Therapy service
Individual Therapy
A private, weekly space that belongs entirely to you, with a therapist matched to what you're bringing.
50 min
Typical session length
Weekly
Usual frequency
6-20+
Typical course length, sessions
100% online
Delivered UK-wide by video
Understanding it
About Individual Therapy
Individual therapy is one-to-one work with a BACP, UKCP or HCPC-registered therapist, delivered online across the UK. Sessions are usually 50 minutes, typically weekly, and the approach is shaped around what you need, from short focused work on a specific problem to longer, deeper exploration of long-standing patterns.
Individual therapy is the most flexible therapy format available: one person, one therapist, no format to negotiate around a partner, a family or a group. Because of that, the work can move at exactly the pace and depth that suits you, whether that's a short piece of focused work on a single problem or an extended piece of exploratory work over months or years.
Most people come to individual therapy because something has stopped working. That might be a coping strategy that used to hold things together but no longer does, a relationship pattern that keeps repeating across different partners or friendships, or a low mood or anxiety that hasn't lifted despite trying to manage it alone. The first few sessions are usually spent mapping what's going on before agreeing, together, what kind of approach and pace fits.
Online individual therapy removes many of the practical barriers that stop people starting: travel time, waiting rooms, and the discomfort some people feel being seen entering a clinic. Sessions happen from wherever feels private and safe, at a time that fits around work or caring responsibilities, without losing the depth or seriousness of in-person work.
Because it's confidential and unshared with anyone else in your life, individual therapy is often where people first say things out loud that they've never said to another person. That privacy is not incidental to the process, it's frequently part of why it helps: there is no relationship to protect and no audience to manage, just a considered, professional response to what you bring.
How it shows up
You might recognise some of this
Nobody has all of it. Most people recognise a handful — and that's enough to start.
Best suited to
- Wanting a confidential space that's entirely your own
- A specific problem, such as anxiety, low mood or a difficult decision, you want to work through
- Longer-standing patterns you want to understand at depth
- Needing flexibility of pace, approach and length of work
- Wanting to process something you're not ready to discuss with people close to you
What sessions involve
- A weekly 50-minute session, usually at the same time each week
- An initial assessment to agree what you're working on and how
- A therapist matched to your concerns, style and budget
- Regular review of what's helping and what to adjust
- A private online video room, accessible from home or anywhere with a stable connection
What changes
- A named therapist relationship you can rely on week to week
- Language and understanding for what's been happening internally
- Concrete shifts in mood, coping or relationships, tracked over time
- A sense of being known and taken seriously, rather than managed
- Greater confidence handling situations that used to feel unmanageable
When this may not be the right fit
- If the primary difficulty sits between you and a partner, and both want to attend (couples counselling may fit better)
- If you're in an immediate crisis needing urgent same-day support (contact your GP, 111 or 999)
- If a child under 16 is the one who needs support directly (child therapy is usually more appropriate)
- If the whole family dynamic is what needs to change (family therapy addresses this more directly)
- If you're not ready to talk and want longer to decide, which is entirely reasonable
Signals
When this helps
- Anxiety and panic
- Low mood and depression
- Stress and burnout
- Self-esteem and identity
- Life transitions and grief
- Trauma and PTSD
The work
How therapy helps here
Matched with a therapist who fits your concerns, style and budget
Warm, structured or open, whichever suits you
Consistent weekly rhythm you can rely on
The evidence
What the research actually says
Plain-English summaries of the guidance our therapists work from.
One-to-one talking therapy is NICE-recommended
NICE guidelines recommend individual psychological therapy as a first-line treatment for depression, anxiety disorders, PTSD and many other common mental health difficulties, usually specifying an approach such as CBT suited to the presenting problem.
The relationship itself does real work
Large bodies of psychotherapy research consistently find that the quality of the therapeutic relationship, feeling understood, safe and not judged, predicts outcome as strongly as the specific technique a therapist uses.
Format matters less than fit
Comparative studies of different individual therapy approaches generally find similar outcomes for common problems like depression and anxiety, which is why matching you to a therapist whose style suits you matters more than the label on the approach.
Online delivery has a growing evidence base
Research comparing online and in-person individual therapy generally finds comparable outcomes for common mental health difficulties, provided the format itself suits the person and a stable, private connection is available.
What to expect
How a course of therapy usually unfolds
A guide, not a script — your therapist shapes this around you.
- 1
Free 15-minute intro call
A brief, no-obligation conversation to check fit before committing to paid sessions.
- 2
First session
An assessment conversation covering what's brought you, what you've tried, and what you'd like to be different.
- 3
Early sessions
Building trust and a shared understanding of what's driving the difficulty.
- 4
Middle phase
The main working phase, processing, practising or exploring, depending on the approach agreed.
- 5
Review and ending
Regular check-ins on progress, with a planned, collaborative ending that consolidates what's changed.
Worth saying
Common worries, honestly answered
“You need a diagnosis to start.”
Most people start individual therapy for a problem, a feeling or a pattern, not a diagnosis. A formulation often emerges through the work itself.
“It's just for a crisis.”
Individual therapy is equally used for steady, preventative work, and for personal development when nothing is technically 'wrong'.
“You have to talk about your childhood.”
Some approaches, like CBT, focus mostly on the present. Others go further back. You and your therapist agree the frame together.
Between sessions
Small things that genuinely help
None of these replace therapy — but they're a gentle place to begin today.
- Keep a short note of moods or triggers between sessions to bring along
- Notice what you want to say before the session starts, so it doesn't get lost
- Be honest with your therapist about what isn't working, it's part of the process
- Give new insights or homework a fair trial before judging them
- Protect your session time the way you would any other appointment
Related
Related support
FAQs
Frequently asked
Find the therapist who fits
Answer 10 short questions and we'll match you within 48 hours — no card needed to start.