Her First Professional Headshot: How a Bay Area Therapist Found Camerawerkz While Searching Psychology Today

Erin McQueen is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) practicing in the Bay Area, specializing in grief, life transitions, and working with individuals navigating serious illness. Like most therapists building a private practice, she needed a strong profile photo for her Psychology Today listing — the first thing a prospective client sees before deciding whether to reach out.

She found Camerawerkz while searching Psychology Today headshots online. She had never had a professional headshot taken before.

The Challenge: A First-Timer Who Needed to Look the Part

For therapists, the Psychology Today profile photo carries real weight. It's not just a headshot — it's the first impression for someone who may be in a vulnerable moment, deciding whether to trust a complete stranger with their mental health. The photo has to communicate warmth, credibility, and approachability all at once.

Erin came to our Jack London Square studio in Oakland having never been in front of a professional camera for a headshot session. That's more common than people think — and it's exactly why the directing side of what we do matters as much as the lighting and the lens.

The Session: Making It Feel Easy

We kept the session relaxed and fully directed. Erin didn't need to know how to pose or what to do with her hands — that's our job. We walk every client through the process, adjusting angles, expression, and energy in real time until the images feel natural rather than performed.

For a therapist's headshot, the goal is approachability without being casual, and confidence without being stiff. We worked through a range of expressions and setups until we landed on the images that felt like her — the kind of photo that makes a prospective client feel like they already know her a little before the first session.

The Result: A Psychology Today Profile That Works

Erin left with a set of polished, professional images ready for her Psychology Today listing, her website, and any other platform where she shows up professionally. For someone stepping into a profile photo for the first time, she did exactly what makes a great headshot session: she trusted the process and let the directing do the work.

Therapists: Your Headshot Is Part of Your Practice

If you're an AMFT, LMFT, LCSW, or psychologist building your Psychology Today profile or private practice website, your headshot is one of the most important investments you'll make. Prospective clients are making a decision based on that photo before they ever read your bio.

We photograph therapists and mental health professionals regularly at our Oakland studio. Sessions are private, relaxed, and fully directed — no photography experience needed.

Our studio is located at Jack London Square in Oakland, easily accessible from Marin, San Francisco, the East Bay, and the North Bay.

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Call or text Sergio directly: (510) 506-4892