Talking therapy · London
Counselling, matched properly — to the problem and to you.
A supportive, non-judgemental space with a BACP, UKCP, BPC or NCS-accredited counsellor. The modality chosen for what you are actually going through — grief, a relationship, a transition, a diagnosis to adjust to.
Why patients choose us
- 01
A BACP-accredited counsellor, matched to you
Not the first name on a directory. A counsellor accredited by BACP, UKCP, BPC or NCS, matched to what you actually want to talk about.
- 02
The modality chosen for the problem
Person-centred for grief, integrative for life transitions, psychodynamic for patterns that keep repeating — the approach fits the person, not the other way round.
- 03
Independent, and free
We are paid by no clinic or therapist, so the recommendation is impartial and costs you nothing.
Indicative pricing
What private counselling costs in London.
Indicative per-session ranges across our accredited counsellor network. We come back with a firm figure for the counsellor we suggest.
In short
Weekly individual counselling in our network: £60–£150 a session, typically 6–12 sessions.
| Format | Indicative range | Session length | Typical rhythm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial assessment session (50 min) | £70–£150 | 50 min | Same week |
| Individual counselling (per session) | £60–£150 | 50 min | Weekly |
| Couples counselling (per session) | £90–£200 | 60–90 min | Weekly / fortnightly |
| Family counselling (per session) | £100–£220 | 60–90 min | Fortnightly |
| Group counselling (per session) | £25–£60 | 90 min | Weekly |
| Bereavement counselling (per session) | £60–£140 | 50 min | Weekly |
Fees vary by counsellor, by modality, by format, and by whether sessions are in person or online. Some counsellors offer a reduced fee for lower incomes — we ask if it would help.
The problem
The right counsellor, the right modality, the right format.
Anyone can call themselves a counsellor in the UK. And a person-centred counsellor is a poor fit for a repeating relationship pattern; a psychodynamic one is a poor fit for grief you just want to speak aloud. We match all three properly before you commit.
-
Not sure counselling is the right therapy?
CBT is more structured. Psychotherapy is longer and deeper. We say which fits, before you book.
-
Worried the counsellor is not qualified?
We only match to counsellors accredited by BACP, UKCP, BPC or NCS. Never unregistered.
-
Want the modality to fit the problem?
Grief, relationship, transition, adjustment — the approach is chosen for what you are actually going through.
The journey
From enquiry to a planned ending — what happens, in order.
Assessment, matching, weekly sessions, review, ending — with onward referral if a different level of care is needed.
Phase 1 · Before
Assessment and matching
Phase 2 · During
Weekly sessions, reviewed
Phase 3 · After
Planned ending
- 01
Before
You tell us what is going on
A short, confidential form. What is happening, how long, and what you would like from talking to someone.
- 02
Before
We suggest a modality and a name
Within one working day: the modality that fits the problem, an accredited counsellor who works that way, and how they charge.
- 03
Before
Assessment session
A first 50-minute session to check the fit. If it is not right — for either of you — we suggest someone else, no awkwardness.
- 04
During
Weekly sessions
Typically 50 minutes, same time each week, in person or online. Short-term (6–12 sessions) or open-ended, agreed together.
- 05
During
Review at 6 sessions
A pause to check what is helping, what is not, and whether to continue, adjust the focus, or end well.
- 06
After
Ending, and afterwards
A planned ending rather than a fade-out. If a different level of care is needed — CBT, psychotherapy, psychiatric — we help arrange it.
Typical short-term work: 6–12 sessions. Open-ended work runs for as long as it is useful, reviewed regularly.
When it helps
When counselling is the right therapy.
The situations we see most, plus the red flag that means urgent psychiatric or crisis care rather than a counselling booking.
-
Bereavement and grief
A death, a loss, an anniversary that keeps landing hard. Somewhere to say it without managing anyone else’s reaction.
-
Relationship difficulty
A relationship in strain — communication, trust, sex, distance. For couples or for one person thinking it through.
-
Work stress and burnout
Overwhelm, resentment, dread on Sunday nights. Space to name it and decide what changes.
-
Life transitions
Divorce, redundancy, retirement, empty nest, a big move. The moments where the old script stops working.
-
Mild to moderate depression or anxiety
Low mood, worry that will not switch off, loss of interest — counselling can help; more severe cases are flagged to us.
