Counselling
BACP – The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy
Through its work BACP ensures that it meets its remit of public protection whilst also developing and informing its members. BACP participates in the development of counselling and psychotherapy at an international level. BACP can provide advice on a range of services to help meet the needs of anyone seeking information about counselling and psychotherapy. The web site allows the general public to find a therapist in their area.
British Psychoanalytic Council
The British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC) is a professional association, representing the profession of psychoanalytic psychotherapy. The organisation is itself made up of ten member organisations. One of its functions is to act as a voluntary regulator of the profession. The BPC publish an annual register of those practitioners who meet our fitness to practice standards. The BPC accredits the trainings of its member organisations, ensuring that they meet its minimum training standards. An individual who qualifies from one of these trainings is then eligible for entry into the BPC’s register. The BPC acts as a leading voice for the psychodynamic and psychoanalytic sector of psychotherapy. One of the key services it provides is information.
Counselling Directory – find a counsellor near you
The Counselling Directory web site aims to provide the UK with a huge counselling support network, enabling those in distress to find a counsellor close to them and appropriate for their needs. This is a free, confidential service that will encourage those in distress to seek help. Every counsellor on the site who has a profile has either submitted a copy of their qualifications and insurance cover or is registered with a professional body online with recognised codes of ethics and practice.
Relate offers advice, relationship counselling, sex therapy, workshops, mediation, consultations and support face-to-face, by phone and through this web site. Here you can find your nearest Relate, book on a course, buy books and consult our experts online.
Samaritans provides confidential non-judgemental emotional support, 24 hours a day for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which could lead to suicide. Samaritans offer their service by telephone, email, letter and face to face in most of our branches. Samaritans is available to anyone in the UK and Ireland. If you live outside of the UK and Ireland, visit www.befrienders.org to find your nearest helpline.
Student Counselling in UK Universities
This website has been set up by the Heads of the various Student Counselling Services in UK Universities in order to: provide more information about the support available to UK university students; help students locate appropriate services; help parents, families and friends of students find what support is available; provide easy access to pages dealing with common student psychological and emotional problems; and provide links to others sources of help for such problems.
UK Council for Psychotherapy – UKCP
The United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) is an umbrella organisation, with over 80 training, or accrediting organisations in membership. UKCP holds the national register of psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors, containing over 6,700 registrants who meet exacting standards and training requirements. UKCP produces publications and runs meetings and conferencesinform and consult on issues of concern to practitioners and support continuing professional development. UKCP works to improve access to psychological therapies, to support and disseminate research, to improve standards, and also deals with complaints against member organisation and registrants.
Unisus empowers individuals to reach their potential. At Unisus, we are dedicated to unlocking individuals’ full potential. We accomplish this through our three distinct sub-brands; Skills, Care, and Wellbeing.
- Unisus Skills delivers training for the social care sector and professional development for counsellors.
- Unisus Care provides domiciliary care services across Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland to adults with social care needs, who want to maintain their independence at home.
- Unisus Well-being provides in-person and on-line counselling services to individuals.
Black and Ethnic Minorities
Asian Family Counselling Service
The Asian Family Counselling Service is a well established national charity with offices in West London and Birmingham. Counsellors are professionally trained and receive regular supervision. They are able to offer caring, personal and confidential counselling in the clients’ language with an awareness of their cultural and ethnic backgrounds. The Asian Family Counselling Service may be contacted by the clients personally, or by their family, doctors, social workers, solicitors and religious leaders.
Psychotherapy – (see Treatment and Therapy)
Treatment and Therapy
AFT – The Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice
AFT, the Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice, is a registered charity working to benefit the public by promoting effective family therapy and systemic services and high standards of professional trainings and practice. It is the UK’s leading voice for professionals using systemic approaches to therapeutic work with families, individuals, couples and other communities of care in public and independent sector services and in independent practice.
BABCP – British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies
The BABCP is the lead organisation for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in the UK. It has almost 7,000 members – including nurses, trainees, counsellors, psychologists and psychiatrists.The membership is growing rapidly as interest in CBT expands. The BABCP is the only organisation which accredits CBT therapists. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in the practice, theory or development of CBT.
BACP – The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy
Through its work BACP ensures that it meets its remit of public protection whilst also developing and informing its members. BACP participates in the development of counselling and psychotherapy at an international level. BACP can provide advice on a range of services to help meet the needs of anyone seeking information about counselling and psychotherapy. The web site allows the general public to find a therapist in their area.
