Targeting the right keywords can decide whether your clinic gets quality leads or burns budget. Many clinics waste money on broad, low-intent keywords that attract people who are not ready to book. This guide gives you 120+ high-intent mental health PPC keywords, grouped by service and search intent, to help your clinic get more calls, more bookings, and stronger ROI. Everything below follows 2025 Google helpful-content best practices: simple language, clear steps, and actionable advice you can use today.
Felix Shaye, Google Certified Expert and Google Partner, often reminds clinics:
“Your Google Ads keywords must match the intent of the person searching. When you bid on real ‘ready-to-book’ terms, your cost per lead drops and your conversions rise.”
Mental Health PPC Keywords: 120+ High-Intent Terms Your Clinic Should Bid On
When choosing keywords, the goal is simple: target searchers who want real help right now. These are people looking for therapy near them, needing counseling soon, or searching for a psychiatrist who can prescribe. Think of each keyword as a direct line to a patient ready to take the next step.
Why High-Intent Keywords Matter for Mental Health Clinics
High-intent keywords bring in people who are close to booking. They often include words like near me, appointment, cost, online, local clinic, and urgent. These terms produce stronger leads because searchers already know what they need.
Expert insight from Felix Shaye:
“You don’t need thousands of keywords. You need the right ones. A tight list of high-intent terms will always outperform a huge list of broad or generic keywords.”
How to Build Strong Mental Health PPC Ad Groups
Keep each ad group focused on one service. This increases quality score and makes your ads more relevant.
• One service = one theme
• Use 8–20 keywords per group
• Include the main keyword in your headlines and description
• Match ad copy to what the person is searching for
• Send traffic to a page that covers that service directly
Here are the strongest keyword groups clinics should run in 2025.
Therapy Near Me Keywords
These are your highest-intent money makers.
• therapy near me
• therapist near me
• counseling near me
• counseling services near me
• mental health clinic near me
• local therapist
• therapy center near me
• counseling office near me
• mental health support near me
• therapy appointment near me
• therapist accepting new patients
• mental health PPC keywords
Online Therapy & Virtual Counseling Keywords
Perfect for clinics offering telehealth.
• online therapy
• online therapy near me
• virtual therapist near me
• online counseling services
• online counselor near me
• telehealth therapy
• virtual counseling appointment
• online therapy PPC
• therapy appointment online
• online psychologist near me
• online counseling booking
• mental health video therapy
Psychiatry & Medication Management Keywords
Use these if your clinic includes prescribing providers.
• psychiatrist near me
• psychiatry services near me
• psychiatry appointment near me
• psychiatrist accepting new patients
• mental health medication doctor
• psychiatric evaluation near me
• online psychiatrist
• psychiatry appointment online
• medication management near me
• psychiatric provider near me
• mental health prescriber near me
• psychiatry PPC list
Condition-Based High-Intent Keywords
Great for targeting people searching by problem, not provider.
• anxiety therapy near me
• depression therapy near me
• trauma therapy near me
• ptsd therapy near me
• grief counseling near me
• couples counseling near me
• family counseling near me
• burnout counseling near me
• mood disorder treatment near me
• panic attack help near me
• stress counseling near me
• behavioral health therapy near me
• therapy for anxiety online
• therapy for depression online
• trauma counseling online
• grief counseling online
• counseling search terms
Specialty Therapy Keywords
These searches often convert quickly because the user knows exactly what they want.
• EMDR therapy near me
• EMDR therapist near me
• CBT therapist near me
• DBT therapist near me
• teen therapist near me
• child therapist near me
• couples therapist near me
• marriage counseling near me
• lgbtq therapist near me
• bilingual therapist near me
• trauma specialist near me
• anger management therapy near me
• addiction counseling near me
Urgent Care Mental Health Keywords
These capture high-urgency searchers who convert fast.
• urgent mental health appointment
• urgent therapist near me
• same day therapist near me
• same day counseling
• emergency mental health clinic near me
• mental health walk in near me
• quick therapy appointment
• fast psychiatrist appointment
• same day psychiatry
• urgent counseling near me
Insurance & Cost-Based Keywords
Perfect for driving qualified leads without wasting budget.
• therapy that takes insurance
• therapist near me that takes [insurance name]
• counseling services that accept insurance
• psychiatrist that takes insurance
• therapy services cost near me
• counseling cost near me
• therapy pricing near me
• psychiatry cost near me
• affordable therapy near me
• affordable counseling near me
Brand-Agnostic Competitor Intent Keywords
Helpful for capturing shoppers comparing options.
• mental health clinic reviews near me
• best therapist near me
• best counseling services near me
• top rated mental health clinic
• therapy options near me
• therapy places near me
High-Intent Appointment Keywords
Strong booking keywords that show readiness to schedule.
• book therapy appointment
• schedule counseling appointment
• book therapist near me
• mental health appointment
• new patient therapy appointment
• counseling appointment today
• psychiatrist appointment now
• therapy intake appointment
• mental health clinic booking
Local Service Area Keywords
Always combine keywords with your target cities.
• therapist in [city]
• counseling services [city]
• psychiatrist [city]
• therapy clinic [city]
• mental health clinic [city]
• online therapy [city]
Felix Shaye says:
“Local intent keywords are your best friend. When someone includes a city name, it means they are ready to choose a provider in their area. These keywords always convert stronger than broad terms.”
How Many Keywords Should Your Clinic Use?
Aim for:
• 8–20 keywords per ad group
• 4–7 total ad groups
• 1 landing page per service
This structure keeps your campaign lean, clean, and profitable. Too many keywords lower quality score and waste budget.
How to Tell If Your Keywords Are Working
Look for these signs:
• more calls and form fills
• lower cost per lead
• higher quality score
• more “appointment” conversions
• strong impression share for local searches
Quick Optimization Tips
• Add negative keywords weekly
• Remove any keyword with no conversions after 60 days
• Check search terms weekly for accuracy
• Update ad copy to match top-performing keywords
• Add callouts and site links that match each keyword group
Want help building a PPC campaign that brings real mental health leads? AdJet Marketing specializes in therapy, counseling, and psychiatry ads that convert. Reach out today and let us build a high-intent Google Ads strategy for your clinic.