A San Diego Therapist Travels to Oakland for Her Psychology Today Headshot

Sergio Gomez
2 days ago
3 min read

A San Diego Therapist Travels to Oakland for Her Psychology Today Headshot

Madeline Reed is a Registered Psychological Associate at Aloha Psych Associates in San Diego. She was building out her Psychology Today profile — one of the most important client-facing tools a therapist has — and needed a headshot that would do what a good therapist profile photo needs to do: communicate warmth, approachability, and professional credibility in the same image.

She made the trip from San Diego to our Jack London Square studio in Oakland.

Why the Psychology Today Photo Matters

For therapists on Psychology Today, the profile photo is doing real clinical work before the first session is ever scheduled.

A potential client — often in a vulnerable moment, searching for someone they can trust — looks at a therapist's photo and makes an immediate, largely unconscious decision about whether this person feels safe. Whether they feel like someone they could open up to. That decision happens before the bio is read, before the specialties are reviewed, before the fee is checked.

Madeline understood this. She wasn't looking for a generic headshot. She was looking for a photo that would communicate the specific qualities that define her practice — presence, warmth, and the kind of genuine approachability that makes a client feel comfortable reaching out.

The Session

Madeline came into the Jack London Square studio for a 30 to 45 minute session. Like most therapists, she came in with a clear sense of what she wanted the photo to communicate — and like most people who haven't had many professional headshots taken, she wasn't entirely sure how to get there on her own in front of a camera.

That's exactly what the direction is for.

Every shot was guided from start to finish — where to position her shoulders, how to angle her chin, what to do with her hands, and most importantly, how to find the expression that reads as genuinely warm rather than a smile being performed for a camera. For therapists, that distinction matters more than it does for almost any other professional category. Clients can tell the difference.

We covered a few different looks — different backdrops, slight variations in expression and framing — giving Madeline real choices when the proofing gallery arrived rather than one option she had to live with.

The Result

Madeline's Psychology Today profile is now live with a headshot that reflects who she actually is as a clinician — warm, present, and professional. The kind of photo that makes a potential client feel like reaching out is the right next step.

Her review after the session:

"My experience with Sergio was great! He was extremely professional, available, and communicative. He made me feel comfortable in the studio and turned around the photos quickly. I would recommend Sergio to anyone — thanks!"

The quick turnaround was important — Madeline had made the trip specifically to get her profile updated and needed the photos delivered on a timeline that made the journey worthwhile. Proofing gallery delivered within days, final edited images shortly after.

Therapists Throughout California

Madeline came from San Diego. We regularly photograph therapists, counselors, psychologists, and mental health professionals from throughout the Bay Area — and occasionally from further afield when someone makes the trip worth their while.

For Bay Area therapists building or updating their Psychology Today profiles, our Jack London Square studio in Oakland is the most accessible professional headshot studio in the East Bay. Easy from Berkeley, Emeryville, and Alameda. 15 to 20 minutes across the Bay Bridge from San Francisco. Accessible by BART from the Financial District and Embarcadero.

For group therapy practices and mental health organizations that need consistent headshots across multiple clinicians, we also bring the mobile studio to your practice — photographing your entire team in a single onsite visit.