The following is a list of all the current operational therapy directories that I could find where you can search for a therapist if you are in the UK. I accessed these sites online in September 2020, so the information on there may have changed or been updated since this time. Because privacy and the security of data is vital, I put together a short list of questions that I wanted to answer for each directory when I accessed their privacy policy. I wanted to know who operated the site and where they were based, and I wanted their privacy policy to take note of the 2018 Data Protection Act. This act requires a company to be registered with the ICO and to have a named person responsible for data processing. It also requires a way of contacting the company with privacy concerns. The minimum is that the company has a privacy policy on their website, of which all but one did. Transparency, accountability and open communication are important indicators of trustworthiness. There are so many directories offering to help us find a therapist, and some of these websites will be capturing our personal information, so it is vital that we know with whom and where our data is being held.
Data and security are of course not the only indicators of whether these sites are going to offer you a good user experience, so you may wish to assess each according to your own individual criteria. The website Very Well Mind has put together a useful list of how they assess online therapy. It refers to US sites but many of the questions could be easily adapted to UK sites also. Have a look at it here: www.verywellmind.com/online-therapy-review-methodology-4777996.
LIST OF INDEPENDENT DIRECTORIES WHERE YOU CAN FIND A THERAPIST IN THE UK
The Black, African and Asian Therapy Network – www.baatn.org.uk
BAATN, BAATN 11216, PO Box 6945, London, W1A 6US
BAATN is a social enterprise that operates a directory where users can find therapists with BAME heritage.
BetterHelp – www.betterhelp.com
BetterHelp, 990 Villa Street, Mountain View, CA 94041, USA
This site asks many questions before you can search for a therapist. I did not complete the questionnaire and was not on their website for very long, yet I was subsequently presented with adverts on Facebook for BetterHelp for several days after that one visit to the website. This is called ‘remarketing,’ and many websites do this, but I found it a bit annoying and a little intrusive. I prefer to access a therapy website in confidence.
CBT Pages – www.cbtpages.com
Think CBT Ltd
CBT Pages is a directory that lists accredited CBT therapists. On the site, you can search for and book a session with the therapist of your choice.
Choice Therapies – www.choicetherapies.co.uk
Choice Therapies LLP, 55 Queen Square, Bristol, BS1 4LH
Choice Therapies is a new directory that offers a range of both counselling and holistic therapies.
Counselling Directory – www.counselling-directory.org.uk
Memiah Limited, Counselling Directory, Building 3, Riverside Way, Camberley, Surrey, GU15 3YL
Counselling Directory was set up in 2005 and is one of several directories operated by Memiah Limited. The site lists counsellors and psychotherapists that you can search for and then contact directly. There are also helpful articles on the site to help you with your search and support you with information to make it easier to find the therapist for you. Memiah also operates the magazine Happiful.
Counsellor Directory – counsellor.directory
Counsellor Directory is a website that was set up in 2008. It has a ‘Social Enterprise Initiative’ badge on the homepage and states that it operates on a ‘pay what you can’ basis for counsellors who offer low-cost therapy. I could not find the company name, address or telephone number on the website at the time of searching.
Culture Minds Therapy – culturemindstherapy.com
CultureMinds Therapy Ltd, 1 Royal Street, London SE1 7LL
Set up in October 2020, this site states it is the ‘UK’s leading therapist-matching service for the Black and Asian community’.
Dr Julian – dr-julian.com
Dr Julian Medical Group, 21 Portman Close, London W1H 6BR
Dr Julian is a website platform where you can find and book a video therapy appointment with a therapist of your choice. It was set up in 2017 by Dr Julian Nesbitt, ex-hospital doctor and now GP.
Efficacy (Now ‘Onebright’) – www.efficacy.org.uk
Efficacy Limited, 54-55 Cornhill, London EC3V 3PD
Efficacy offers CBT appointments at short notice, either by video or phone. They also offer EMDR and an online CBT program using SilverCloud.
E Therapy – www.e-therapy.uk
E-Therapy Limited Telehealth solutions offers a video platform through which you can book and have a session with either a nutritional or psy- chological therapist. I accessed the site from the UK, and it does offer UK therapists. I could not see a contact name or address on the day I accessed the page.
