Who offers talking therapies?
Several types of professionals may be qualified to offer talking therapies. Their job titles usually reflect how they trained or their way of working. They include:
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chartered psychologists – clinical psychologists, counselling
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psychologists, educational psychologists or health psychologists
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psychotherapists
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counsellors
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psychiatrists
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other health professionals who have trained in talking therapies – including social workers, community psychiatric urses and occupational therapists.
Recently, there have been more and more people offering ‘talking therapy’ style services, usually in business settings or privately. They include life and business coaches, mentors and consultants.
People offering this kind of help may have done a lot of training or very little.
How do I get a talking therapy?
Through the NHS
Your GP, another health professional or a social worker may refer you to a qualified therapist. The therapy will be provided free on the NHS.
In some places there are long waiting lists and you may not have much choice who you see. But the health professional should consider your views if you have a strong preference.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) advises which treatments doctors should prescribe. NICE recommends certain therapies for certain problems and these may be easier to get on the NHS than others.
Go private
If you can afford it, you may choose to pay for your own therapy. Your GP, library, citizens advice bureau or local Mind association may have a list of independent therapists in your area.
‘Therapy centres’ often bring different kinds of therapists under one roof. The cost of talking therapies varies a lot. A session can cost from £20 to £100 an hour.
There are no rules about who can advertise that they offer a talking therapy so it is essential to check the therapist is listed on one of the registers of approved practitioners.
Your GP may write to your therapist to tell them any relevant medical information before you start the therapy. And your therapist may write to your GP so they stay up to date on the therapy you are having.
Other organisations
Some charities offer talking therapies free or at low cost, sometimes by using trainees. Some employers and colleges offer free therapy to their employees or students.
You told us where you got talking therapy
“I had counselling through our HR department, mostly because of work issues. It was only five or six sessions. It got me to offload and helped me see where I was at the time and to move on. It was helpful to talk to someone impartial. My friends and colleagues were supportive, but talking to them I couldn’t see the wood from the trees – I was too emotionally involved.”
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