Nearly every psychotherapy training in the UK, and a good number of counselling courses, asks you to be in your own therapy for as long as you are training. Finding someone who meets your course requirements, has a weekly slot, and charges a rate a trainee affords takes time you would rather give to the course.
The therapists on this page have told us they offer a concessionary rate to trainee counsellors and psychotherapists. All of them are verified, registered with a recognised professional body, and working independently. No platforms, no aggregators.
What your course is likely to ask for
Requirements differ by professional body and by institute, and counselling courses often ask for less than psychotherapy trainings, so your course handbook is the final word. As a guide:
- UKCP trainings generally follow the UKCP standard of 160 hours of personal therapy across the training, a minimum of 40 hours a year for four years, normally with a UKCP registered psychotherapist or equivalent.
- Psychoanalytic trainings at BPC member institutes ask for more. The Tavistock adult psychoanalytic psychotherapy training, for example, requires analysis at least three times weekly for the whole four years, with a BPC accredited psychoanalyst or psychoanalytic psychotherapist of at least five years standing.
- BACP sets no personal therapy requirement of its own. Individual BACP accredited courses often set one anyway, commonly a fixed number of hours with a qualified, registered therapist.
- Counselling psychology and clinical training routes vary widely. Some require personal therapy, some require personal development work of another kind.
Four things worth confirming before you book a first session:
- Which register your therapist has to hold, and whether an equivalent register is accepted.
- How long they have been qualified. Some courses ask for a minimum of three or five years post qualification.
- The minimum frequency, and whether your hours run by calendar year or by training year.
- Whether online sessions count towards your hours.
Therapists offering a trainee rate
Each profile below shows the therapist’s registering body, modality, location and session formats. Approach them directly through their profile and say at the outset which course you are on and what your handbook requires. Counselling students and psychotherapy trainees are both welcome.
Dyanne Rutland
I have 10 years experience in the field of mental well-being. An experienced counsellor who has worked extensively with male trauma. I…
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Piers Hadman
BACP registered integrative counsellor based in South West London. He practises from a distinctly neuro-affirmative stance, taking a…
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Tatjana Strbac
15+ experience supporting individuals and couples gain deeper understanding of their life stories and relationships. My approach is…
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Alexia Anghelakou
I am an integrative psychotherapist providing counselling and psychotherapy across a range of contexts in the private and public sectors…
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Beatrice Norville
You might be feeling overwhelmed in your relationships, stuck in the same patterns, or unsure how to move forward. Perhaps communication…
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Andrea Firth
I help people thrive under pressure, in work, sport, and life, drawing on over 20 years’ experience helping people to be their best.
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Atefeh Mehraein
I can help you work through anxiety and the depression that often accompanies it, OCD, relationship difficulties weighing on you…
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Anna Orzech
Anna works with individuals and couples on a wide range of difficulties: anxiety, low mood and depression, anger, grief, loss and…
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Charlotte Bevan
I am a qualified Psychotherapeutic Counsellor and registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (MBACP)…
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James Darby
I have 15+ years of experience working with a wide range of presenting issues (trauma, abandonment, attachment, depression, anxiety, grief…
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Áine Hayes
I have been working as a therapist for almost 30 years and have a background in mental health and in the charity sector, working with a…
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Steve Altman
I am a UKCP-accredited psychotherapist with a background in frontline mental health support, including work as a Samaritan, peer support…
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Ruth Hill
You don’t have to do this on your own. We can work together on your needs, rather than try to focus on a label. I offer flexible…
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Ania Dyczkowska
I am a UKCP Registered Psychotherapist with over a decade of experience providing psychotherapy for individuals and couples in Central…
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Gemma Thomas
I offer Integrative, person-centred therapy. I have a detailed awareness of the impact of grief, anxiety, anger and stress. This is…
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Siobhan Maguire-Swartz
Whatever your reasons for seeking therapy, I am here to listen and support you. I will focus on you with care, compassion, empathy and a…
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Ann Moorhouse
Is this it? If you’ve done everything “right” and still feel like something’s missing, you’re not alone, and…
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David Hargreaves
BACP Accredited integrative counsellor based in Penge, South East London. He holds a Diploma in Counselling with Distinction and his BACP…
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Sue Wilson
Experienced BACP-accredited integrative therapist supporting adults in-person, online and by telephone. I hold a BSc in Psychology &…
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Christina Argyropoulou
I support adults experiencing a wide range of challenges, including anxiety, depression, trauma, chronic illness, relationship…
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Katie Roper
I can support you with a range of difficulties including anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, stress, overwhelm, relationship issues…
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Dr Barry Lee
Specialising in ADHD, autism, LGBTQ+ identities, migration experiences, anxiety, depression, and emotional wellbeing, I provide affirming…
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Ashley Lowings
Counselling for anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, relationship difficulties, low self-confidence, anger, loneliness and bereavement are…
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David Bevins
Person-centred counsellor based in Walthamstow, East London, offering in-person and online sessions. He works from a warm, non-judgmental…
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Filiz Yilmaz
Living between cultures can be enriching, but it can also leave you feeling lost, disconnected or unsure where you belong. I am a BACP…
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Alex Vendittelli
You appear steady. You get things done. People rely on you. Yet inside it may feel very different. You might feel tense, anxious, or…
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Chavel Campbell
I’m an MNCPS Accredited integrative psychotherapist offering therapy for all across the UK. Many people come to therapy carrying a lot on…
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Morgane Le Cleuyou
I’m an integrative counsellor, which means I don’t work from a single fixed model — I draw on different approaches depending on…
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Jonathan Pollard
I am a fully qualified psychotherapist, having undertaken a five year MSc in Integrative Psychotherapy at the Metanoia Institute, London. I…
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Olivia Easter
Many of the people I work with come to therapy feeling exhausted from holding it all together. They might be living with anxiety or…
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Justin Pryce
I am a qualified integrative counsellor with experience supporting individuals facing a range of challenges, including anxiety, depression…
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Edoardo Zollo
A successful relationship is an incredible but continuously developing machine, and it requires constant work! If you want absolute…
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Roxanne Black
In my practice, I help clients unpick the internalised beliefs and habits that prevent them from living with integrity. My professional…
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Karis Hanson
Hello, I’m Karis, an integrative counsellor and psychotherapist. I work collaboratively with each client to tailor my approach to your…
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Jason Oddi
I am an experienced therapist with over 20 years of practice, supporting individuals and couples through complex emotional, relational, and…
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Katie Hailstone
I hold an MSc in Humanistic Psychotherapy from the Metanoia Institute, and have been seeing clients for psychotherapy sessions in a variety…
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Abbie Marillat
I’m a qualified Integrative counsellor & Coach, currently working with Camden Listening & Counselling Centre and have previous…
View profileWhat a trainee rate looks like
Private therapy in the UK sits at a median of £85 a session, based on fee data from over 400 registered therapists. Each therapist on this page sets their own concessionary rate and agrees it with you directly.
