Last updated: 19 March 2024
Next review: 19 March 2025
Talking to a professional
If you feel like you’re struggling to cope and you need to speak to a professional, some options are available.
Adult Early Help Service
If you’re experiencing situations that can affect your health and wellbeing (such as a bereavement, marriage break up, job loss or ill-health) causing issues like low mood, anxiety, unhealthy eating, lack of motivation and relationship conflict, the Adult Early Help Service could be for you.
Our Adult Early Help Link Workers can support you get your life back on track. Wanting things to be better and different is sometimes easier said than done; talking to a professional Link Worker can help you identify what you want to get out of life, which can enable you to achieve your goals.
Talking Therapies
If you want to try free talking therapy, ask your GP. They will know what's available locally and can help you decide which treatment is best for you.
Lots of GP surgeries provide counselling or therapy services on the NHS for common mental health problems like depression, anxiety or stress. If counselling or therapy isn't available at the surgery, your GP may refer you to a local psychological therapy service.
If you are not registered with a GP, you can use the registration portal to register.
You can also self-refer for counselling or therapy. This means you contact the psychological therapies service directly yourself. You may want to discuss it with your GP first.
You may need to wait a few weeks before your treatment starts.
Waltham Forest Talking Therapies
If your GP isn’t in Waltham Forest, you can find your local psychological therapies through the IAPT service.
Other Psychological therapies on the NHS
Other therapies your GP may offer is group therapy or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). CBT helps you to identify and stop negative thinking.
If self-help or group meetings don't help your anxiety, talk to your GP about whether a course of CBT would be helpful. This should be available on the NHS.
Other places that offer therapy
Some employers provide counselling for their employees and lots of colleges and universities offer free therapy to students who need it. Please check with your employers or visit your university/school website, in the first instance.
Some charities also offer cheap or free talking therapies or group support for specific topics. These include:
Paying for private therapy
If you can afford it, you can choose to pay for your therapy privately.
The cost of talking therapy varies and a one-hour session can cost between £50 and £100.
Your GP may be able to suggest a local private therapist, or you can find a therapist online.
It's essential to check that the therapist is listed on one of the registers of approved practitioners.
The following organisations have approved therapists:
- British Psychological Society: psychologists
- British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP): cognitive behavioural therapists
- Association for Family Therapy (AFT): family therapists
- British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP): counsellors and therapists
- British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC): psychoanalytic psychotherapists
- UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP): psychotherapists
- The Health and Care Professions Council: practitioner psychologists and art therapists
- Association for Cognitive Analytic Therapy: cognitive analytic practitioners and psychotherapists
It's a good idea to talk to several therapists before you decide which one is right for you.