Online therapy and counselling services based in the UK

The cost of online therapy at Priory varies depending on lots of different factors. Our friendly team can provide more information on this, so don't hesitate to get in touch.

It’s important to understand that you don’t need to be at ‘rock bottom’ to receive support for your mental health. We’re also here for you if you would simply like to talk to a compassionate professional about things that are going on in your life. For example:

1. Have things been worrying or bothering you lately?
2. Do you feel like you may need to learn some coping techniques to deal with situations in your life?
3. Are you struggling to enjoy things like you used to?
4. Is there something that's happened in your past that you think is affecting you currently that you’d like to talk through?

Alternatively, it may be that you're new to therapy and would like to try online therapy as a starting point. Equally, you may have received mental health treatment in the past and would just like to consolidate the techniques you learned then.

Your online therapy will be delivered by one of our highly qualified Priory therapists. You can speak to our site teams to help identify a suitable therapist who can support with online therapy.

Online therapy provides effective treatment for a wide range of mental health conditions, including but not limited to:

• Depression
• Stress
• Anxiety
• Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Eating disorders
• Alcohol addiction
• Drug addiction

If you’ve started receiving online therapy with us, you’re able to change your therapist if you feel like this is something that’s right for you. However, we do ask that you go through a few steps when it comes to working with your therapist, before making a final decision.

Step one - learn about your therapist

Prior to starting online therapy with us, we would advise that you review your chosen therapist’s online profile on our website, and feel free to get in touch with any initial queries. We want you to feel happy and comfortable with your decision and encourage you to take your time with this to make sure you’ve selected a therapist that feels like the right fit for you.

Step two - understand that your first session will be a ‘getting to know you’ session

It’s important to recognise that your first therapy session will be an assessment session, where your therapist will explore your current mental state and the difficulties you’re facing. It’s a chance for you and your therapist to get to know each other a bit better and for you to feel comfortable around them. Therefore, you don’t need to be concerned if you haven’t started working through therapy techniques straightaway – this will come in time and will be even more effective because you’ve started building a therapeutic relationship with your therapist.

Talk to your therapist about your concerns

Before changing therapists, we would encourage you to share any concerns that you have with your current therapist. This means you’ll have the chance to work through these concerns together in your sessions before making any final decisions. This is important because sometimes the concerns or issues you’re experiencing are related to the emotional challenges you’re going through. Talking these through can be an effective part of your therapy, empowering you to move forwards with your current therapist in a positive way.

If, for whatever reason, you don’t feel able to talk to your therapist about your concerns, you can speak to a manager instead. They’ll be able to help you manage the situation in the best way. In order to be put in touch with a manager, you can get in touch with us using the details at the bottom of this page.

Your therapy, your choice

Ultimately, we do like to do what we can to minimise the need for patients to change therapists. We have your best interests at heart and through experience, we know that disruptions to therapy can be detrimental to your recovery and wellbeing. In addition, as outlined above, talking about your concerns with your therapist can actually lead to a better and more effective therapeutic relationship, empowering you to face your psychological issues and move forwards. Other times, it’s simply a case of ‘finding your feet’ in therapy and giving yourself and your therapist the chance to connect.

Having said that, you’re the one going through therapy and therefore, it’s completely your choice. If you’ve gone through the above steps and still feel that you would like to change therapist, this is absolutely something that we can accommodate – just get in touch with us. Although you don’t have to give a reason or participate in your next therapy session, we would ask that you let your therapist know that you’re planning to change therapist. This is courteous, best practice and something that we encourage.

There are a few instances where online therapy wouldn’t be suitable. These include:

1. If you’re under 18
2. If you’re classed as high risk or require emergency attention
3. If you need a consultant diagnosis
4. If you need to be prescribed medication
5. If you need detoxification before starting addiction treatment
6. If your condition is better suited to an inpatient (residential) programme

In you fall under these criteria, you would firstly need a separate assessment with a consultant psychiatrist.

Online therapy, also known as remote therapy, video therapy or digital therapy, essentially refers to therapy that's provided over the internet, via your mobile phone or tablet. The process of delivering the therapeutic treatment remains the same, except that you don’t need to go anywhere to attend a physical location in person.

The main difference with online therapy is that you speak to your therapist over a video or audio call, rather than in person. Otherwise, sessions are carried out in the same way as face-to-face appointments.

Our therapists can provide a whole range of evidence-based therapy techniques, which will be recommended for you based on the issues you’re facing. These include:

• CBT
• CBT for eating disorders (CBT-E)
• Trauma-focused CBT (TF-CBT)
• Mindfulness
• Person-centred therapy (PCT)
• Gestalt therapy
• Cognitive analytic therapy (CAT)
• Schema therapy

If you’re more comfortable with your camera off during online therapy, our specialists will be more than happy to conduct an audio-only appointment. You can also carry out your therapy over the telephone if you prefer.

Yes, your personal details and treatment information will be completely confidential to your therapist. All data we keep is stored in line with data protection requirements.

To get started with online therapy at Priory, you can book a private mental health assessment through our free online portal, Priory Together. This assessment helps us understand your needs and match you with the most appropriate support.

Alternatively, if you'd prefer to speak to someone first, you're welcome to give us a call or use our online chat function - we're here to help you take that first step in the way that suits you best.

To find out more, including how to register with Priory Together, please visit our private mental health assessments page.