5 Reel Ideas for Therapy Practices That Parents Want to Share
The parent who watches your 30-second reel at 9pm, after bedtime, and sends it to her husband with "this is exactly what our son does" is giving Instagram one of the signals it cares about most.
Quick answer: The reels that work for therapy practices are short, useful answers to questions parents already ask you, filmed on a phone. Instagram's head, Adam Mosseri, has said one of the most important ranking signals is "sends per reach": out of everyone who saw your video, how many sent it to someone in a DM. So the goal is a video a parent wants to pass to her partner, her mom friend or her child's teacher.
Why do reels matter for a therapy practice?
Video lets a family meet you before they ever call. They hear your voice, see how you explain things and get a feel for whether they'd trust you with their kid. That's a lot of trust to build from a still photo and a caption.
And because sends matter so much, one helpful reel can travel through a parent group in a way a promotional post never will.
5 reel ideas parents actually forward
1. The question you answer every week. Pick the one parents ask you most and answer it in under a minute. "Three ways to practice pencil grip at the kitchen table." Who she sends it to: the other parent, so they're both doing it.
2. What happens at a first evaluation. Walk through it start to finish: how long it takes, what you'll ask, what the child will do. Who she sends it to: the partner who's nervous about the whole thing.
3. "He'll grow out of it." Take the line every parent hears from a well-meaning relative and gently explain when it's worth asking a therapist instead of waiting. Who she sends it to: grandma.
4. What a home session looks like. If you're mobile, show what you bring and how you set up in a living room. If you have a clinic, give a 20-second tour. Who she sends it to: the parent deciding between you and a clinic across town.
5. A tip for the classroom. One thing a teacher can do to help a child who struggles with sitting still or handwriting. Who she sends it to: her child's teacher.
A simple formula for filming one with no editing
First two seconds: put the parent's exact question on screen, in her words. "Why does she melt down after school?"
Middle: answer it in three short points.
End: one line on what to do next, like "If this is happening every day, it's worth a conversation with an OT."
Add captions on screen, since plenty of people scroll with the sound off. Natural light and a steady phone are enough. You don't need a ring light, a script or trending audio.
How do you keep client privacy safe in reels?
Photos and videos of clients are protected health information. Before a child or patient appears in anything you post, you need written authorization from the parent or patient.
When in doubt, film your hands, the materials or yourself talking to the camera. A bonus: the parent watching pictures her own child in the scene.
How often should a practice post reels?
Pick one day a month to batch film four or five short clips, then post one a week. That's realistic for a full caseload, and a steady rhythm will do more for you than one video that happens to take off.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to show my face?
No, but it helps. Families are choosing a person to trust with their child. Even a few videos of you talking to the camera make that choice easier.
Should therapy practices use trending audio?
It's optional. A clear answer to a real question matters far more than the sound behind it.
Can I film during a session?
Only with written authorization from the parent or patient. Without it, film the setup, the materials or a demonstration on yourself.
If writing the caption is where you get stuck, grab the free caption guide and you'll never stare at a blank caption box again.
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About Courtney
Courtney is a licensed occupational therapist with 10+ years of clinical experience and the founder of Social-OT, a done-for-you marketing company for OT, PT and speech therapy practices. She still treats patients herself, so every strategy she shares is built for clinicians with a full caseload. More about Courtney and Social-OT.
