Last updated Apr 17, 2021 by 
Dr. Sheri Jacobson
Therapists in London
A warm welcome from our founder Dr Sheri Jacobson. We are a team of highly experienced psychotherapists, clinical and counselling psychologists and psychiatrists in central London.
Established in 2006, and well-known as London's premium therapy providers, our exceptional practitioners specialise in short and long-term counselling, psychotherapy and cognitive behavioural therapy for a range of issues, from day-to-day worries to complex psychological conditions.
Our therapy rooms are in Harley Street - the world-renowned centre of medical excellence. We have additional clinics in London Bridge, and the City of London. We also run Harley Therapy Platform with therapists practising from their own rooms UK-wide.
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NHS
The NHS (National Health Service) is the UK's government run medical service. Their website is written and reviewed by medical experts.
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The UK Council for Psychotherapy
The UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) is the UK’s leading organisation for psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors. It regulates and registers trained and trainee counsellors.
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The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy
The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) is an association for UK-based counselling professionals. It supports practitioners, enabling them to provide a better service.
https://www.bacp.co.uk/about-us/about-bacp/
https://www.professionalstandards.org.uk/what-we-do/accredited-registers/find-a-register/detail/british-association-for-counselling-psychotherapy
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The BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is the UK’s national radio and TV broadcaster. It’s the world’s largest, with 35,402 staff and 28 operating languages.
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MIND
Mind is a mental health charity covering England and Wales. It offers support to people with mental health problems and lobbies local and national governments.
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Turning Point
Turning Point is a UK charity and social enterprise which works in the mental health, learning disabilities, substance abuse, criminal justice and employment areas.
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The Mental Health Foundation
The Mental Health Foundation is a UK charity which helps people to understand, protect and improve their mental health.
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Young Minds
Young Minds is a UK charity which works to improve the mental health of children and young people by providing appropriate support and resources.
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Wikipedia
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What you get at Harley Therapy
Therapists have a minimum of 7 years experience, are accredited and insured to practice privately.
Therapists have met rigorous selection criteria and are vetted to ensure you receive the best support.
Not satisfied with your first consultation? Try a meeting with another therapist free of charge.
Quality Standards
The hand-selected practitioners are considered to be the best therapists in the country. They have trained in the UK’s most respected counselling institutions with years of experience in the NHS, private and charitable sectors in and around London. They are registered with:
Meet the Therapists available in London
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How it works
Call us on 0345 474 1724 (or you can book online) and tell us what you are having difficulty with.
We offer availability with highly experienced therapists suited to your needs and book the appointment for you.
Meet the practitioner and begin the road to self-improvement. Have any concerns? Let us know so we can assist.
Pick therapist in London by:
Definitions
What is Counselling and Psychotherapy?
The different terms seem confusing, but they all refer to the process of meeting with a trained professional to help you manage personal issues. We will connect you with the right expert who is most suited to help.
What is counselling?
Counselling is an umbrella term for talking therapies, where you are provided with a safe and supportive environment to share what is troubling you and are listened to in a way that helps you understand yourself better. The aim of counselling is to help you find more effective and satisfying ways of living your life.
Counselling is not like talking to a friend. It is far more effective, not usually offering advice but instead giving you a fresh perspective, helping you find your own understanding of what you are dealing with, and teaching you coping strategies. And it's often easier to talk to a professional than a friend or family member as your counsellor is not personally involved in your situation, can offer impartial empathy and compassion, and will not take what you say personally.
Counselling at Harley Therapy™, London
We pride ourselves on helping all our clients move towards emotional wellbeing.
Call us now to see how we can help, or register your interest via our online booking form.
The main forms of counselling include:
- Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
- Humanistic / Person-centred therapy
- Integrative counselling (a blend of approaches)
Who can benefit from counselling?
Anyone who is willing to accept help to look at themselves and their issues honestly and attentively can benefit from counselling.
You may go to counselling because you are distressed and seeking help with a specific problem. But you do not have to be in crisis to attend counselling sessions. Counselling is also very useful to simply gain greater confidence and move forward with your life more effectively.
Of course you must be willing to put in time and commitment when you attend counselling sessions, and understand that although it can be very rewarding, change is not always easy.
What issues are suited to counselling?
Counselling can help you deal with any of a wide spectrum of issues, from day-to-day worries and stresses, to distressing and traumatic events such as the loss of a loved one or a relationship breakdown, to long term psychological challenges like depression and anxiety or past trauma.
And counselling isn't just for your private life but can also help you with your career, including dealing with workplace stress, being more confident, finding better work-life balance, and making better decisions.