Find a therapist – www.findatherapist.co.uk
Findatherapist.co.uk Ltd, SBC House, Restmor Way, Wallington SM6 7AH
Findatherapist.co.uk was formerly known as rscpp.co.uk. It is run by therapist Richard Snowdon, and computer-science postgraduate Tommy Newman. The site lists only therapists registered and accredited by the BABCP, BACP, BPC, BPS, COSRT, HCPC, NCS and UKCP. It has a
helpful self-assessment tool on there, as well as a link to which therapies are recommended by NICE for which conditions. There are also reviews of the therapists, so you can see what previous clients have said.
Find a Therapist – www.findatherapist.com
US only.
Find a Therapy – www.findatherapy.org
Find a Private Tutor Ltd, Regency House, 3 Princes Street, Bath BA1 1HL
The introductory video on this site states that they are one of the UK’s leading directories of complementary therapies, but they also list psycho- therapists and counsellors.
Harley Therapy – harleytherapy.com
Harley Therapy Platform Ltd and Harley Therapy Limited, 1-7 Harley Street, London W1G 9QD
A site that allows you to find and book a therapy session with a UK-registered counsellor, psychotherapist or psychologist. Sessions can be either video, phone, chat or in-person. The site has vetted the therapists it lists on the platform and assures they have the appropriate insurance, qualifications and accreditation. Harley Therapy has access to the immediate availability of its therapists, so you can see who is immediately available if you want to see someone fast.
Healing Clouds – www.healingclouds.com/about-us
Healing Clouds Ltd, 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9JQ
This site is listed as a site linking clients with therapists worldwide for online therapy sessions.
Hub of Hope – hubofhope.co.uk
Chasing the Stigma, 54 St James Street Liverpool L1 0AB and Suite 2a, Cunard Building, Water St, Liverpool L3 1AH
The Hub of Hope is a directory of mental health services and support that is provided by the organization Chasing the Stigma, a charity based in the UK.
Ieso Online CBT – www.iesohealth.com
Ieso Digital Health Ltd, The Jeffreys Building, Cowley Road, Cambridge CB4 0DS
Ieso (previously known as Psychology Online), provides online text-based CBT that is free for NHS patients in most of the UK. They also offer their services to private clients too.
Inquire Talk – inquiretalk.com
Inquire Talk Ltd, 20-22 Wenlock Road, London N1 7GU (same address as ISOS Health)
A directory that offers counsellors, psychotherapists and psychologists who provide online therapy. You can choose a therapist, see their availability and book your session on the website. Sessions can be either via video, text or phone, as well as face-to-face (where appropriate). The site lists therapists as ‘licensed’ or ‘certified’ rather than as ‘registered’ or ‘accred- ited’. The latter terms being familiar to therapists in the UK, whereas the former are terms used for US therapists.
ISOS – isoshealth.com/about-us
Chrysalis Health Ltd, 20 – 22 Wenlock Road, London N1 7GU
ISOS Health was setup by Kim Page, a mum, carer and sufferer of Type 1 diabetes and coeliac disease who wanted to help people get easy access to dieticians, physiotherapists and psychologists. On the site you can choose to have sessions with all three different practitioners who together work as your ‘power of three’ team and can share information between each other.
Muslim Counsellor and Psychotherapist Network (MCAPN) – www.mcapn.co.uk/counselling-directory
A directory for clients to find support from Muslim therapists, and for therapists to list their profiles and support and network with each other.
MYNDUP – myndup.com
MYNDUP Ltd, 44 Tempest Mead, North Weald, Essex CM16 6DY
Founded by Joel Gujral following his positive experiences with an online life coach, Myndup offers a platform where you can book video sessions with a therapist or life coach.
My Online Therapy – myonlinetherapy.com
Lekta Therapy Ltd, 2 Lansdowne Row, Suite 163, London, W1J 6HL and Lekta Therapy Ltd, Second Floor, 4-5 Gough Square, London EC4A 3DE
My Online Therapy is a new site that offers online therapy with HCPC registered psychologists.
My Therapist Online – www.mytherapistonline.co.uk
My Therapist Online Limited, 38 West Street, Helpston, Peterborough PE6 7AY
My Therapist Online was set up by BABCP accredited CBT therapist Lisa Johnston and her husband Keith.
Oliva – www.oliva.house
A website that offers to match you with the right therapist after you com- plete a questionnaire. The site appears to cater to UK and Spain, though I could not find a company address when I looked.
Onebright (See ‘Efficacy’)
Online Counselling Service (OCS) – www.onlinecounsellingservice.co.uk
The site states that it offers worldwide 24-hour online and telephone therapy. OCS was founded in 2008 by psychological therapist Faith McMoyo. OCS offers therapy by either email, instant message, telephone or Skype.
