Counselling, psychotherapy and CBT: what the words actually mean

People often use counselling to mean shorter, focused work that stays fairly close to what is happening now in your life. The emphasis tends to be on practical concerns, decision points and coping with specific situations.

Psychotherapy commonly suggests longer work that looks more at patterns, life history and recurring ways of relating. People who describe psychotherapy often talk about exploring the roots of difficulties as well as the immediate problems.

CBT, or cognitive behavioural therapy, is a method rather than a job title. It is a way of working that encourages looking at how thoughts, feelings and behaviours connect, and trying practical steps to change unhelpful patterns. Many counsellors and psychotherapists use parts of CBT without calling themselves "CBT therapists".

None of the three titles is protected in law on its own. That means the word on its own does not tell you about a persons training or which professional register they might belong to.

Because the terms are unprotected, the register or professional memberships someone lists on their profile usually matters more than the single word they use. It is normal and reasonable to look at that information before you book.

People commonly report that counselling sessions feel focused and problem-orientated. You might spend time on the immediate issue, on making sense of choices or on practical ways to manage a situation.

People say psychotherapy sessions can feel exploratory and sometimes slower. You may look at older experiences, recurring themes and the ways these affect present-day relationships and reactions.

When people have CBT-based sessions they often describe a clearer structure: an agenda, tasks or experiments between sessions, and an emphasis on noticing and testing thoughts and behaviours. That structure is a description, not a promise of outcome.

Listings on this site show what each counsellor states about themselves. The listing does not mean the directory verifies or endorses those claims.

Look for what the person says about their training and where they trained, whether they list particular approaches, what kind of work they do most often, and practical details like whether they offer online sessions, typical session length and how they arrange appointments.

If someone mentions being a member of a register, that is something anyone is entitled to check; it takes a minute and is a normal part of choosing a clinician. You can also note whether they state they use CBT techniques, or whether they describe their overall way of working as counselling or psychotherapy.

If you want a short call or an initial email, simple questions can help you decide. People often ask:

• How would you describe your main way of working?
• Do you use CBT techniques, and if so how do they fit with other approaches?
• What experience do you have with issues like mine?
• What practical arrangements do you offer for online sessions?
• Which professional registers or membership bodies do you belong to?

These questions are about fit and clarity. You are entitled to answers that feel straightforward and helpful to you.

If you want to read more about how different approaches work in practice, the site has a general page on therapy types at /therapy-types/ and a page that explains CBT at /therapy-types/cbt/.

If you feel overwhelmed or are in immediate danger, contact your local emergency services on 999. If you need to talk to someone right now, Samaritans are available on 116 123. If you are not in crisis but are unsure where to start, an initial conversation with a clinician can help you work out what kind of support you want and how you want to work.