FIND THE COUNSELLOR WHO’S RIGHT FOR YOU

THE wait to see an NHS counsellor or cognitive behavioural specialist can be months, sometimes longer.

If you want to see someone privately, then ask your GP, advises psychiatrist Dr Cosmo Hallstrom. ‘Some GPs have a list of private counsellors in their area,’ he says.

But whoever you choose, you should make sure they are on a proper register for their field.

And don’t be afraid to look elsewhere if, after a few sessions, you don’t feel right or you feel you’re not working well together.

‘The chemistry has to be right as therapy is a two-way process,’ says Dr Hallstrom. ‘If they’re not right for you, tell them and they should either take a different approach or you should go elsewhere.’

Another option is the health charity MIND, which provides counselling schemes, although availability may vary around the country and the service may be means-tested.