Therapist Office Decorating Ideas to Propel Practice Growth
Have you considered the importance of your practice decor to the therapeutic experience?
Do you have therapy office decor that promotes a calming atmosphere? Or might the aesthetics set your clients’ teeth on edge?
The office space you practice in contributes to holistic healing, encouraging comfort, ease, and a sense of safety. Or not. Making the right choices is essential.
Let’s look at therapist office decorating ideas that promote calm, groundedness, and connection.
Create a calming atmosphere with soothing colors and considered lighting
Calming colors and considered lighting contribute to the creation of a therapeutic atmosphere. Creating a welcoming and soothing environment can directly impact a client’s emotional well-being and comfort.
But how can you get this right? I’m glad you’re here!
Colors, colors: Which shade should you choose?
First, consider your preferences. You spend more time in your practice than your clients. A hue that supports you in feeling well and relaxed may help you be fully present with clients.
Secondly, trust your experience. You might already have intuitive insight into what would best suit your tribe.
Thirdly, follow the research. A review article published in Frontiers in Psychology noted that viewing:
- Red before undertaking a challenging cognitive task undermines performance
- Red increases aggressiveness and dominance
- Red, in achievement contexts, promotes avoidance and caution
- Blue in stores and on logos elevates the perception of quality and trustworthiness
The article A Colorful Impact: The Psychological Impact of Colors indicates that blue boosts relaxation, while red increases arousal and memory performance.
Of course, the impact of color also depends on culture and gender preferences. One survey found that blue is the most popular color for men and women. Purple is also a women’s favorite and the least preferred color for men. Green has a gender-equal preference.
Choosing the color or colors that best suit your demographic may support your therapeutic work.
What about lighting?
Great question! Considered lighting is also essential.
Research shows that indoor spaces illuminated by neutral, warm light (300 lux, 300 kelvin) and bright, cool light (2000 lux, 6000 kelvin) promote positive emotions and mood, including enthusiasm and joy, when compared with spaces with bright warm light (2000 lux, 3000 kelvin).
Unsurprisingly, 100 lux light is experienced as more pleasant than 1000 lux light. Few people want to sit in a bright, inescapable burn! In this vein, low engenders a positive mood compared to high illuminance.
To step it up a notch, if you can maximize natural lighting (and minimize fluorescent lighting) in your consulting rooms, do so. Access to sunshine has positive impacts on mood.
When considering therapist office decorating ideas, merge colors and lighting to best support your clients’ needs.
Bring nature indoors with plants or nature-themed artwork
We are part of nature. We feel the connection deep in our bones. When we’re immersed in greenery, we experience increased happiness and improved mental health. Take advantage of this fact to cultivate a practice clients love visiting.
Here are 9 ideas to inspire you!
Indoor plants
Incorporate natural elements into your space with a variety of indoor plants. Choose plants that are well-suited for indoor conditions and require minimal maintenance (you’ve got enough to worry about!).
Popular options include peace lilies, pothos, snake and spider plants, and succulents.
Vertical gardens
Install a vertical garden system or two. Grow plants on your office walls or in hanging structures. These systems can be as simple as wall-mounted shelves with plant pots. Or you can go all in and set up complex modular systems designed for vertical gardening.
Indoor trees
Have you ever thought about bringing some trees inside?
It’s possible! If you have the space, consider small indoor trees like dwarf citrus or rubber trees, weeping figs, and yuccas. They can serve as focal points and add a dramatic touch to your indoor greenery.
Terrariums
Terrariums can be mesmerizing, temporarily shifting the focus from one’s inner dialogue.
You can create mini-ecosystems within glass containers by assembling various plants, rocks, and other decorative elements. Terrariums can be low-maintenance and add a visual POP!
Herb gardens
Herbs smell gorgeous, add greenery, and can be shared as culinary inspiration.
Cultivating a small indoor herb garden on a windowsill or shelving is easy.
Planters and pots
Choose a variety of attractive planters and pots that match your interior decor and suit your indoor plants. Different sizes, shapes, and materials can sprinkle interest through your practice and consultation rooms.
Hanging plants
Hanging planters can showcase trailing plants that add a dynamic and lush look to your practice. (Ensure they’re not in an area where clients might bump into)
Grouping plants
Arrange plants in groups to create an impactful and calming WOW factor.
Green and nature-inspired decor
If you cannot incorporate living greenery into your practice, don’t worry. Green decor is an option. As the authors of one study concluded, “Even very small-scale greening, including indoor green walls… may provide effective help for stress relief.”
Paint a wall green. Choose decorative items inspired by nature. Botanical artwork, leaf-patterned cushions, and nature-themed wallpapers.
