A Note on Finding a Therapist

I am writing this at the start of January and, for many, the start of a new year. January is typically associated with a surge in gym memberships on the back of resolutions around health and fitness for the year ahead. However, previous data from Counselling Directory (a directory for finding mental health professionals) indicates there is also a surge in people searching for therapists. The factors at play here are perhaps more complicated and though they may well include a resolution to spend dedicated time exploring one's mental health it may also, for example, be a response to what can be a particularly stressful time of year for many people. Whatever the reason, this seems to be one of the points in the year when there is a particular interest in therapy.

This year, however, it follows reports at the end of 2025 describing the lack of public awareness around the unregulated nature of the sector, including for example this Sky News subheading "the murky world of therapy - where anyone can set themselves up as a counsellor or psychotherapist without formal training, qualifications, or oversight." Whilst the tone overall perhaps suggests something akin to a criminal underworld which isn't quite accurate (or helpful), 'murky' is not a wholly unfair criticism. It should not be up to the general public to understand the convoluted workings of any sector in order to be able to access it, let alone a sector that should be supporting someone's mental health rather than making additional demands of them to ensure their own safety.

So for now, in order to add a little transparency here are some things you can do and look out for. These things will not guarantee that this is the best practitioner for you personally, but it might help to shore up a therapist's qualifications and fitness to practice ethically as well as a commitment to the profession:

1. Check there is an association with a governing body - like British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), UK Counselling and Psychotherapy (UKCP), National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS) (though not limited to these three).

2. Ask about qualifications as well as recent CPD - the expectation is not that you have to understand the details of each qualification (which could for example include a diploma, advanced diploma, degree) but that a qualification is held and asking about recent CPD is a good way of learning about someone's commitment to ongoing learning and development.

3. Ask about supervision arrangements - depending on how the therapist works they may explain this as part of their explanation around the terms of confidentiality but you may still have further questions around this. As a note, each of us should be in regular supervision, which means having arrangements in place with a supervisor on an ongoing basis at predictable intervals.

Some of this information may be publicly available in marketing materials (like websites and directory profiles) and some if it, if you choose to, you may have to ask about directly. For some people, it may not feel easy to ask these questions and to be clear, you are not obligated to do so, it is entirely up to you. However, beyond the practical information contained in someone's answers is perhaps also useful information in how you might work together. Many of us, including in our marketing materials, talk about the importance of the therapeutic relationship and it's true - the quality of our relationship is one of the strongest predictors for positive therapeutic outcomes (how ever we together defines those). Making this judgement in a first session can be a big ask, not least because our relationship will necessarily evolve over time. However, it can be a chance to explore if it feels like the right conditions could be there. At this point, whilst the therapist's answers matter, what also matters is how an answer made you feel, for example:

• Did you feel held? Like you could imagine yourself asking questions of them in the future.

• Did you feel respected? Like they took you and your question seriously and respected your agency and right to ask these questions.

• Did you feel listened to? Like they understood your question and responded appropriately?

When we are talking about the therapeutic relationship or finding a therapist you feel a sense of connection to or ease with, whilst these can be useful foundational blocks, any early indication of how safe you feel to be vulnerable with this person, might prove invaluable in the long run.

This image shows a view from a hilltop, looking out over a valley with rolling hills in the distance. In the foreground frost can be seen on the ground. The sky is clear and blue.