How to Choose a Therapist: A Complete UK Guide

Trying to find the right therapist might feel a bit like a maze, full of uncertainty and dead ends. It might be tempting to give up on therapy, especially if you have had a bad experience, but the right person can make all the difference. Whether you are seeking mental health treatment, neurodevelopmental support, or a combination of both, you need to know that your therapist is someone you can trust.

To help you make your decision, let’s walk together through different kinds of therapists, the ways they work, and how to choose a good therapist for your unique mental health needs.

What Is a Therapist?

A therapist is a mental health professional that supports you to move through life challenges, finding healthy ways to not only cope but also thrive in your life.

The term “therapist” is often used to refer either to a counsellor or a clinician specialist. A counsellor typically provides supportive listening for present-day life challenges (grief, for example). A clinician, on the other hand, is a highly qualified mental health or neurodevelopmental practitioner who provides a deeper level of support, getting to the root of and providing evidence-based solutions for more complex mental health issues or neurodevelopmental challenges.

Types of Therapists

Therapy can take many different forms, depending on the support that you require. They may work independently or as part of a department. Here at The Dawn Practice, our multidisciplinary service is made up of fully qualified clinicians with advanced training in a range of gold-standard therapeutic modalities. The main clinician types include:

Psychologists

In the UK, the title “psychologist” is not legally protected, meaning that, theoretically, any individual can refer to themselves as a psychologist. That being said, the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) does protect and regulate the following titles:

• Clinical psychologist
• Educational psychologist
• Practitioner psychologist
• Forensic psychologist
• Counselling psychologist
• Health psychologist
• Occupational psychologist
• Sport and exercise psychologist
• Registered psychologist

HCPC-registered psychologists can provide therapeutic modalities like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR), and compassion-focused therapy (CFT) to help with processing mental health challenges like depression and anxiety. They may also specialise in supporting neurodevelopmental differences like autism and ADHD.

Pyschiatrists

A consultant psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specialises in diagnosing and treating mental health conditions. Their training enables them to assess both the psychological and physical factors that may affect a person’s mental health. Psychiatrists can diagnose conditions, prescribe medication, arrange medical investigations, and develop treatment plans. Some may also incorporate psychological approaches, such as talking therapies, into their practice.

Occupational therapists

If you would like support to make your work, education, hobbies, or everyday activities more accessible, an occupational therapist can help. Occupational therapy is a practical, person-centred profession that helps people participate more fully in the activities that matter to them. This may involve understanding sensory processing differences, supporting motor coordination and organisational skills, adapting environments, recommending tools and strategies, or developing skills to improve independence and wellbeing in daily life.

Speech and language therapists (SLT)

Speech and language therapy helps people develop the communication skills they need to participate confidently in everyday life. Speech and language therapists support a wide range of needs, including speech, language, social communication, and interaction differences. They may work with individuals, families, schools, and workplaces to develop practical strategies that support communication, relationships, learning, and wellbeing. Speech and language therapists can also assess and support eating, drinking, and swallowing difficulties when required.

Signs of a Good Therapist

Regardless of what kind of therapist you are looking for, they should be qualified and experienced to support you with your specific concerns. Here are a few good signs that they are reputable:

Ethical practice

Most therapists follow ethical practice, but there are unfortunately exceptions where they have not received adequate training to provide appropriate support. Don’t worry – you can identify whether a therapist has received proper training by checking whether they are registered with the relevant professional body. For example, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), the British Psychological Society (BPS) or the HCPC. The HCPC’s ethical framework requires that therapists maintain confidentiality, clear communication, integrity, and professionalism in their practice.

Regulated By

Compassionate approach

With a compassionate therapist it is easier to feel comfortable sharing intimate details from your personal life without fear of judgement. It is normal to feel awkward or nervous when you begin therapy, but a kind and empathetic therapist will quickly put you at ease and help you feel safe to share your story.

“After reading the biographies on the clinicians within the Dawn Practice, I chose to go with Professor Craig Melville. From our very first session, Professor Melville’s compassion and attentiveness stood out. He created a space where I felt heard, understood and never judged.”

Mr A, Adult Client at The Dawn Practice

Person-centred collaboration

The right therapist will ensure that you and/or caregivers are at the centre of therapy sessions. The process should feel collaborative and give you a sense that you are in control of any decisions being made. Sessions should include regular check-ins to see how you are finding the process, allowing flexibility to change approaches if you feel that a particular modality isn’t a good fit for you.

How to Choose the Right Therapist for You

Starting therapy may feel overwhelming, but it is always worth seeking support when you need it. You deserve to feel listened to and receive support to help you not only survive but really thrive in your life. The following is a careful step-by-step to choosing a therapist you may wish to consider as you embark on your mental health journey.

1. Decide support route

If you are based in the UK, the first step is to consider whether you would prefer/are able to receive therapy via the NHS or to look into private mental health services. You can find out what therapeutic services are available by talking with your GP. Note that it may also be possible for the NHS to facilitate access to independent services in some cases. If you are able to self-fund or have access to alternative funding routes, a private mental health provider can reduce the wait and/or provide more specialist care.

2. Research mental health providers

Research qualified therapists and/or mental health clinics based on what you understand your needs to be and the therapeutic models you are interested in. Take Lorna, for instance – after considering several clinics, she sought out a combined neurodevelopmental assessment for her son at The Dawn Practice, where he then received a combined ADHD and autism diagnosis.

“Vicki was so kind, caring, and professional, and it was obvious that her knowledge of ASD/ADHD was second to none. Both the GP and school commented that the report was the best they had seen for this type of assessment.”

Vicki H., Client’s mother

3. Attend a screening session

Your first session will normally be a no-pressure initial assessment or screening session, where you can meet your potential therapist, share your story, and get a feel for whether their therapeutic approach is the right fit for you. These initial consultations will also help the clinician to get to know you and gather the information they need to create an ongoing plan, whether that means a fuller assessment or a series of therapeutic sessions tailored to your needs.

4. Pause to review

As you engage in a therapeutic healing process, it is best practice to pause to review how things are going. After all, sometimes a particular approach might be the right thing for a season, but not forever. An experienced clinician will help you work through this process, allow space for regular check-ins, and point you in the right direction if they believe a different kind of therapist might be more beneficial.

Multidisciplinary Therapeutic Support at The Dawn Practice

At The Dawn Practice, we provide a multidisciplinary therapeutic service, with access to some of the best mental health and neurodevelopmental clinicians in Scotland. As an NHS-trusted private mental health clinic, our clinicians are registered with professional bodies like HCPC and BPS and have a minimum of five years’ post-qualification experience. Whether you prefer an eclectic or structured approach, we can facilitate your needs, always ensuring that our practice is both inclusive and neuroaffirmative.

Reach out for support today and see if our therapists are a good personal fit for you.