Template or Custom? How to Choose the Right Website for Your Therapy Practice
Template or Custom? How to Choose the Right Website for Your Therapy Practice
Quick Answer for Skimmers (and Search Engines):
Choosing between a website template or a custom build isn’t about right or wrong—it’s about what fits your priorities. If you want affordability and hands-on flexibility, a therapist-focused template has your back. Prefer hands-off ease and a bespoke look? A custom one-day site might be worth the investment.
Here’s what’s coming up:
Below, we'll walk through what each option offers—including cost, timeline, and creative control—and help you decide which aligns with your needs, budget, and comfort level. You’ll even get a mini decision "quiz" to point you toward the right fit without overthinking it.
When you’re a therapist building or revamping your private practice website, one of the first decisions you’ll face is this: Should I use a website template, or go custom?
The good news? There’s no wrong answer—just what fits you best. In this post, we’ll walk through your two main therapist website design options and help you confidently choose between a DIY template or a fully custom build. We'll even throw in a little quiz to make the choice even easier.
Option 1: Use a Website Template (and Make It Your Own)
Templates are ideal if you want a polished, professionally designed site—without the price tag or timeline of a custom one. The High Five Design Co. Template Shop is filled with Squarespace templates made just for therapists, which means they already include the structure, strategy, and language you need to connect with potential clients.
Each template comes with:
A beautiful, mobile-friendly Squarespace design
Easy-to-follow video tutorials
A comprehensive copywriting guide (tailored to therapy practices)
Guidance on SEO, booking buttons, and branding tips
You’ll get the clarity of a done-for-you framework, but with the freedom to customize fonts, colors, images, and text so it truly feels like you. Templates are ideal for therapists who are newer to private practice, working with a smaller budget, or simply enjoy having creative input in the process.
Explore the Template Shop
Option 2: Go Custom with a One-Day Website
Prefer to skip the tech stuff altogether and have someone just do it for you? A Custom One-Day Website is likely a better fit.
This is not a template. It’s a totally custom Squarespace site, designed from scratch for your specific practice—with everything completed and launched in just one day. You’ll collaborate directly with me (hi, I’m Emily!), and we’ll bring your practice to life online with intention, clarity, and personality.
You’ll get:
A completely custom site (no templates or prebuilt layouts)
Done-for-you copy, written in your voice
Thoughtful branding, layout, and structure
A smooth, collaborative VIP experience (in just one day!)
A launch-ready site that reflects your exact practice and vision
The One-Day Website is for therapists who are busy, decisive, and ready to show up confidently online—without doing it all themselves.
Learn more about the Custom One-Day Website
Quiz: Which Website Path Is Right for You?
Still unsure? Take this quick quiz to help you decide.
Answer Yes or No to each question, and keep track of your “Yes” answers.
1. Do you enjoy writing?
Templates come with guided prompts, but you’ll be writing most of the site yourself.
2. Do you have time to DIY your website over a few weeks?
Templates save time, but still require your involvement.
3. Are you just getting started in private practice or working with a limited budget?
Templates are a great entry point if you’re watching costs.
4. Do you already like the look and layout of one of the templates?
If you find one that fits your style, you’re golden.
5. Do have your branding, colors, and voice all figured out?
Templates are flexible, but you’ll be doing the customizing yourself.
Now count your Yes answers…
3 or more YES answers: A Template Might Be the Perfect Fit
You’re someone who enjoys structure but wants the freedom to make things your own. You’re probably a little tech-savvy (or at least willing to learn) and you like having creative input. Check out the Template Shop to get started.
Fewer than 3 YES answers: A Custom One-Day Website Might Be Better
You’re ready to skip the DIY and have a site that reflects your practice perfectly—without having to figure it out yourself. The One-Day Website is built for you, in real time, and ready to launch by the end of the day.
Final Thoughts: Both Options Lead to a Beautiful Website
Whether you go the template route or invest in a custom build, you’ll end up with a professional website that feels good to share—and helps the right clients find you. That’s the goal.
Still stuck? Take a look at both offerings again, and trust your gut:
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