Therapist Website Maintenance: What Your Site Really Needs
What upkeep a therapy practice website needs: renewals, updates, backups, booking tests, content checks and accessibility, in a short monthly and yearly list.
On this page
- Who does the upkeep depends on how you built it
- The jobs that really matter
- Renewals
- The lock icon (SSL)
- Software updates
- Backups
- Contact form and booking checks
- Accuracy of your words
- Accessibility is ongoing
- A short schedule
- Questions to ask whoever looks after your site
- What to do next
- How I handle this at HealerSites
Key takeaways
- A practice site needs a few jobs: renew the domain and hosting, keep software updated, keep backups, and test your contact form and booking link.
- On a builder like Wix or Squarespace the company handles most technical upkeep. On WordPress, you or your host must do it.
- Check your words every few months. Wrong fees, hours or crisis numbers hurt trust more than a slow page.
- Accessibility is ongoing work. US law has no detailed web rule for private practices, but the ADA still applies to businesses open to the public, so build to WCAG 2.1 AA.
A practice website needs less upkeep than most people fear, but it is not zero. The jobs are: keep the domain and hosting paid, keep software updated, keep a backup, test your contact form and booking link, and check that your words are still true. Where you build the site decides who does the technical part.
Who does the upkeep depends on how you built it
| Setup | Who handles updates and security | What you still do |
|---|---|---|
| Wix or Squarespace | The company runs the platform | Renew the plan and domain, test forms, keep content accurate |
| WordPress | You, or your host | Updates, backups, security, plus all of the above |
| Done-for-you plan | The person who built it, per your agreement | Send changes, check content, renew your domain |
I cover WordPress in is WordPress too hard for therapists. For what each route costs, see the therapist website cost breakdown.
The jobs that really matter
Renewals
A missed renewal can take your site offline. Check three dates: your domain, your hosting or builder plan, and your email service if it is separate. Put them in your calendar with a reminder a month ahead. Keep the domain in your own name.
The lock icon (SSL)
SSL is what puts “https” and a lock in front of your address. It keeps messages between your visitor and your site private in transit. Most hosts renew it for you. Let’s Encrypt, a free provider, says its certificates are valid for 90 days, which is why renewal must be automatic. Open your site once a month and look for a browser warning.
Software updates
Updates fix security holes. On Wix and Squarespace, the company does this. On WordPress, it is your job. The WordPress security guide says to keep WordPress, plugins and themes up to date. Patchstack’s report found that 91% of new WordPress vulnerabilities in 2025 were in plugins, and only 6 were in core. So plugins are where to look first.
Backups
A backup is a saved copy you can restore. WordPress’s backup guide says to back up your database regularly and before an upgrade, and notes most hosts back up the whole server. Ask your host in writing what they back up, how often, and how to restore it.
On a builder, keep your own copy of your text and photos in a folder. It costs you ten minutes and saves you if you ever move.
Contact form and booking checks
This is the check I’d never skip. Once a month:
- Send a message through the contact form.
- Confirm it reaches your inbox, and look in spam.
- Click the booking button on your phone and on a computer.
- Make sure the booking page still shows the right services and times. If booking runs through your EHR, see HIPAA and booking for therapists.
A form that fails quietly can cost you a client you never knew about.
Accuracy of your words
Read your pages every few months. Check:
- Fees, session lengths, insurance and sliding-scale details.
- Licence number and state, spelled as your board lists them.
- Office address, hours and telehealth states.
- The crisis note: 911 for emergencies and 988 for emotional crisis support in the United States.
- Whether your photo still looks like you.
Update your Google Business Profile and Psychology Today listing at the same time. Mismatched details confuse clients. See Google Business Profile for therapists.
Accessibility is ongoing
Accessibility means people with low vision, hearing loss or limited hand movement can use your site. The usual yardstick is WCAG 2.1 level AA, which means meeting all Level A and Level AA success criteria in the W3C guidelines.
The legal side depends on where you practice. In the United States, the ADA covers businesses open to the public, which includes a therapist’s office. The DOJ has no detailed web rule for businesses and points to WCAG as guidance. Its 2024 web rule, which sets WCAG 2.1 Level AA, applies to state and local governments. So the exact duty for a private practice is unsettled. Other countries have their own rules. Ask a lawyer about your situation.
What to check when you add content:
- Every new photo gets a short description.
- Text stays readable against its background.
- PDFs and videos you upload are accessible too. These are yours to check, even on a managed site.
- Links say where they go, not just “click here”.
A short schedule
Every month, about ten minutes: send a form test, click booking, look for browser warnings, scan for old details.
Every year, an hour or two: check renewals, read every page, test on a new phone, review your backup plan, and review your Privacy page. If you are a covered provider, review your Notice of Privacy Practices too.
Questions to ask whoever looks after your site
- Who renews my domain, and in whose name is it?
- Where are backups kept, and how fast can you restore one?
- How long does a change take?
- Who owns the design, and what happens if I leave?
- How do you check accessibility?
What to do next
- Put your renewal dates in your calendar today.
- Run the form and booking test now, and again each month.
- Read each page once for old details.
- Save your text and photos in a folder you control.
How I handle this at HealerSites
On my plans, hosting, SSL renewals, security updates and regular backups are always included. If something goes wrong, I make reasonable efforts to restore the site within 48 hours. I fix anything that stops working in my own build, and there is a yearly check-in. Edits use your plan’s hours: 6 a year on the $75 a month plan (12-month term, then month to month), 2 a year on the plan with a $1,500 build fee (paid in two halves) and $25 a month. Extra time is $50 an hour, and I ask first. Requests are usually done in two to three business days. I build to WCAG 2.1 AA best practices but cannot guarantee legal compliance, and PDFs and videos you add are your responsibility.
This is general information, not legal advice. Check with your licensing board or a lawyer for your situation.
Frequently asked questions
- How much time does a therapy website take each month?
- On a website builder, about ten minutes in my view: test your form and booking link, and scan your pages for old details. A WordPress site takes more, because updates and backups are your job or your host's job.
- Do I need to back up my therapist website?
- Someone should. WordPress's own guide tells you to back up regularly, so you rely on your host or a plugin. Builders keep your site on their own systems, but save your own copy of your text and photos anyway.
- Why did my therapy website contact form stop sending messages?
- Common causes are a changed email address, a spam filter, or a broken connection after an update. Send yourself a test message each month and check your spam folder.
- Is my small practice website legally required to be accessible?
- It depends on where you practice and which laws apply. The US Department of Justice has no detailed web rule for private businesses. Its 2024 rule covers state and local governments. But the ADA still applies to businesses open to the public, so courts may expect an accessible site. Build and check to WCAG 2.1 AA, and ask a lawyer about your own duties.
Written by Sahil Ahluwalia
Founder of HealerSites, websites for therapists
I write, build and look after websites for therapy practices. I handle the words, the design, your booking link, your Google and Psychology Today profiles, and the upkeep after launch, so your time stays with your clients.
