ABOUT PSYCHOTHERAPY

We can help you find the
answers to your questions.

What is psychotherapy?


Anyone can benefit from psychotherapy. Talking to a trained professional can help you to explore your concerns, thoughts and feelings and improve your mental health.

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WHICH Type of therapy will suit me?


All psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors are equipped to support you with challenges, but they use a wide range of different approaches.

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How do I choose a therapist?

 

One of the most important aspects of psychotherapy is the relationship you form with your therapist. Here's how to find the right therapist for you.

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Blog Neuroscience and psychotherapy

Does neuroscience pose a threat to psychotheraputic practice?

Writer Grace Browne interviews Prof Oliver Turnbull, Peter Afford and Graham Music for our article. Discover how neuroscience challenges and enriches our understanding of therapeutic practices.

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Event Join our mailing list for our UKCP research conference

Join us for a transformative research event on Saturday 7 June 2025. 

Explore the theme 'Connecting with self, others and the environment in a complex world' at our one-day research event.

Discover groundbreaking insights and engage in meaningful discussions about the intersection of psychotherapy and connection. Don’t miss this chance to immerse yourself in cutting-edge research and collaborative exploration.

 

Standards and ethics

Our national register

logo of the Professional Standards Authority's accredited registers schemeWe hold a national register of psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors, to protect the public, and to provide public confidence in the profession we regulate. Only therapists who meet our exacting standards and training requirements can be on our register, which is accredited by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care.  Read our training and education standards

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Training Become a psychotherapist

Psychotherapists support people facing challenges in life, whether an emotional crisis such as grief or anxiety, job loss, relationship difficulties, addiction. Or it maybe a sense that something is not right. If you want a career that truly changes lives, psychotherapy could be for you.

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Policy and campaigns Access to psychotherapy

Even before COVID-19, the UK was in the grip of a mental health crisis. Rates of depression and anxiety are rising fast, while many people struggle to access quality care through the NHS due to long waiting times, uneven provision, and lack of choice.

Too many people with complex needs are stuck in the revolving door of therapy, needing to return to care again and again because it wasn’t good enough first time round. 

Our registers


Choosing a therapist who is UKCP-registered gives you reassurance about their training and qualifications. It means they have agreed to follow ethical codes and standards and to undertake ongoing training and development.

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Code of ethics


Our psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors sign up to rigorous ethical standards which help set the foundation for your relationship with them.

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How to make a complaint


Anyone can raise a concern or make a complaint about a therapist on our register. Dealing with these concerns and complaints is a core element of our service to the public.

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Join the leading organisation for psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors in the UK.

We connect and support UKCP members at every stage of their careers, from student to retirement. We also offer membership to organisations. Find out more and join us today.

11K INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS
10 COLLEGES
75 TRAINING, ACCREDITING & LISTING ORGANISATIONS

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