-
Fertility grief and pregnancy loss
Failed cycles, miscarriage, the choice not to keep trying. A grief that is often invisible from the outside.
-
Cancer and chronic illness adjustment
A diagnosis, treatment, or life afterwards that has changed. Support alongside — not instead of — your medical team.
-
Red flag: crisis or active risk
Active suicidal thoughts, psychosis, severe self-harm or a psychiatric emergency need urgent care — call 999, 111 or Samaritans on 116 123, not a counselling booking.
Modalities and formats
Counselling is not one thing.
The main modalities we match to, plus the formats they come in — individual, couples, family, group, in person or online.
-
Person-centred (Rogerian)
Rogers’ humanistic approach. The counsellor offers unconditional positive regard and empathy; you set the direction. Especially good for grief and self-esteem.
-
Integrative counselling
Draws on several approaches — person-centred, psychodynamic, CBT elements — tailored to you. A common, flexible default.
-
Psychodynamic counselling
Explores how past relationships and early experiences shape present patterns. Suits people whose difficulties keep repeating.
-
Humanistic / existential / gestalt
Present-focused work on meaning, choice, and how you are in the room. Useful at life transitions and for a sense of stuckness.
-
Bereavement counselling
Specialist grief work — for a recent death, an anniversary, complicated or delayed grief, or losses that were never openly acknowledged.
-
Couples counselling (Gottman-informed)
Both partners in the room. Structured work on communication, conflict, trust and repair, drawing on the Gottman evidence base.
-
Family counselling
Two or more family members together. Useful for parenting conflict, blended families, illness in the family, or adult family patterns.
-
Group counselling
A small facilitated group around a shared theme — grief, anxiety, addiction — offering perspective you cannot get one-to-one.
Our vetted London network
A small panel of counsellors, accredited and vetted.
Accredited counsellors across central, north, west and south London, and online across the UK. Introductions are private and matched to your case.
Selection criteria
How we choose every counsellor in our network.
-
Accredited by BACP, UKCP, BPC or NCS — never unregistered
-
Modality matched to the problem, not to a house style
-
Individual, couples, family, group and online formats offered
-
Onward referral if CBT, psychotherapy or psychiatric input is needed
Safety and red flags
What to expect — and when counselling is not enough.
Counselling is a legitimate treatment for common problems and endorsed by NICE for less severe depression. It is not a substitute for crisis or psychiatric care — we flag both here.
-
Counselling is not CBT and not psychotherapy
Counselling is supportive and exploratory. CBT is more structured and present-focused. Psychotherapy tends to be deeper and longer-term. We suggest the right one for you.
-
A first session is a mutual assessment
The first session is as much about whether the fit feels right as about the presenting problem. Saying it does not fit is expected, not rude.
-
Confidentiality has limits
What you say stays in the room, with two exceptions all counsellors share: risk to your life or someone else’s, and safeguarding of a child or vulnerable adult.
-
Weekly, at the same time, matters
A regular slot is part of the work. Ad-hoc sessions are less effective — counselling relies on the rhythm as much as the content.
-
Sessions can get harder before they get easier
Naming difficult things brings them close for a while. This is normal, temporary, and part of the process.
-
Endings are planned, not ghosted
A counselling ending is agreed and worked with. If you want to stop, say so in the room — that itself is useful material.
-
Accreditation is not optional
Anyone can call themselves a counsellor. Registration with BACP, UKCP, BPC or NCS means training, supervision, ethics and a complaints route. We insist on it.
-
NICE recommends talking therapy for common problems
NICE guidance (NG222) supports counselling among the options for less severe depression. It is a legitimate treatment, not just a chat.
-
Red flags for onward referral
Active suicidality, active psychosis, severe self-harm, safeguarding concerns, untreated substance dependence, or worsening symptoms mean we route you to psychiatric or crisis care instead.
Your counselling contract
The written agreement in four parts. Read the last one first at review.
Whichever modality is chosen, the paperwork every accredited counsellor gives you keeps to the same shape.
A quiet reminder
Confidentiality has two limits — risk to life, and safeguarding. Everything else stays in the room.
If anything in the contract is unclear, ask before you sign. Good counsellors expect it.
- 01 Assessment
What you brought, in your words
A short summary of what you came to talk about, agreed between you and the counsellor at the first session.
- 02 Focus
The shared focus of the work
What the sessions will pay attention to — grief, a relationship, a transition — and what is out of scope.