Your counsellor
The relationship between you and your counsellor is one of the most important factors in the effectiveness of your counselling sessions. The aim is to build a relationship based on trust with your counsellor, and feel able to confide in them your feelings and emotions.
A qualified counsellor is trained to listen with empathy and openness to all you have to share, and all of the counsellors at Harley Therapy™ have a minimum of five years professional experience supporting clients with the problems they are facing. They are not there to in any way judge you or force you to take a particular course of action. Instead, they help you develop a better understanding of yourself and others so that you can make positive choices for yourself.
In the UK, there are two types of therapists who can offer counselling services:
Counsellor: A counsellor has specific training in counselling theory and skills (a three or four-year program in the UK) as well as clinical experience of face-to-face counselling. Counsellors typically conduct short and medium-term work with clients.
Counselling or Clinical Psychologist: A counselling psychologist has similar training to a counsellor or psychotherapist, but additionally will hold a degree in psychology, giving them scientific knowledge of the human mind and behaviour. The term 'counselling psychologist' is a legally-protected term in the UK, and in order to practice as such the therapist needs to be registered with Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
What does counselling look like in practice?
At the first meeting your counsellor may explain factors like the length of the session (50 minutes), the reasons for the need to commit to weekly sessions (it provides you and the therapist with a contained space in which to work consistently) and the cancellation policy. It's important to be on time for your counselling sessions, because they will still end at the agreed on time even if you are late.
During a session you are likely to be encouraged to explore the problems you are facing and express your resulting emotions and thoughts. It is not like idle small talk, nor is it like being interviewed with questions. Your counsellor places his or her full attention on you, asks relevant things about what you share, makes sure that they have understood what you said, and allows silences for you to reflect.
There is no 'typical' therapy session, or standard way of working. Some therapists (particularly CBT counsellors) set an agenda for each session and will review progress with you at regular intervals, so that you can identify and acknowledge your progress. They may also give you homework to do or things to think about outside of therapy, so that your progress continues between sessions.
Counselling is a very personal process and it is important to acknowledge that there will be times during your therapy where it is necessary to talk about uncomfortable and painful things. Whatever you say in the counselling session is, however, confidential (subject to legal and ethical exceptions, and the fact that a therapist will have a supervisor monitoring them) and counsellors will offer guidance and support to help you through this process.
You may be offered counselling as a single session or as a short-term course of sessions over a period of weeks or months.
As for where and how the session is carried out, counselling can come in different formats, including:
- Individual counselling (face-to-face)
- Couples counselling
- Telephone counselling
- Email / internet / online counselling
- Group counselling
What results can you expect from counselling sessions?
Each person has their own unique experience of counselling, and your results will to an extent depend on you – what you want to achieve from the experience, and the commitment you make to the counselling process.
In general, results include, but are not limited to, a greater understanding of self and others, a clearer perspective on your life, clarity on what you would like your future to look like and how to move towards this, an understanding of what makes you happy and how to make positive choices, and a better ability to handle stress and anxiety.
Further reading on counselling
What is psychotherapy?
The term 'psychotherapy' is used to describe a range of talking therapies. You share what is worrying you, and are listened to in a way that helps you understand yourself and your situation better.
The aim of psychotherapy is to help you deal more effectively with your past and present challenges and make decisions for your future that enhance your wellbeing. Therapy sessions can be done as an individual, a couple, or as a family or group.
Type of psychotherapy include:
Integrative psychotherapy (a blend of approaches)
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
Psychodynamic psychotherapy
Existential psychotherapy
Schema therapy
Is psychotherapy the same as counselling?
The terms are used interchangeably in the UK, and a person with a psychotherapy certification may, for example, call themselves a counsellor. Although it can be said that psychotherapy is the more likely of the two to be long-term and in-depth, the real difference is simply your therapist's chosen training. For more information read our article on psychotherapy vs counselling.
Who can benefit from psychotherapy?
You do not have to be having a crisis to benefit from psychotherapy. Anyone who wants to understand themselves and their life will take value attending sessions.
Psychotherapy is not, however, a quick fix. So to benefit from therapy you must be committed to yourself and the process.
What issues can psychotherapy deal with?
Psychotherapy is useful for any life challenge or issue, including relationships, family problems, work issues, addictions, and just feeling overwhelmed with depression or anxiety.
If you are are interested in seeing what psychotherapy treatments have proven effective for certain issues, you can read our information about evidenced-based guidelines.
Your psychotherapist
Being able to trust and get along with your therapist is now proven to predict the effectiveness of your therapy. All of the psychotherapists at Harley Therapy™ have a minimum of five years professional experience compassionately supporting clients. We are committed to creating the highest standard of therapy available.
What happens in a psychotherapy session?
