Content, motives, ethics: How are psychologists and psychotherapists representing themselves on Instagram?

Psychological professionals are increasingly using social media for digital health promotion, disseminating psychoeducational content and correcting inaccurate and misleading information. In this context, psychologists and psychotherapists face various challenges. Research on their professional presence and communication on social media is still limited. This study examines how psychologists and psychotherapists present themselves on Instagram, what motives can be inferred from their profiles and content, which content types dominate and to what extent ethical and professional regulations are apparent. Using qualitative content analysis, 20 Instagram profile descriptions with 254 story highlights from German-based psychologists and psychotherapists were systematically analyzed. Results indicate that both professional groups present themselves differently and address different topics. Psychologists tend to focus more on self-promotion, positioning themselves as experts and advertising their services, with personal and professional content often overlapping. Their content is dominated by everyday topics like sleep problems, exam anxiety or relationships, primarily aimed at lay audiences. Psychotherapists also target professional peers and emphasize their professional role, providing information about psychotherapy, expert recommendations and support resources while offering fewer personal insights. Both groups are actively engaged in psychoeducational work and educational outreach. Overall, there is a strong emphasis on community engagement and interaction. Ethical and professional references are only sporadically found in analyzed Instagram profiles. Findings offer relevant implications for science and practice regarding psychologists’ and psychotherapists’ professional self-presentation on Instagram.