Online Therapy – www.online-therapy.com
CRN Solutions AB, Bruksgatan 36, 26339 Höganäs, Sweden
Online Therapy offers a subscription-based online CBT model. There is a free version with worksheets and an online CBT programme, or you can pay between £23.96 and £55.96 for a service that includes daily messaging with a therapist and 1–2 weekly live sessions with a therapist.
Online Therapy 247 – onlinetherapy247.com
Online Therapy 247 Ltd, 23 Horizon Building, 15 Hertsmere Road, Canary Wharf, London E14 4AW
Online Therapy 247 allows you to choose a therapist and then arrange either telephone, email or Zoom therapy instantly (therapists available 24 hours a day).
Optimind.io
Optimind, Buckingham Palace Street, London SW1E
The site has a limited number of therapists available to provide video and phone therapy. Prior to COVID-19, the service involved face-to-face therapy in two locations: London and Suffolk.
Pink Therapy – www.pinktherapy.com
Pink Therapy, BCM 5159 London WC1N 3XX
This site states it is the ‘UK’s largest independent therapy organization working with gender and sexual diversity clients’. You can search for a therapist on the site who has completed training and/or had experience that enables them to offer therapy in a sexuality-affirming way. Pink Therapy also offers training and accreditation to therapists interested in working with LGBTIQ clients.
Problem Shared – www.problemshared.net
Teledoctor Ltd, 2 Frederick Street, London WC1X 0ND
A new online platform set up by Dr Nick Nabarro where you can find and book a counsellor, psychotherapist or psychologist.
Psychology Today – www.psychologytoday.com/gb
Sussex Publishers, LLC, 115 E. 23rd St., 9th Floor, New York, NY 10010, USA
This is perhaps the most well known of all the directories available. It is international so you can search by country as well as by county or city. The site lists the profiles of therapists who have been verified, and you contact the therapist via the phone number or email address on their listing.
Qwell – www.qwell.io
Kooth plc, The Epworth, 25 City Road, London EC1Y 1AA
Qwell is part of Kooth plc and aims to provide you with a support com- munity and self-help information, and connects you with therapists you can access for therapy.
The School of Life – www.theschooloflife.com/shop/ psychotherapy
Campus Group LLP, 70 Marchmont Street, London, WC1N 1AB
On the School of Life website you can book a psychotherapy session with one of their therapists. Sessions have to be paid for first in advance, and you are then contacted within a week by a therapist who has availability.
Skype Therapies – www.skypetherapies.co.uk
Skype Therapies was established by a counselling psychologist and CBT therapist with the aim of connecting clients to therapists online. It has been operating since 2014 and offers UK-based therapists to clients around the globe. You can search for a therapist and then contact them via the site. Update August 2022 – Skype Therapies no longer available.
Stillpoint Spaces – www.stillpointspaces.com
Stillpoint Zürich GmbH, Privacy & Data Protection, Schanzeneggstrasse 1, 8002 Zurich, Switzerland.
Stillpoint Spaces lists therapists worldwide but also has four physical loca- tions in London, Berlin, Paris and Zurich. You can book and have your session with your chosen therapist using the site’s video platform.
Support Room – www.supportroom.com
My Therapist Online Ltd, 20–22 Wenlock Road, London N1 7GU (same address as Inquiretalk and ISOS Health)
A website where you can search worldwide for therapists who provide online therapy via video call or instant chat. Potential clients can complete an initial questionnaire and then be matched to three therapists they can then choose from to book their session with. The session is carried out within a private instant chat or video chat room.
Talkspace – www.talkspace.com
Talkspace Network LLC, 33 W 60th Street, 8th Fl, New York, NY 10023, USA
Talkspace operates a subscription model where you can choose to chat via instant message to a therapist at any time and add on video calls to the package as well. You cannot view the therapists available until you complete a matching questionnaire, so it wasn’t clear if there were therapists available in the UK.
Therapion – www.therapion.com
Therapion Consulting’s website offers therapists from several different countries. You can find and book a therapist on the site for either email, phone, video or instant chat therapy.
Therapycounselling.org
A site that lists counsellors and therapists in the UK. I could not find a company name or address listed on the site. In the privacy policy section, it states that the site does not hold any personal information, and the privacy policy refers to the individual counsellors only.
Therapy Route – therapyroute.com
Therapy Route PTY Ltd’s site offers a portal where therapists can list their profiles for clients to choose from. There are also articles written by the therapists on the site or guest bloggers. The site is run by Enzo Sinisi, a psychotherapist based in South Africa.
