Takeaway: As a therapist, you want your office space to reflect your personal and professional style, all while making your clients feel comfortable. In this post, we share our top therapist office decorating ideas to help you feel inspired.
With mental health awareness on the rise over the past several years, more and more people are seeking support. Alongside this trend, the modern therapist’s office is transitioning from a traditional, clinical look to a more inviting, calm environment.
Choosing the right atmosphere for your therapy office is key to creating a space that conveys who you are as a therapist and make your clients feel comfortable. Whether you see clients in person or entirely online, it’s important to be intentional about the space you provide services in.
While your office doesn’t need to be perfect, it’s worth thinking about what kind of zen therapist office decor would help make your clients (and yourself) feel a bit more at ease. There are plenty of different considerations you can include to cultivate an environment that supports mental health.
Let’s dive in.
Importance of calming therapist office decor
As a mental health professional, you know how influential a person’s environment can be in their upbringing, experiences, and how they view the world. The therapy office is no different. There are many facets of office design that can impact your clients’ mood and even how they perceive you as a professional.
You’ve likely experienced the power of space yourself. Think about how you feel in a doctor’s office: typically a small, windowless room with fluorescent lighting and generic posters on the wall. Not particularly inviting or calming, right?
This concept is backed by research. Studies show that therapy office decor can impact clients’ communication with their therapist. Other research suggests that elements of the therapeutic space, such as color, can influence patient outcomes.
It’s also important to consider yourself when creating your ideal office. This is the space where you spend all of your working hours, which is likely a significant portion of your time. If you dread being in your office, it could be a sign that you need to switch things up.
Of course, how you decorate your therapy office is only one part of your work as a therapist. However, it is an important part that should not be overlooked.
Therapist office decorating ideas
While there is no formula for creating the “perfect” space, there are plenty of different factors to consider. Colors, lighting, furniture, and other decor are all elements that will help you create a therapy room that you feel proud of. If you’re not sure where to start, consider these therapist office decor ideas.
Color choice for your office space
Some elements of color psychology are intuitive-for example, stark white might evoke a modern, clinical vibe while an off-white might make a space feel more warm and welcoming. However, there is research around which specific colors may be optimal for a therapy office.
Studies demonstrate that people tend to prefer blue and green for the calming feelings they elicit. Other colors, such as red, may produce more negative feelings and even raise blood pressure.
Of course, you can also take your personal preferences into account. When choosing a paint color, reflect on how you feel when looking at different shades. It’s likely that your clients may feel similarly when in your therapy room.
Depending on your lease agreement, you may or may not be able to paint your office walls. If you don’t have control over the color of your space, you can use removable wallpaper or wall art in the colors you prefer.
Furniture in a therapist’s office
When choosing furniture for your therapy room, it’s important to consider both design and function. For example, if you exclusively offer individual sessions, you may only need a single couch and chair. However, if you offer family or group therapy, you’ll need more chairs or other seating options.
Layout is another essential component. Furniture shouldn’t be placed awkwardly or feel difficult to navigate around. Instead, set up the pieces so the space flows well. This can help create a sense of openness.
Furniture also provides an opportunity to express your personality. It can be fun to play around with colors, textures, and design when choosing pieces for your therapy office. If you feel comfortable and confident in your space, you’re likely to provide your most authentic clinical work.
Plus, infusing yourself into your room gives your clients a way to subtly get a sense of who you are without revealing too much.
Lighting in your therapeutic space
Light is an important part of any room, especially a therapy office. As you’ve likely experienced firsthand, light can completely change the feeling of a space. Different lighting tones, sources, and brightness levels can all create different effects in a room.
Research shows how influential lighting can be. One study suggests that dim light can promote relaxation and even self-disclosure within the therapeutic relationship.
However, other research has shown that bright lighting might have different benefits. This study found that warm, bright light helped participants with self-regulation. Cool, dim light appeared to help as well.
Each client may have different preferences when it comes to lighting. It’s best to have options in your space and include each client in decision making during their session. For example, you could turn on lamps for clients who prefer brighter light or close the shades for clients who prefer dimmer light.
Private practice counseling office decor
It’s important to be intentional about the items you choose when decorating your therapy room. It can be tricky to balance personal expression while also trying to have a somewhat neutral space for clients.
When choosing wall art, many therapists opt for peaceful nature scenes or abstract art pieces. While therapists may feel comfortable having photos of loved ones, many prefer to avoid this. Instead, you could hang art that a friend made or include small decorations that loved ones gifted you.
Plants can help add flair to your space without getting too personal. In fact, studies show that bringing nature indoors can even reduce blood pressure. This might be especially helpful for your clients with anxiety.
Throw pillows, blankets, and other decorative objects can also help you create a welcoming space. Get creative with the colors and textures you use with these accent pieces. Plus, soft objects like curtains or a rug can also help absorb sounds in your office, which is an asset for the privacy of your clients.
Having interesting decor can provide useful icebreakers for shy clients, too. Adding some conversation pieces to your space may help a client get started with small talk before diving into deeper topics.
Our team can help you manage your therapy office decor expenses and other financial aspects of your private practice
Make sure to keep those receipts as you create a welcoming therapy room for you and your clients. Any purchase you make for your practice can be written off as a business expense come tax season.
If you’re unfamiliar with the concept of tax deductions or don’t feel confident managing your business finances, our team at Wellness Fi is here to help. We offer modern bookkeeping and tax solutions for wellness practitioners like yourself.
We understand that the financial side of your business can feel overwhelming at times. After all, so many therapists never receive education or training around being an entrepreneur. You’re experts in the clinical work, but haven’t usually received the support you need to feel confident with business ownership.
We’re here to change that. We believe that your financial wellness is essential, which is why we’ve dedicated our entire business to helping helpers. Our team cultivates relationships with each of the practitioners we work with in order to give the customized support you need-and deserve-to help your practice thrive.
Depending on your needs and goals, you can access our full-service suite of offerings or select a la carte options. Learn more about our services here.
Whether you’re getting ready to launch your private practice or want to grow your business, our team is here. We offer free, 20-minute consultations so you can get to know us better and determine whether we’re a good fit. Schedule yours today.
