How to Find a Counsellor in the UK: NHS and Private Routes
How to find a counsellor in the UK: NHS Talking Therapies and self-referral, private counselling costs, low-cost options and checking registration.
Topic
Starting Therapy
How to find a counsellor, what it costs and what the first sessions are like.
What Happens in Your First Counselling Session
Nervous about your first counselling session? What usually happens, the questions you may be asked, confidentiality and how to make it work for you.
How Much Does Counselling Cost in the UK?
What counselling costs in the UK: typical private fees, free NHS talking therapies, low-cost and sliding-scale options, workplace schemes and questions to ask.
Online Counselling vs Face-to-Face: Which Is Right for You?
Online and face-to-face counselling compared: effectiveness, privacy, convenience and cost, plus how to get the most from video, phone or text sessions.
Signs You Might Benefit From Counselling
Ten signs counselling could help: persistent low mood or worry, struggling to cope, relationship problems, grief, burnout, and when to seek urgent support.
How to Tell If a Counsellor Is Right for You
How to know if your counsellor is a good fit: signs therapy is working, red flags, how to raise concerns, and how to change counsellors without feeling guilty.
Workplace Counselling and Employee Assistance Programmes
How workplace counselling and Employee Assistance Programmes work: what’s offered, confidentiality, how to access sessions and what to do when they end.
Confidentiality in Counselling and Its Limits
What counselling confidentiality covers in the UK, when a counsellor may need to share information, supervision, notes and data rights, and what to ask.
Talking to Your GP About Your Mental Health
How to talk to your GP about mental health: how to prepare, what to say, questions to ask, what your GP may suggest and what to do if you feel unheard.