Find answers to common questions about finding a counsellor, psychotherapist or therapist in the UK, including therapy types, costs, online therapy and choosing the right therapist.
Search qualified counsellors, psychotherapists, and specialists across the UK.
Flexible support options including online video, telephone, and face-to-face sessions.
Choose your own practitioner or use Therapy World's guided matching service.
You can use the Therapy World directory to search for therapists across the UK. Depending on the options available, you can search by location, specialism, therapeutic approach and session type.
Once you find a therapist whose profile interests you, you can read about their qualifications, experience and areas of expertise and contact them directly using the details provided on their profile.
Alternatively, where available, you can use Therapy World's matching and booking service and tell us what you are looking for. We can then help match you with a suitable therapist based on your requirements and the availability of appropriate practitioners.
You can search the Therapy World directory by location to find counsellors and therapists in your area. You can search using a town, city or postcode and then explore individual therapist profiles.
If you cannot find a suitable therapist nearby, you may also wish to consider online therapy, as many practitioners offer sessions remotely.
Yes. Therapists listed on Therapy World work with a wide range of issues and areas of concern.
These may include anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, bereavement, relationship difficulties, low self-esteem, neurodiversity, ADHD, autism, OCD, phobias and many other concerns.
Individual therapist profiles provide more information about the areas in which each practitioner works.
Yes. Therapy World includes practitioners who offer relationship and couples therapy.
Couples therapists may support people experiencing communication difficulties, recurring conflict, separation, relationship breakdown, changes in family circumstances or other relationship challenges. Check individual profiles to find out whether a therapist works with couples and whether sessions are offered online or face-to-face.
Some practitioners listed on Therapy World work with families, children and young people. Availability and age ranges vary between therapists, so it is important to check the individual practitioner's profile before making contact.
Yes. Some therapists listed on Therapy World have experience working with ADHD, autism and wider neurodiversity.
Therapists have different levels of training and experience, so we recommend reading individual profiles carefully to understand the practitioner's particular areas of expertise and approach.
Yes. A number of therapists listed on Therapy World have experience working with trauma, abuse, PTSD and related difficulties.
If trauma is an important part of what you are looking for support with, check the therapist's profile for information about their experience, qualifications and therapeutic approach.
There is no single therapist who is right for everyone. A good starting point is to consider:
It is perfectly reasonable to explore more than one therapist before deciding who you would like to work with.
The terms counselling and psychotherapy are sometimes used interchangeably, and there is considerable overlap between the two.
Counselling often focuses on helping people manage current difficulties, life changes, emotional distress and specific challenges. Psychotherapy may involve exploring difficulties in greater depth, including patterns of thinking, feeling, behaviour, relationships and past experiences.
Training, qualifications and professional titles vary, so it is worth looking at an individual practitioner's profile to understand their specific training and experience.
Psychologists, counsellors and psychotherapists are different professional groups with different training pathways and areas of expertise.
Some psychologists work in clinical or therapeutic settings and may offer psychological assessment and psychological therapies, while counsellors and psychotherapists provide talking therapies based on their professional training and therapeutic approach.
If you are unsure which type of professional you need, you can explore different practitioners on Therapy World and read their individual profiles.
You do not necessarily need to know which type of therapy is right for you before contacting a therapist.
Therapists use a wide range of approaches, including integrative, person-centred, cognitive behavioural (CBT), psychodynamic, relational, humanistic, existential and other therapeutic approaches.
Your therapist's profile should explain their main therapeutic approach and the issues they commonly work with.
If you are unsure, you can ask a prospective therapist about their approach and whether they feel their way of working is appropriate for your needs.
Yes. Many therapists listed on Therapy World offer online therapy or counselling.
Online sessions can provide greater flexibility and may be particularly useful if you live in an area with fewer therapists, have mobility or travel difficulties, or simply prefer to receive support from home.
Check individual therapist profiles to see which online platforms and session arrangements they offer.
Yes. Many practitioners offer face-to-face counselling and psychotherapy.
You can search for therapists in your area and check individual profiles for information about their location and whether they offer in-person sessions.
Some therapists offer telephone counselling. Availability varies between practitioners, so check individual profiles for the session types they provide.
Therapy fees vary between practitioners and can depend on factors such as location, experience, professional specialism and session length.
When you book directly with a therapist, the therapist sets their own fees and cancellation policy. Where you book through Therapy World, the applicable Therapy World booking, payment and cancellation terms will apply.
Where available, session fees and information about concessions are shown on individual therapist profiles.
Session length varies between practitioners. Many counselling and psychotherapy sessions last approximately 50 minutes, but this is not universal.
Check the individual therapist's profile or ask them directly about session length when making contact.
There is no standard number of therapy sessions that everyone needs.
Some people attend therapy for a relatively short period, while others benefit from longer-term support. The frequency and duration of therapy will depend on your circumstances, goals, preferences and the therapist's professional recommendations.
You can discuss this with your therapist when you first make contact.
Once you have found a therapist you are interested in, you can use the contact information or contact facility provided on their Therapy World profile.
You can introduce yourself briefly, explain what you are looking for support with and ask about their availability, fees and session arrangements.
You do not need to provide a detailed account of your personal circumstances in an initial enquiry.
You only need to provide enough information for the therapist to understand what you are looking for.
For example, you might say that you are looking for support with anxiety, relationship difficulties, bereavement or another concern, and ask whether they have availability for new clients.
There is no need to share highly personal or sensitive information in your first enquiry.
That is completely fine. Many people seeking therapy are unsure about which therapeutic approach would suit them.
Start by considering what you would like help with and explore therapists whose experience appears relevant. You can then ask a prospective therapist about their approach and whether they think they could support you.