- 03 Contract
Frequency, fee, confidentiality, endings
The practical agreement: how often, how much, how cancellations work, and the confidentiality limits that apply to every counsellor.
- 04 Review
What has helped, and what is next
Read this first at review sessions: what has shifted, what has not, and whether to continue, refocus, or end the work well.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Cover for counselling varies by insurer and by policy — many require a GP or consultant referral, and session caps apply. We confirm cover before booking.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about counselling.
How it differs from CBT, what accreditation to look for, cost, session numbers, and confidentiality.
-
How do I know if I need counselling, CBT or full psychotherapy?
Counselling is the right fit when you want a supportive space to talk through feelings, life events or relationships — usually 6–12 sessions. CBT is more structured and present-focused for anxiety, depression, phobias and OCD; psychotherapy goes deeper and longer for patterns rooted in early experience. In London a first-session assessment with a BACP or UKCP-accredited therapist typically costs £90–£160 and gives you a clear recommendation.
-
How do I know a counsellor is properly qualified?
Look for registration with BACP, UKCP, BPC or NCS. Those bodies require accredited training, ongoing supervision, an ethical framework and a complaints route. Anyone can call themselves a counsellor in the UK, so accreditation is the protection that matters.
-
How many sessions will I need?
Short-term counselling is typically 6–12 sessions and suits a specific issue. Open-ended work runs for as long as it is useful, reviewed regularly. Bereavement or long-standing patterns often take longer than transitions or work stress.
-
How much does private counselling cost in London?
Individual sessions are usually £60–£150; couples £90–£200; family £100–£220; groups £25–£60. Assessment sessions sit in the same range as individual sessions. We confirm a firm figure before you book.
-
Is online counselling as effective as in person?
For most common problems, yes — the evidence is broadly comparable. In person suits some presentations (couples work, complex trauma), online suits others (rural, mobility, privacy, tight schedules). We ask which you prefer.
-
Is what I say confidential?
Yes, with the two limits every accredited counsellor shares: risk to your life or someone else’s, and safeguarding of a child or vulnerable adult. Those aside, sessions are private and notes are kept securely.
-
Do I need a GP referral?
No. Counselling is self-referral. If your GP is involved in your care and you would like the counsellor to liaise, that is possible with your consent.
-
What if it does not feel right?
Say so — in the session or to us afterwards. The fit between counsellor and client is one of the strongest predictors of benefit. We suggest an alternative rather than push through a poor match.
-
When is counselling not the right choice?
Active suicidal thoughts, active psychosis, severe self-harm, an eating disorder in crisis, untreated substance dependence, or a psychiatric emergency need urgent psychiatric or crisis care — 999, 111, or Samaritans on 116 123 — not a counselling booking.
Related treatments
Looking for something else?
-
Cognitive behaviour therapy
A more structured, present-focused talking therapy.
Learn more -
All tests and procedures
Every test and treatment we arrange.
Learn more -
Bereavement counselling
Specialist grief work, in a supportive space.
Learn more -
Couples counselling
Gottman-informed work for two.
Learn more -
Hypertension
Related condition guide.
Learn more -
Type 2 Diabetes
Related condition guide.
Learn more -
Blood Tests
Related diagnostic test.
Learn more -
Health Assessments Select
Related diagnostic test.
Learn more
In practice, in London
Getting counselling sorted in London, without the guesswork
For counselling, the private London route is mostly about consultant fit and hospital choice rather than raw waiting time. The wait for counselling on the NHS depends heavily on where you live and how urgently the referral is graded. Central and West London private clinics can normally book within a week, with imaging or a procedure slot to follow shortly after. It’s worth being honest about the reason for going private: usually it’s time, not a fundamentally different test.
The mechanics are straightforward: a consultant appointment, any tests done at a nearby CQC-registered site, and a written report back within a few days. London’s density of private diagnostics — Marylebone, the City, Chelsea, Canary Wharf — means most patients can find something that fits around work without a cross-town trek. For counselling in particular, we bias towards consultants who do this every week rather than every month.
We’re careful about what a private pathway for counselling can and can’t promise. It can compress a wait, put you in front of a subspecialist quickly, and get a proper report in your hands within a week. It can’t rewrite what the imaging or the bloods say. Setting that expectation up front tends to make the whole experience less stressful.
Nearby in the library