Trainee therapists and counsellors in the UK

In short: in the UK, a trainee therapist or counsellor is part-way through a counselling or psychotherapy course and sees clients under regular clinical supervision. Trainees are not yet on a professional register and often charge less. On Therapist Circle, a free UK directory, every trainee is marked Trainee and names a clinical supervisor who is on a professional register. We check their course enrolment and get their supervisor’s confirmation before they appear, and you see trainees on Find only if you tick “Include trainee therapists”.

What is a trainee therapist?

A trainee therapist is part-way through a counselling or psychotherapy training course. Most courses ask trainees to see clients as part of their training, under regular clinical supervision. Trainees often charge less than qualified practitioners, and some see clients for free or a small fee.

Trainees are not yet on a professional register. They have not finished their training, and they cannot describe themselves as registered or accredited until they have.

What does clinical supervision mean?

Every trainee on Therapist Circle names a clinical supervisor. This is a qualified, registered practitioner who meets the trainee regularly to talk through their client work (without sharing who you are), and helps them work safely and within their course rules. It is a normal part of training for every talking-therapy profession.

What does Therapist Circle check about trainees?

• We check that the trainee is currently enrolled on the course they name, with the training provider or from a letter from the provider.
• We check that their named clinical supervisor is on a professional register, and that the supervisor confirms, from their own email address, that they supervise this trainee.
• We ask the trainee to confirm the details again every six months, and remove the Trainee listing when their expected qualifying date has passed.
• We do not check clinical skill or quality, and we do not check identity documents. A listing is not an endorsement.

How to check a trainee's course yourself

1. Ask them for the name of their course and training provider (it is also on their profile).
2. Ask whether the course is accredited, for example a BACP-accredited course, a UKCP member organisation's training or an NCPS-accredited course, and look it up on that body's website.
3. Ask how often they see their supervisor, and what happens if they are unwell or away.
4. Ask about fees, how many sessions they can offer (some placements have limits) and what happens when their placement or course ends.

See also how to choose a therapist.

Is a trainee right for me?

Many people are helped by trainee therapists, especially for everyday worries, low mood, stress and relationship difficulties. If you are in crisis, have thoughts of ending your life, or have complex or severe difficulties, please speak to your GP or NHS 111 first, or choose a qualified practitioner on a professional register. You can also look at free and low-cost therapy and low-cost counselling with a supervised trainee.

Seeing trainees on Find

On Find a therapist, tick Include trainee therapists (often lower cost). Trainees are then listed after registered practitioners, each one marked Trainee, with the line: “Trainee therapist in training, working under clinical supervision. Not yet on a professional register.”

Are you a trainee?

This page is for people looking for a therapist. If you are training and want to list, everything you need is on our page for trainee therapists.

Therapist Circle is a directory, not a provider of therapy, and is not affiliated with the NHS. Questions or concerns: contact us.