Psychotherapy is available in some areas of the NHS by referral from your GP. However, there are often long waiting lists to see psychotherapists, so you may also wish to consider seeing a private therapist.
In 2010 the government announced plans to make psychological therapies more widely available on the NHS. This is because they have been recognised internationally as effective treatments for common mental health conditions.
Mental health workers and psychotherapists already work in some GP surgeries. If there is not one available in your surgery, your GP may be able to refer you to a:
- community mental health team (CMHT), which will decide what treatment is needed and refer you on to someone in their team or a specialist psychotherapy service
- specialist psychotherapy service, which will carry out an assessment to find out what treatment is needed and refer you to one of its team of psychotherapists
- consultant psychiatrist in psychotherapy, who will be trained and experienced in a wide variety of methods and can help work out which treatment is needed
If you are already seeing a psychiatrist or a local mental health team, they may be able to help you get psychological therapy as part of your treatment.
Alternatively, you may be able to refer yourself through your local NHS trust if they offer psychotherapy services as part of their local mental health services.
You can use the services directory to find your local NHS trust.
Private psychotherapy
You can also arrange to see a private psychotherapist or psychoanalyst. However, psychotherapy is currently an unregulated profession, so if you choose to see a private therapist, make sure that they are fully qualified and have received their training through a recognised professional organisation such as the:
Your GP may also be able to recommend a qualified psychotherapist who can offer a treatment with evidence that shows it can treat the disorder from which you are suffering. It is important to be aware that different therapies may be recommended for different disorders.
Self-help
If you have a problem, such as mild anxiety or depression, which you feel you may be able to improve without professional treatment, there are many self-help books available. These are mainly based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). For information on the range of books and websites available for self-help you may wish to consider the websites of charities involved in your condition.
There are also two software programs that are recommended by the Department of Health that you can access on the internet and may be useful if you are considering self-help. They are:
• Beating the Blues - for mild and moderate depression
• FearFighter - for panic disorder and phobia
