What imagery or metaphors come to mind when you think about the essence of your work?
Keep in mind: symbols of trees, lotus flowers, and stacks of rocks have become overused in counseling logos. Get creative here and try to think outside the box to help potential clients differentiate your practice from others in your area.
2. Consider your personality
Whether you’re aware of it or not, fonts, colors, and design styles have personalities, so it’s important to match your logo design elements with your personality. Using fonts or design styles that don’t match your personality could result in attracting misaligned clients. Ask yourself the following questions to hone in on your logo’s personality:
How do I want clients to feel when working with me?
Which existing businesses/brands make me feel this way?
What do these brands’ logos have in common?
3. Follow design best-practices
The best, most effective logos are clean, simple, and easy to read. Having a logo that’s too busy or hard to read can undermine your professionalism and make it harder for people to trust you before meeting you. Follow these basic guidelines to get started:
Use fonts that can be read clearly and easily both up-close and far away (in general, script (cursive) fonts can be difficult to read).
Use appropriate spacing so that, again, your logo can be read easily from up-close and far away.
Keep it simple. Less is more when it comes to logo design.
After you’ve considered all of the above, you’re ready to move on to designing your logo. There are several options when it comes to having a logo designed for your counseling practice, so I’ll lay out each option by cost.
How much does logo design cost?
Cost for counseling logo design can vary depending on whether you design your own logo, purchase a pre-designed logo, or hire a designer.
Deciding which route is best for you really depends on a few things: 1. Your budget, 2. Your available time, and 3. Your goals. I’ll walk you through the different options to help you determine which one is right for you and your practice.
Low Cost: $0 - $50
OPTION 1: If your budget is on the smaller side and/or you’re wanting to take more of a DIY approach, consider designing your logo yourself on a program like Canva, Photoshop, or Illustrator. I’d generally recommend Canva as a more intuitive option for beginners, but for those with Adobe experience, Photoshop or Illustrator might be a good fit.
If you DIY your logo, make sure to save it to your computer with a transparent background. This will ensure that your logo will look professional regardless of where you decide to use it. Either download your image from Canva (or elsewhere with “transparent background” selected, or use this free tool to remove your image’s background.
OPTION 2: Another option is commissioning a generic logo with Fiverr. Fiverr is a good option if you have a smaller budget but don’t want to take a DIY approach. Fiverr allows you to commission a designer to create a generic logo for you and gives you the option to filter by factors like budget, timeline, and style.
OPTION 3: Another low-cost option is to purchase a generic logo pack from Creative Market. This is another great option if you’re looking for a low-budget, non-custom option and want to get your logo done quickly with a little DIY.
Considerations:
Logo packs and other DIY solutions may not be available for Copyright or Trademark filing since the design is being sold to multiple people. Be sure to read the fine print when you purchase so you’re aware of any limitations ahead of time.
There’s often something to be said for “you get what you pay for.” A cheap logo may end up looking cheap. It’s important to consider what you want your brand and logos to communicate, and whether or not a low-cost/DIY option will get you there.
Mid-Range: $200 - $1,200
In order to create a logo for your counseling practice that’s both unique and professional, I recommend investing in a mid-range logo or above. While it’s tempting to go with the cheapest option, it’s important to consider longevity. Usually, investing a little more upfront means your logo will stand the test of time much better than a logo that was quickly or cheaply made.
OPTION 1: Purchase a Semi-Custom logo from Hold Space Creative. With my semi-custom logos, you can purchase a set, or suite, of pre-designed logos that include your business name and info. All you have to do is select the suite that best matches your therapeutic style or personality and I’ll handle the rest!
This is a great way to get a professionally designed logo suite at a fraction of the cost of custom design, and since each logo suite has limited availability, you’re likely not going to run into issues with other counselors in your area having the same logos.
With each suite, I include 3 separate logo marks in up to 3 of your unique brand colors (plus black and white) to make sure that you have plenty of options to use on your website and other branding elements, like business cards, social media posts, and email signatures.
Considerations:
Limited availability: To ensure your branding remains distinguishable amongst your fellow therapists and unique to you, I offer a limited number of each available design. Once a design is sold out, it will not be offered again.
Semi-Custom Logos are sold as-is (with the exception of adding your business name). If you’re looking for a logo that’s ready quickly, doesn’t require back-and-forth or any DIY, this is a great option! If you’re hoping for a more collaborative back and forth process with a logo designer, this might not be the right option for you.
OPTION 2: Hire a professional designer to create a bespoke logo or logo suite. If you have a larger budget, your best bet is to hire a professional designer to create a custom logo or logo suite that’s tailored specifically to you. Working one-on-one with a designer on a custom-designed logo can range from $400 - $2,500+, depending on the experience of the designer and scope of the project.
Considerations:
A designer’s rate often corresponds with their experience. If you opt to work with a newer designer, you’ll likely pay a lower rate, but you may spend a bit more time going back and forth until you land on a design that you like.
Review their portfolio and make sure you like their design style. It’s important that the designer’s style is a good fit for you; expecting a designer to design in a style they’re not comfortable with is a recipe for disappointment.
Make sure you know what’s included (and what’s not) in their design package or hourly rate. It’s important to be clear about this upfront so you know what to expect.
High-End: $1,300 - $2,500+
When you have a larger budget and/or are ready to take your branding to the next level, a fully custom logo suite is the best way to go.
OPTION 1: Hire a professional designer or design agency to create a logo suite. If you’re looking to outsource your design and receive a fully custom logo suite, working with an experienced professional designer is the way to go. This is an ideal option for those who are ready to take their visual branding to the next level and have already spent time getting clear on their brand.
If you’re still in the process of clarifying your brand, that’s okay too! Check out my Brand Clarity Questionnaires to help you hone in on your brand identity. If you end up working with a logo designer, you might even consider sharing this information with them to help them get clear on your vision too.
Considerations:
Again, review their portfolio and make sure you like their design style. Expecting a designer to design in a style they’re not comfortable with is a recipe for disappointment.
Typically, full custom logo design will take a few weeks (at least). That said, an experienced designer will know what questions to ask upfront to deliver an aligned design quickly, which can minimize the back and forth and leave you with a unique logo that perfectly matches you and your practice.
Have questions about designing your counseling private practice logo?
Comment below, and I’ll do my best to answer your questions!
As I mentioned above, logos are not the only piece of your visual brand identity, but they are an important foundational piece. From a clinical perspective, an aligned logo clearly communicates to potential clients what you’re about as a therapist and helps to set expectations around what they can anticipate in working with you. From a business perspective, an aligned logo helps to set your practice apart (in a good way!) and builds trust around your brand.
