How to access affordable counselling in the UK
Due to the cost of living crisis, more and more people are seeking affordable therapy in order to take care of their mental health.
Usually, counselling is expensive with session costs ranging from £70 – £150. Luckily there are options for you to access affordable counselling at a fraction of the cost.
The list below can help you find the right low-cost counselling service or affordable private
therapists. There are even options to access free counselling through the NHS which will be outlined below.
We hope that the list below of affordable and free counselling options will help you access the
help you need.
Ask a private therapist if they can offer you
a concession rate
Many private therapists offer concession rates which can make accessing regular therapy sessions far more affordable.
If there is a specific counsellor you would like to work with, ask them if they can offer you a concession rate. Many counsellors already specify on their profile if they can offer you a more affordable rate if you are struggling financially or are on a tight budget.
The counselling directory is a good place in your search for an affordable therapist.
In order to find a high-quality therapist please ensure they are an accredited member of either the BACP, UKCP or NCS. These are accreditation bodies for counsellors and psychotherapists that ensure highest quality and ethical practice.
Access free therapy through the NHS
by speaking to your GP
If you are struggling with your mental health and are experiencing anxiety, depression, OCD, phobias or relationship difficulties you can speak to your GP and they can refer you to a counselling service that can offer you therapy sessions for free.
Please be aware that the free therapy sessions that can be offered by the NHS are generally limited to 6 sessions. Furthermore, there are often waiting times of several months until you can access their free counselling services. However, if you are on a tight budget or are struggling financially, the free therapy sessions that can be provided by the NHS are a great option.
Access low cost online counselling
at Choose Therapy
Choose Therapy offers open-ended low-cost online counselling sessions.
Our affordable online counselling sessions are only £36 each session.
At Choose Therapy you are able to have as many sessions as you like, depending on your needs and goals. Furthermore, at Choose Therapy, you are able to choose the therapist you feel most drawn to and would like to work with (subject to availability).
Please have a look at the list of our available therapists here: Our Therapists
Allowing you to choose who you would like to work with is important to us and different from many other low-cost counselling services which often allocate clients to the next available counsellor.
At Choose Therapy all our dedicated counsellors have to go through an interview process before they join the team. Furthermore, all of our affordable counsellors have to attend supervision with a highly experienced therapist twice a month in order to assure quality and safe practice. All counsellors at Choose Therapy have to be a registered student member of the BACP, UKCP or NCS. Only counsellors who attended high quality training institutions are able to become an accredited member of these professional bodies.
We hope the list above helps you to access high quality therapy that works with your budget.
Even though therapy can often be expensive, if you know where to look you can access
quality therapy at a fraction of the cost.