BAAT – The British Association of Art Therapists
The British Association of Art Therapists (BAAT) is the professional organisation for art therapists in the United Kingdom and has its own Code of Ethics of Professional Practice. Comprising of 20 regional groups, a European and an international section, it maintains a comprehensive directory of qualified art therapists and works to promote art therapy in the UK. BAAT was formed in 1964 out of a group of artists and therapists who realised that in order for Art Therapy to develop, and for its value to be more widely appreciated, it was necessary to have a central organisation to which the general public and employing authorities could refer.
The British Psychological Society
The British Psychological Society is the representative body for psychology and psychologists in the UK. The Society was formed in 1901 and has more than 45,000 members. Through its Royal Charter, the Society is charged with overseeing psychology and psychologists. It has responsibility for the development, promotion and application of pure and applied psychology for the public good.
Counselling Directory – Find a Professional Counsellor or Psychotherapist Near You
Counselling Directory lists full profiles, detailing the areas of counselling each counsellor offers, the fees they charge and background information as to the kind of person they are. Each individual searching for a counsellor has different needs and will look for different qualities, but the more information available, the more choice those in distress will have. Counselling Directory provides complete confidentiality so those in distress are in control of any decisions they make, and when they make them.
Find a Counsellor – UK & Ireland Directory of Counselling and Psychotherapy
The UK & Ireland Directory of Counselling and Psychotherapy is a non profit-making directory supported by donation only. It lists over six thousand UK-based practitioners – searchable on specialisms. Checks have been carried out on all listed practitioners.
Hypnotherapy Directory – Find a Hypnotherapist Near You
Hypnotherapy Directory lists full profiles of hypnotherapists, detailing the different types of hypnotherapy offered, the fees they charge and their background information. The service is free and confidential. Every hypnotherapist on the site who has submitted their profile has either provided a copy of their qualifications and insurance cover, or is registered with a professional body with recognised codes of ethics and practice.
The Brief Strategic Therapy & Clinical Hypnosis Foundation (BST Foundation) was established in response to the increasing demand for ethical and professionally trained therapists in the fields of clinical hypnosis and brief therapy. The Foundation promotes excellence in practice and has a reputation for the highest teaching standards. It also presents lectures and courses to a range of Medical Schools and Universities.
PsychNet-UK is an independent private web site which was conceived, developed and is run for the benefit of mental health professionals or those interested in mental health practices. Their goal is to become the preferred UK information access point of students, professionals or those who want to know more about the psychological sciences.
Counsellors and Psychotherapists in Primary Care
Counsellors and Psychotherapists in Primary Care (CPC) is a professional membership association for the following: individual primary care counsellors; students; supervisors of primary care counsellors; organisations and subscribers. The aims of the association are to represent counsellors and psychotherapists working in an NHS setting and to lead the way in establishing national standards and guidelines for further development of professional and effective counselling throughout the NHS.
Department of Health – Choosing Talking Treatments?
This booklet is for anyone who is depressed or unhappy, or who has emotional problems they cannot sort out on their own. It tells you about the psychological help – or talking therapies – that are available for adults on the National Health Service (NHS). It explains what talking therapies are and what they aim to do. It will help you ask the right questions and to make the right choices for yourself.
Royal College of Psychiatrists – Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
This leaflet is for anyone who wants to know more about Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). It discusses how it works, why it is used, its effects, its side-effects, and alternative treatments. If you can’t find what you want here, there are sources of further information at the end of this leaflet.
Royal College of Psychiatrists – Exercise and Mental Health
This leaflet is for anyone who wants to know: how being active can make you feel better; how exercise can help depression; how active you need to be to feel better; how to get more active safely.
Royal College of Psychiatrists – Complementary Therapies and Alternative Medicines
This leaflet is for anyone who would like to try complementary medicines for a mental health problem. It covers: Anxiety and sleep problems; Depression and bipolar disorder; Psychotic states; Movement disorders; Addictions; Finding a practitioner; Useful websites.
Mind – Making Sense of Counselling
This booklet introduces and explains the most common types of individual, face-to-face counselling in the UK and looks at the kinds of problems it can tackle, and who it can help. It does not cover counselling for groups, couples or families. It is designed to help you to find a professionally trained counsellor.
Mind – Making Sense of Talking Treatments
Disclaimer
AIM does not endorse or recommend any of the agencies listed on its web site but merely aims to inform you of the possible services available. AIM cannot take any responsibility for the organisations, the individuals involved or their web site contents. AIM does not endorse any commercial product or service advertised on an agency’s web site. If you are concerned about your health, consult your GP in the first instance; web sites are no substitute for advice from a health professional. Please take care when browsing web sites; we hope you find what you are looking for!
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