Following on from my post last week for those who are not in a position to look for a private counsellor, these are some thoughts and suggestions. Please note these are all England based.
- For the NHS, try searching for your local area and “IAPT”. This usually brings you to a way to refer yourself directly to your NHS trusts mental health services.
- Search for charities in your area that offer mental health support.
- Look up counselling schools and organisations near you as they may offer support working with a counsellor in training for a nominal fee.
- https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/get-help has a list of some options, especially for those in crisis that need immediate help.
Please be aware that most counsellors/therapists working privately are not able to take on clients and charge back to the NHS. The system isn’t designed that way. When seeing someone through the NHS or a charity, you usually have to work with the counsellor you are assigned unless there is a significant reason not to.