Alternatively, you can use Therapy World's matching service, where available, and let us help identify a suitable practitioner based on your requirements.
Therapy World is a UK-based professional therapist directory designed to help individuals, couples and families find counselling, psychotherapy and other forms of professional therapeutic support.
The platform brings together practitioners from a range of professional backgrounds and therapeutic approaches, allowing people to explore profiles and make informed choices about who they may wish to contact.
Yes. Searching and browsing the Therapy World directory is free for people looking for a therapist.
Therapy fees vary between practitioners and can depend on factors such as location, experience, professional specialism and session length.
When you book directly with a therapist, the therapist sets their own fees and cancellation policy. Where you book through Therapy World, Therapy World's 48-hour cancellation policy applies. Please refer to the applicable booking terms for further information.
Where available, session fees and information about concessions are shown on individual therapist profiles.
You can either contact a therapist directly through their Therapy World profile or, where available, use Therapy World's matching and booking service.
If you book directly with a therapist, the therapist manages your booking, payment arrangements, fees and cancellation policy directly with you.
If you book through Therapy World, your payment is made to Therapy World and Therapy World's booking, payment and 48-hour cancellation policy applies. Therapy World will match you with an appropriate therapist based on the information you provide and the availability of suitable practitioners.
In either case, the counselling or psychotherapy is provided by the individual independent therapist.
Yes. Therapy World provides access to counselling and psychotherapy through independent therapists listed on our platform.
Clients can either choose and contact a therapist directly through their profile or, where available, book a therapy session through Therapy World.
When a client books through Therapy World, payment is made directly to Therapy World and we match the client with an appropriate therapist based on their requirements, preferences and the availability of suitable practitioners.
The counselling or psychotherapy itself is provided by the individual therapist, who is responsible for the therapeutic work and professional relationship with the client.
Yes, where a client chooses to use our matching service. Therapy World can help clients find a suitable therapist based on the information they provide about their needs, preferences and circumstances.
Clients can also choose a therapist themselves by browsing individual profiles and considering factors such as qualifications, professional experience, areas of expertise, therapeutic approach, availability and fees.
Where Therapy World matches a client with a therapist, the matching process is intended to identify an appropriate practitioner based on the information provided. However, the final decision to proceed with therapy remains with the client and therapist.
This gives clients two options: choose a therapist themselves or let Therapy World help find a suitable therapist for them.
Therapists listed on Therapy World are required to provide information about their professional qualifications and relevant professional membership, registration or accreditation.
Where a therapist has a Verified badge, this indicates that Therapy World has completed its verification process in relation to the professional information submitted by that therapist.
Details of individual qualifications, professional memberships and professional experience can be found on their profiles.
Therapy World carries out a verification process for therapists who wish to have a Verified badge displayed on their profile.
Verification is carried out by checking the professional qualifications and memberships submitted by the therapist against information held by the relevant professional body or organisation, such as BACP, NCPS or other recognised professional organisations.
Where the information provided cannot initially be matched, Therapy World may request additional supporting documentation from the therapist.
A Verified badge is only awarded when Therapy World has completed its checks and is satisfied that the submitted information matches the relevant professional records.
Therapists who have not completed the verification process will not display a Verified badge on their profile.
Verification relates to the professional information and documentation checked by Therapy World. It does not replace a therapist's own responsibility to maintain appropriate professional registration, membership, qualifications, insurance and other requirements relevant to their practice.
Therapists who have completed Therapy World's verification process display a Verified badge on their profile.
Therapy World checks submitted qualification and professional membership information against the relevant professional body or organisation. Where necessary, we may request additional supporting documentation.
The Verified badge is only displayed once these checks have been completed and the information provided has been satisfactorily matched.
The Verified badge indicates that the professional information submitted by the therapist has been checked by Therapy World in accordance with our verification process.
Yes. Therapy World is designed to help people find therapists across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
You can search by location and explore both local practitioners and therapists who offer online sessions.
Therapy World takes privacy and data protection seriously. Information submitted through the website is handled in accordance with Therapy World's Privacy Policy.
When you contact an individual therapist, any subsequent therapeutic relationship and the handling of your personal information will also be subject to that practitioner's own professional and privacy obligations.
Please avoid including unnecessary sensitive or highly personal information in an initial enquiry.
Yes. Many therapists listed on Therapy World work with anxiety, depression and related emotional difficulties.
You can explore individual profiles to find practitioners who specifically identify these areas among their experience or specialisms.
Yes. Therapists on Therapy World work with a range of concerns relating to stress, work, burnout, life changes and emotional wellbeing.
Search the directory and read individual profiles to find practitioners whose experience matches what you are looking for.
Yes. Some therapists specialise in or have experience supporting people through bereavement, grief and loss.
Individual profiles provide more information about each practitioner's areas of experience.
Yes. Some therapists listed on Therapy World have experience supporting LGBTQIA+ clients and working with issues relating to identity, relationships and sexuality.
You can explore individual profiles to find practitioners who identify this as an area of experience or specialism.
Yes. Some therapists listed on Therapy World have experience supporting neurodivergent clients, including people with ADHD and autism.
As approaches and experience vary between practitioners, we recommend reading profiles carefully and discussing your specific needs with the therapist before beginning therapy.
We couldn't find any FAQs matching your search term. Try searching for a different keyword or browse all categories.
Finding the right therapist can take time, and it is important to choose someone whose professional experience, therapeutic approach and way of working feel appropriate for you. Explore the Therapy World Therapist Directory to browse practitioners across the UK and take the next step towards finding the support you are looking for.
Search the Therapy World Directory today