If you've been showing up on Instagram, posting consistently, and still wondering why your reach feels like you're whispering into a void — this episode is for you. Because the algorithm has changed significantly in 2026, and here's the thing: most of these changes actually work in favour of therapists in private practice. Not influencers. Not brands. Us.

I've been digging into what's actually shifted and what it means if you're a counsellor, psychologist, or social worker trying to grow your visibility and attract more ideal clients. And what I found genuinely surprised me.

[00:00] Introduction — why Instagram feels broken for so many therapists right now

[02:30] The biggest shift: views are now the primary metric, not likes or comments. A "view" only counts when someone actually opens or watches your content — not just scrolls past it. This is good news because it means your real reach is finally being reflected accurately.

[05:00] The Audition System explained. Every new post gets shown to a small group of non-followers first. If they engage, Instagram pushes it further. If they don't, even your own followers may not see it. This means your hook — the first line of your caption, the first second of your Reel — matters more than ever.

[08:30] Watch time is now the number one ranking signal. Instagram tracks how long people watch, especially past the three-second mark for Reels. It also tracks rewatches. Educational content that people want to revisit — things about anxiety, burnout, boundaries, nervous system regulation — performs really well under this model.

[12:00] DM shares are weighted three to five times more than likes. When someone sends your post to a friend, Instagram treats that as a very strong signal. Think about the content that makes someone go "I need to send this to my person." That's what drives reach now.

[15:30] Authenticity is outperforming polish. Instagram's own head, Adam Mosseri, has said this publicly. AI has made perfect-looking content cheap and commonplace, so raw and real human content is cutting through. For therapists who've always felt they needed to look polished and put together — this algorithm shift is genuinely freeing.

[19:00] Topic clarity rewards consistent accounts. The algorithm gets confused if you're posting travel content one day and therapy tips the next. Picking three to five clear content pillars and staying in that lane improves your distribution significantly.

[22:30] Original content gets 40 to 60 percent more reach than reposts, and accounts posting more than ten reposts in 30 days are excluded from recommendations entirely. This one is important to know.

[26:00] Longer Reels are now being rewarded in Explore. Instagram is surfacing three-minute-plus storytelling content — which means if you've got something worth unpacking properly, you now have permission to take the time you need to explain it well.

[29:30] Saves signal deep interest. The algorithm reads a save as "I want to come back to this," which means resource-style content — self-assessments, explained concepts, reflection prompts — gets rewarded. This is a completely natural fit for what therapists have to offer.

[33:00] The three things to prioritise right now — and why the algorithm is genuinely working in your favour if you lean into the right things.

[38:00] How to think about this if Instagram feels overwhelming or like one more thing to manage

[41:30] Where to go from here

If this episode helped you think differently about showing up online, I'd love for you to share it with a colleague who's been struggling with their social media presence. And if you want to take this further and get really clear on how to market your practice in a way that feels sustainable and actually works, my free marketing quiz is a great place to start: https://brooklyn.myflodesk.com/moreclients

You can also find out more about working with me at https://brooklynstorme.com

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