Referral Agencies Going Quiet? Here’s What’s Really Happening

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When you become a paid member, you join a network of therapists who are building sustainable, values-led private practices — with the shared goal of being fully booked with self-funding clients and achieving consistent £5K months.

If you’ve been relying on referrals from external agencies or companies in your private practice and lately those referrals have dried up you’re definitely not alone.

This is something I’ve been hearing a lot about in recent weeks. Therapists sharing online that the referrals they once relied on have suddenly stopped. Maybe you've noticed it too and started wondering what’s going on.

Here’s the truth: this isn’t a new issue. I’ve seen this pattern before both in my own journey and in the wider therapy world. And it’s part of why I’m so passionate about helping therapists build sustainable, self-funding private practices.

Self Funding Clients Vs Referral Companies

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🎢 My Experience with Referral Companies

When I first started in private practice 15 years ago, I signed up with a few referral companies while I got my website up and running. They kept me busy — until, quite suddenly, they didn’t.

Referrals just… stopped. No explanation. I questioned everything. Had I done something wrong? Had they found someone better?

But over time, I realised that these agencies are businesses first. They prioritise profit and efficiency, not loyalty and that means they’re constantly adjusting who they work with, how much they’re willing to pay, and what they’re looking for from therapists. If you want to see all your options, here’s a comprehensive list of referral agencies.

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💬 What Therapists Are Saying Right Now

Here’s what I’ve seen therapists sharing recently in groups and forums (anonymised for privacy):

“I used to get a steady stream of referrals at £75 a session. Now I’ve had nothing for months — despite being told my fee was reasonable.”

“They’ve told me I’d get more referrals if I lowered my rate. I refused.”

“I used to have 15 clients through them — now just two.”

“They seem to be only offering referrals to therapists who work face-to-face.”

“I recorded a promotional reel for them… and now I feel unsure if I even want to continue working with them.”

“I’ve had nothing for nearly a year — I’ve started building my own referral streams instead.”

“It feels like if you don’t drop your rate, you’re out.”

These aren’t isolated cases. They’re part of a wider shift.

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🧾 So What’s Going On?

A few key patterns are emerging:

1. Referral companies prioritise profit

They’re looking for therapists who charge less, because that increases their margin. If your rates are sustainable but higher than average, you might be getting passed over, not because of your quality, but because of their bottom line.

2. Many are hiring in-house

It’s more cost-effective for them to employ salaried therapists than pay freelancers. This trend is growing.

3. Face-to-face is being prioritised

If you work remotely only, some companies are limiting referrals or not taking on new remote therapists at all.

4. They rarely communicate changes

Whether they lose funding, restructure, or shift priorities, agencies rarely inform you. It often appears and feels like rejection, but it’s usually just business decisions being made behind the scenes.

5. The market is saturated

With more therapists joining these platforms (some willing to work for less), standing out is harder, and those who charge more are often overlooked.

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💡 What Can You Do?

First: know this isn’t about your skills, value, or work. If referrals have stopped, it’s not that you’ve done something wrong. It’s likely a business decision you had no say in.

And second, it’s a good time to reflect on how you can build a more stable, self-sufficient practice. Here’s a previous post on other referral sources….

Inside Therapists Corner, we focus on this exact process — helping you move away from dependency on third-party referrals, and toward building a practice where clients come directly to you, where you set the terms, and where your income isn’t vulnerable to another company’s profit margins.

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🗓 What’s Coming Up in Therapists Corner This July:

Friday 4th July @ 12pm – Q&A Call with me and Sophie
Friday 18th July @ 12pm – Expert Guest Q&A with Adele Johnston, The Menopause Coach (menopause, mental health & NICE guidelines)
Friday 25th July @ 12pm – Expert Guest Q&A with Kami Kaur on working with cultural diversity in private practice

👉 These expert sessions count as mini CPD opportunities too — reflect, apply, and document them for your accreditation hours.

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