CBT Therapists in the UK: How to Find an Accredited CBT Therapist
In short: CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) is a structured talking therapy that helps you change how you think and act in the present. On the NHS in England, you can refer yourself to NHS talking therapies. To see someone privately, search the CBT Register UK run by BABCP and AREBT. “CBT therapist” isn’t a protected title, so check the register.
This guide explains what CBT is, what it can help with, NHS and private routes, and how to check a CBT therapist is accredited. General information only, not personal advice.
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Please read. This is general information, not medical advice. We’re a directory: we don’t provide therapy and we don’t recommend or guarantee any practitioner. Details were checked on the NHS, BABCP (CBT Register UK) and Professional Standards Authority websites on 22 October 2026. If you need help urgently, see the box at the end of this page.
What CBT Is
The NHS describes cognitive behavioural therapy as a talking therapy that can help you manage problems by changing the way you think and behave. It focuses on current problems rather than the past, and you work with the therapist to break problems into smaller parts and practise new ways of responding, often with tasks between sessions. Read more on the NHS CBT page, or our comparison of CBT and person-centred therapy.
What CBT Can Help With
The NHS says CBT is recommended for depression and anxiety disorders, including obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and can help with other problems such as eating disorders and some physical health conditions. A course usually lasts between 5 and 15 sessions.
CBT on the NHS
In England, you can refer yourself to an NHS talking therapies service if you’re 18 or over (16 or 17 in some areas). You don’t need a diagnosis, and you can also ask your GP. A GP referral is needed for some conditions, such as eating disorders, bipolar disorder, personality disorders and psychosis. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, ask your GP. See finding NHS support.
Finding a Private CBT Therapist
The NHS says that if you want to see someone privately, you can find an accredited CBT therapist on the UK CBT register. The CBT Register UK is run jointly by the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) and AREBT, and BABCP says it is accredited by the Professional Standards Authority. It lists accredited cognitive behavioural psychotherapists and other roles such as psychological wellbeing practitioners.
Many practitioner psychologists, counsellors and psychotherapists also use CBT. Ask what CBT training they have, and check their own register.
How to Check a CBT Therapist
Anyone can say they offer CBT. To check, search the CBT Register UK for accredited CBT therapists, or the HCPC register for practitioner psychologists. Ask what their accreditation is and how they keep it up to date. See how to check a register.
Common Questions
How do I find an accredited CBT therapist?
Search the CBT Register UK, run jointly by the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) and AREBT. The NHS suggests it as the way to find an accredited CBT therapist privately. The register is accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
Can I get CBT on the NHS without seeing my GP?
In England, you can refer yourself to an NHS talking therapies service if you are 18 or over (16 or over in some areas). You can also ask your GP. A GP referral is needed for some conditions, such as eating disorders, bipolar disorder, personality disorders and psychosis.
How many CBT sessions will I need?
The NHS says a course of CBT usually lasts between 5 and 15 sessions, but it varies with the person and the difficulty.
Is “CBT therapist” a protected title?
No. Anyone can say they offer CBT. Accredited cognitive behavioural psychotherapists are on the CBT Register UK. Practitioner psychologists who use CBT are on the HCPC register.
What can CBT help with?
The NHS says CBT is recommended for depression and anxiety disorders, including OCD and PTSD, and can also help with other problems such as eating disorders and some physical health conditions.
Find a Practitioner Who Offers CBT
On Therapist Circle you can search for CBT and check each practitioner’s register on their profile.
Therapist Circle is new and still growing, so there may be few or none listed near you yet. If so, please use the professional body’s own finder above. It is often the quickest route.
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Please read. We’re a directory: we don’t provide therapy, give medical advice or diagnose, and we don’t recommend, endorse or guarantee any practitioner. Always check a practitioner’s registration yourself on the public register; any check we show was correct only on the day it was made.
Call 999 or go to A&E if life is at risk. For urgent help that is not an emergency, call NHS 111. To talk, ring Samaritans free on 116 123 (24 hours). To text, message SHOUT to 85258.
Sources: NHS: cognitive behavioural therapy · NHS: find a talking therapies service · CBT Register UK · PSA: check a practitioner. Not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the NHS, the Professional Standards Authority, BABCP or AREBT. Last reviewed 22 October 2026.
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