Opt for natural materials like stucco and wood wall-finish surfaces (rather than brick).
Get creative!
Personalize the space with meaningful objects or artwork
Therapist office decor ideas don’t need to abide by a strict set of sterile rules. You can infuse your personality, passions, and clients’ interests into your design. When chosen well, personal touches can enhance rapport and the therapeutic environment.
To embrace this idea:
- Display decorative objects and hang art that holds meaning
- Create an atmosphere that resonates with you and your clients
- Include conversation starters that may deepen therapeutic relationships
Consider inclusive items that authentically reflect your values, interests, and journey. Art pieces that speak to your passion for mindfulness, forest bathing, a mission to empower children, or a cherished souvenir from your travels can offer points of connection for clients to explore and discuss.
Or choose pieces of art that evoke tranquility, introspection, or inspiration. A carefully curated gallery of serene landscapes or abstract compositions can serve as visual metaphors for the therapeutic process, inviting clients to explore the inner scenery of their emotions and thoughts.
Arrange furniture and accompanying wear for comfortable and open conversation
Just as your words can encourage or block the flow of conversation, so can your physical practice space. Thoughtfully selected and arranged office furniture and accompanying wears can create a calming atmosphere so your clients feel welcome and safe.
But how exactly can you achieve this?
First, remember that modern therapist office decor is likely the right approach. People want to know you’re up with the times. But this doesn’t mean unimaginative!
The report, Impressions of Psychotherapists’ Offices: Do Therapists and Clients Agree?, looked at this critical and little-investigated area. The authors found that softness, personalization, and order were the order of the day.
Softness refers to embracing comfortable materials, surfaces, and textures. Think:
- Carpeting or rugs
- Faux fur throws
- Throw pillows
- Soft curtains or drapes
- Tapestry
- Textured wall art
- Upholstered cushioned chairs with shoulder-height backrests
- A small round wooden table positioned beside the client’s chair
Personalization includes displaying personal touches. This might include:
- Mementos
- Certificates and qualifications
- Awards and recognitions
- A bookshelf filled with your favorite therapy-related and other books
- A framed inspirational quote you adore
- Travel keepsakes that hold special meaning
- A photo with a celebrity who represents a trait or accomplishment you admire
Orderliness is how neat your practice is. Yes, people do judge you by your presentation.
Together, this trio is powerful. The article’s authors said, “As softness/personalization and orderliness increased, the perceived quality of care and comfort that therapists thought patients would expect improved.”
Voila! The right decor is verifiable magic!
The arrangement and choice of your furniture and accompaniments partially sets the stage for the therapeutic journey. Rather than cobbling together a functional space, carefully consider how you can position your furniture and other pieces to set the scene, so to speak.
Balance professionalism with client comfort
As one would expect, balancing professionalism with client comfort is vital. Regarding “comfort,” think about both psychological and physical comfort.
Excessive focus on, or revelation about, a therapist may detract from the clinical experience and outcomes.
A shabby presentation will instill a lack of trust.
An uncomfortable sofa will have clients counting down the minutes until their consultation is over — the potential for someone’s mind to wander away from the therapeutic conversation is real.
Also, think about what your demographic needs.
If your clients are elderly, a higher chair with armrests will help them negotiate the sitting and standing process. If you specialize in pediatrics, brighter colors may be the go. If your clients have a history of trauma, position the chairs where they can see the door.
You know your clients better than anyone. Consider their — and your — perfect fit and create a calming therapist office decor to suit your needs.
The next level: Don’t stop once your therapist’s office design ideas become a reality
Once you’ve transformed your practice aesthetics, your clients will know about your fantastic decorating therapist office skills.
But don’t limit this new image to those you already work with. Include professional photos of your welcoming practice on your professional Brighter Vision website. For two reasons…
Firstly, potential clients will be drawn to your practice because they see a professional, inviting, safe space. We, humans, are drawn to comfort and beautiful presentation. Great photos showcase this, attracting people like bees to honey. Therapy office decor is a key consideration for professionals running a therapy private practice.
Secondly, you can optimize your images to boost your website’s search engine optimization (SEO). By harnessing the proper SEO steps, your gorgeous photos tell the engines — like Google and Yahoo — what your site is about and why they should send searchers your way. More traffic to a well-crafted site with strategic photos (usually) means more clients.
And, as few therapists embrace the power of these steps, you’ll be well in front of the pack. Growing your practice while your colleagues wonder about your secret mojo. (You can tell them if you wish!)
Wait! You Don’t Have A Therapist Website Yet?
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