Signs you might need therapy
You do not have to be in crisis to justify a session. You also do not need therapy for every difficult month. Here is a straight way to tell the difference.
Reasonable reasons to book
The rule of thumb is function and duration. If something has persisted for weeks and is affecting sleep, work, or the people you live with, and your usual coping is not touching it, that is a reasonable point to get help.
- Sleep disrupted for more than a few weeks
- Avoiding places, people or tasks you used to manage
- The same argument or pattern repeating everywhere
- Drinking, scrolling or working to avoid feeling
When therapy is not the right first step
Sometimes what is needed is sleep, medical investigation, a financial adviser, a solicitor, or leaving a situation that is genuinely harmful. Therapy applied to a practical problem can quietly delay the actual solution.
If you are in crisis
If you are at immediate risk, contact your GP, NHS 111, or the Samaritans on 116 123 — free, day or night. Private therapy is not a crisis service and does not offer between-session emergency cover.
Common questions
Is my problem too small?+
Almost certainly not. Focused work on a small, specific problem is often the most satisfying to do.
What if I cannot explain what is wrong?+
That is a common and entirely workable starting point — describing the effects is enough.
Can therapy help if nothing bad has happened?+
Yes. Patterns can be difficult without a dramatic origin story.
One conversation to decide
Free fifteen minutes, including an honest 'not yet' if that is the answer.