Therapy Tribe – www.therapytribe.com
Web Tribes Inc. 1055 Quartz Ct, Ste. B, San Marcos, CA 92078, USA
Therapy tribe has been operating an online support community since 2006 and now offers the ability to find a therapist on their site. It was set up by husband and wife Ryan and Kristin Fitzgerald.
Therapology – www.therapology.io
Therapologies Limited, Brulimar House, Jubilee Road, Manchester M24 4LX
Therapology is a new site that had just appeared as I wrote this. Although I could not view the app, the website stated, ‘Therapology is an exciting new app that enables anyone with internet to connect rapidly with thera- pists in the UK and book online or face-to-face appointments, typically within the hour.’
Think CBT – thinkcbt.com
Think CBT originally offered face-to-face therapy in London and Kent, but now lists accredited CBT and EMDR therapists across the UK who provide online therapy. Think CBT also runs the cbtpages.com website.
Timewith – timewith.co.uk
Timewith Limited, 12 Constance Street, London E16 2DQ
Timewith was launched in July 2017 and offers to match you with a therapist who is right for you. The site offers a helpful step-by-step guide to therapy and a care coordinator function, where you can answer some initial questions to help you get a feel for which therapist might be right for you.
The site tells you when your chosen therapist is available, and you can book directly on the site. All their therapists are registered with established registration bodies.
UKTherapyGuide – www.uktherapyguide.com
UKTG has been operating since 2012 and aims to match you to a therapist and allow you to book and pay for your session on their website. It men- tions capping the number of therapists at 250, so as to make the choice more manageable for clients, and for therapists not to be lost in a crowd.
UK Therapy Hub – www.uktherapyhub.co.uk
Private Practice Hub Limited, 4th Floor, Silverstream House, 45 Fitzroy Street, London W1T 6EB
UK Therapy Hub is operated by the people behind the Private Practice Hub. It was set up by psychotherapist Geoff Simons. There is a ‘Find a therapist’ tab, as well as a ‘Find an online therapist’ tab, and I received a different list of therapists when I used the same search term in both.
UppTherapy – upptherapy.com
Upp Therapy Ltd, 109 Colne Road, Twickenham TW2 6QL
An online video therapy platform where you can find and book therapists and coaches. The service was set up by Richard Reid (from Pinnacle Wellbeing) and Mike Tapia.
Victim Focus – victimfocus.org.uk
Dr Jessica Taylor is a psychologist and advocate for non-blaming, non-shaming treatment in mental health. On her website she has a list of therapists who have signed up to her approach to mental health and pledge to be trauma-informed, woman-centred, radical feminist, anti- victim-blaming and anti-pathologizing. Contact can be made with the therapists directly, so the site is not a directory platform like the others in this list.
We are Kiku – www.wearekiku.com
Sixteen Eighty Limited, 49 Myrtle Grove, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 3HT
Kiku is a directory of therapists that offers a one-stop shop for you to find, book and contact your therapist using the site. There is a secure messaging service, and you can see the therapist with availability matching yours.
Welldoing – welldoing.org
Welldoing Ltd, Canterbury House, 1 Royal Street, London SE1 7LL
Welldoing has been in operation since 2014 and states it is the UK’s leading directory for online and in-person therapists. You can search for a therapist yourself using a postcode, or you can answer a short question- naire to be matched with a therapist. There is also a more personalized matching service, and there is a charge for this. On the site there is also a helpful resource section with articles and mental health resources and links to approved apps.
Well Minds Online (WellMinds Online CIC) – wellmindsonline.com
Provides access to low-cost counselling via student and qualified counsellors.
LIST OF INDEPENDENT DIRECTORIES WHERE YOU CAN FIND A THERAPIST INTERNATIONALLY
Amwell – amwell.com/cm/services/online-therapy/ Betterhelp – betterhelp.com
Chinese Counseling – directory.chinesecounseling.org/en Counselling Online – www.counsellingonline.ie
Good Therapy – goodtherapy.com Good Therapy Australia –
www.goodtherapy.com.au/flex/online-therapy/908/1 MDLive – www.mdlive.com/counseling
Teladoc – www.teladoc.com
Psychology Today – psychologytoday.com Stillpoint Spaces – www.stillpointspaces.comTalkspace – www.talkspace.com
Therapyden – www.therapyden.com Therapy Tribe – www.therapytribe.com