The reasoning behind a lower rate is straightforward. A counselling student or trainee psychotherapist commits to weekly sessions for the length of a course, often three or four years, at a time when most private clients stay for months. Therapists who offer a concessionary rate are trading fee for continuity, and many of them remember doing the same thing themselves.
Agree the rate in the first conversation, and ask two questions while you are there: whether the rate holds for the whole of your training, and how they handle breaks, missed sessions and the summer.
Choosing a therapist for your training therapy
- Modality. Several trainings require personal therapy consistent with the approach you are learning. A psychodynamic trainee usually needs a psychodynamic or psychoanalytic therapist.
- Independence from your course. Avoid anyone who teaches, supervises or assesses on your programme. Most institutes rule this out.
- Frequency and slot. If your course asks for twice or three times weekly, confirm availability before anything else. Those slots are the scarce ones.
- Records. Ask whether they are willing to confirm attendance or hours to your course at the end of each training year. Most are, and knowing early avoids a scramble.
- Format. In person, online, or a mix. Check your handbook first, as some courses cap the proportion of online hours.
- Fit. The working relationship still matters more than the paperwork. An initial session with two or three therapists before deciding is normal and no one takes offence.
Not sure who to approach
Tell us your course, your registering body, your area and how often you need to be seen. We will pass your enquiry to therapists on the list who match, and they will reply to you directly. Nothing is shared beyond the therapists we contact.
Where our therapists work
Most UK training institutes sit in London, so the list leans that way, and every therapist offering online sessions works with trainees anywhere in the UK.
Frequently asked questions
How many hours of personal therapy do I need?
Your course sets the number. UKCP psychotherapy trainings generally follow the UKCP standard of 160 hours across the training, with a minimum of 40 hours a year for four years. Psychoanalytic trainings at BPC member institutes ask for a set frequency instead, often three or more sessions a week for the length of the course. BACP sets no requirement centrally, so BACP accredited courses each set their own.
Does my therapist have to be registered with the same body as my course?
Often, though not always. UKCP trainings normally ask for a UKCP registered psychotherapist or equivalent. BPC trainings ask for a BPC accredited analyst or psychoanalytic psychotherapist, sometimes with a minimum number of years since qualifying. Check the wording in your handbook, and ask the therapist which register they hold before you start. Every profile on The Therapist Finder shows the therapist’s registering body, and we verify registration before a profile goes live.
How much is personal therapy for a trainee?
There is no set rate. Each therapist decides what they offer and agrees it with you directly. For context, the median private fee in the UK is £85 a session, so a concessionary rate sits below that. Ask when you first get in touch.
Do online sessions count towards my hours?
For most courses, yes, though some cap the proportion of hours completed online and some require the work to begin in person. Ask your course before you commit to an online arrangement, particularly if your therapist lives some distance away.
Will my therapist confirm my hours to the course?
Most therapists working with trainees are used to confirming attendance or the number of hours completed, usually once a training year. The content of your sessions stays confidential. Raise this at the start so both of you know what is expected.
My training requires three times weekly analysis. Will I find someone here?
Some therapists on this page work at that frequency and some do not. Filter by modality, look for psychoanalytic and psychodynamic practitioners, and state the frequency in your first message. If nobody on the list has the availability, send us an enquiry and we will ask more widely across the directory.
I am training on a BACP accredited counselling course. Do I need personal therapy at all?
BACP does not require it. A good number of BACP accredited courses do, with their own hours and their own conditions about who the therapist has to be. Your handbook or course lead will tell you.
Start looking
Browse the therapists above, or search the full directory by area, modality and session type. Every therapist on The Therapist Finder is qualified, registered and independent, and we check credentials before a profile goes live.
Are you a therapist who offers a trainee or concessionary rate? Join the directory and tell us, and we will add you to this page.