Sessions are generally held at the same time and place each week and last around 50 minutes. Your psychotherapist will give you their full attention and encourage you to talk about and explore your feelings and thoughts about yourself, your relationships, your past, and what you are presently finding challenging in life.
Your therapist will not judge you or tell you what to do, but will simply work to understand you and then ask useful questions that help you explore things further.
It's possible your sessions might also include useful techniques such as mindfulness or visualisation, depending on the type of therapy you choose.
Psychotherapy at Harley Therapy™, London
Our psychotherapists are hand-selected for their skill, compassion and expertise, and they consistently receive excellent feedback. You can call confidentially today to see how they can help you, or book online now for an assessment.
Further reading
- What is the difference between counselling and psychotherapy?
- The different types of therapists - which one is for you?
- When is the right time to seek therapy?
- What is integrative therapy?
- Psychodynamic therapy vs CBT - which one is for you?
- Online psychotherapy - is it right for you?
- Behind closed doors: what happens in therapy?
- How to find a good therapist? The needle in the haystack
- The most common reasons for having therapy
What does a psychologist do?
Counselling and clinical psychologists help you examine your emotional problems and explore the underlying issues that may be the cause. They then support you to make the necessary decisions to improve your personal wellbeing and deal with whatever is holding you back in life.
Trained in counselling skills but also holding degrees in psychology, counselling psychologists have a more scientific understanding of the human mind behaviour compared to a counsellor or psychotherapist. Unlike psychiatrists, though, counselling psychologists do not prescribe medication.
Psychologists at Harley Therapy use a range of proven therapeutic approaches including cognitive behavioural therapy, psychodynamic, humanistic, mindfulness and others, depending on what you both feel suits you best.
What can a psychologist help with?
Psychologists work across a diverse range of emotional health issues and significant life events including anxiety, stress, depression, relationshiops, work/career, self-esteem, anger, eating disorders, trauma, bereavement, phobias, addiction, OCD, sexual problems and self-development.
Talking therapy - the Harley Therapy™ approach
If you decide you could benefit from talking to one of the psychologists your process will begin with a general consultation. You can discuss your issues and background history with your therapist, establish the focus of your treatment, and decide with them how many sessions you would benefit from. You will then normally meet your therapist on a weekly basis.
The relationship between you and your psychologist is an important part of your therapy being effective. At Harley Therapy we are committed to creating a safe and supportive environment for you to talk about your issues.
Find out how a psychologist can help
Psychologists at Harley Therapy are specially selected for their expertise and their dedication to their clients. They are highly experienced in working with a wide spectrum of problems, so you don’t have to worry that they don't have experience with your particular issues.
Several of the psychologists are also registered with the major health insurance providers should you wish your treatment to be covered.
Don't struggle alone. Call us now or book online to make a confidential appointment with one of the counselling psychologists in the City of London, Harley Street, London Bridge or worldwide via SKYPE.
Further reading about psychology
A Psychiatrist is a medically-trained professional who offers diagnostic assessment and a treatment plan which may include medication and/or a referral for therapy.
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Saturday & Sunday 9am-5pm
Bank Holiday 10am-4pm
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Harley Therapy 14 hours, 10 minutes ago
London Psychotherapy and Counselling Practice
Are you looking for help that is expert, confidential and tailored to your needs? The practitioners at Harley Therapy are hand-picked and work independently offering therapy to individuals, couples, children, adolescents and families in our rooms and provide online therapy via SKYPE. Self-referrals are welcome, or you may be referred by your GP, psychiatrist or other health care provider.
The most common reasons for seeking help at our clinics are stress, anxiety, relationship problems, anger-management, depression and sexual issues, though the therapists work with a full spectrum of difficulties.
London Private Psychiatry Practice
Consultant Psychiatrists, Dr Humphries, Dr Mitchell, Dr Buttan, Dr Dimopoulos, Dr Sohani and Dr Fenton boast up to 30 years of medical experience and provide comprehensive assessments and full treatment plans.
To get started today, call us on 0345 474 1724 to see how we can help, or book online.
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MLA
Harley Therapy Ltd. “Counselling & Psychotherapy in London | Find a Therapist”. Harley Therapy, 17 Apr. 2021, https://www.harleytherapy.co.uk/. Accessed 18 Sep. 2021.
APA
Harley Therapy Ltd. (2021, April 17). Counselling & Psychotherapy in London | Find a Therapist. Retrieved from https://www.harleytherapy.co.uk/
CHICAGO
Harley Therapy Ltd. "Counselling & Psychotherapy in London | Find a Therapist." Last modified April 17, 2021. Accessed September 18, 2021. https://www.harleytherapy.co.uk/.