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Doctoralia vs Your Own Website: The Psychologist's Data Question

For psychologists specifically, the Doctoralia versus own website question has a data ownership dimension that other health professions face less acutely. The full guide is written in Spanish.

June 9, 2026
2 min read

Key takeaway

For psychologists, the Doctoralia versus own website question has a data ownership dimension beyond the economics. Mental health data is a special category under RGPD Article 9 — the strictest protection class. When patients book through Doctoralia, the platform holds data about who sought psychological help, and the terms of that data processing are determined by Doctoralia, not the psychologist. An owned website and booking system puts the psychologist in the role of sole data controller.

This guide is written in Spanish for Spanish-speaking psychologists. It takes a different angle from the general therapist comparison — focusing specifically on data ownership, the therapeutic relationship, and the RGPD implications of platform dependency. The full content is available at Doctoralia o web propia para psicólogos: la pregunta de los datos.

Why this question is different for psychologists

The economics of Doctoralia versus an owned website apply to all health professionals — and we have covered the general case for therapists in Doctoralia or Your Own Website: What Spanish Therapists Actually Need. The psychologist-specific case adds a layer that other professions face less acutely: the data dimension of the therapeutic relationship.

When a patient books through Doctoralia, Doctoralia becomes a data processor — or arguably a joint data controller — of that patient's information, including the fact that they sought psychological help. Under RGPD Article 9, mental health data is a special category. The question of who controls that data, who can access it, and what happens to it if you leave the platform is not an abstract concern for a psychologist. It is a professional ethics question with regulatory consequences.

The full guide covers: what RGPD Article 9 means in practice for a psychologist's digital presence, the cost-per-acquisition comparison specific to psychology (session length and case duration differ from physiotherapy), the strategic model for using both tools correctly, and what a psychologist should ensure before depending on any third-party platform for patient data.

Read the full guide: Doctoralia o web propia para psicólogos: la pregunta de los datos.

Frequently asked questions

What does RGPD Article 9 mean for a psychologist's use of platforms like Doctoralia?

Mental health data is classified as a 'special category' under Article 9 of the RGPD — the strictest protection class, alongside data about health, sexual orientation, and ethnicity. When a patient books through Doctoralia, the platform processes data that reveals they sought psychological help. The psychologist should verify Doctoralia's data processing terms and the legal basis they rely on before using the platform as a primary patient acquisition channel.

How do the economics of Doctoralia compare to an owned website for a psychology practice specifically?

Psychology cases typically run longer than physiotherapy or nutrition consultations — the patient lifetime value is higher. This changes the cost-per-acquisition calculation: a Doctoralia Premium subscription of €99/month may produce a positive return on shorter patient relationships but is less clearly justified when the same investment in an owned website and SEO builds an asset that compounds over time and generates enquiries at near-zero marginal cost.

Should a psychologist in Spain maintain a Doctoralia profile at all?

Yes — the free listing is valuable as a citation signal to Google's local algorithm and provides secondary discoverability. The question is whether to pay for Premium placement on someone else's platform or invest the same budget in building an asset that belongs to the practice. For the general case and optimisation tips for the free profile, see our guide for therapists on Doctoralia and own websites.

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