Harley Street is a world renowned area of medical excellence in London. But if you need Mental Health help, are Harley Street Psychotherapists really the best..?
At Dynamic You Therapy Clinics we’re rapidly becoming the UK’s leading group of Counsellors, Therapists and Psychologists and so we’re confident that we can spot good Therapy when we see it. There are several factors to think about if you’re considering using a Harley Street Psychotherapist.
Here are some of the areas which we reckon are most important:
Their Expertise
When you’re looking for a professional to help you get through a tough time in your life, or to conquer a Psychological issue then you need to be sure that they have the right skills, experience and expertise.
At the moment there are very few laws regulating Counsellors, Psychotherapists and CBT Therapists in the UK. This means that many people who are advertising private treatments may not actually have a rigorous training or experience. We’re always very surprised at how many clients visit us after they’ve had an unsuccessful course of Therapy, only to find that the Therapist they have been seeing has a very low level of (even basic) Mental Health training.
Sadly, many practitioners can use a well-known address like Harley Street to make themselves appear more credible, experienced or qualified. We’re certainly not saying that this is the case with all Psychotherapists on Harley Street, however, it is something to keep in mind when you’re looking at the professional backgrounds of a counsellor.
Remember many counsellors rent rooms in Harley Street by the hour – this doesn’t mean that their experience lives up to the name.
Their Accreditations
One way to get a better idea of a Harley Street Psychotherapist’s background is to look at what accreditations they have, or professional bodies they are registered with.
By law, clinicians such as Psychiatrists (Medical Doctors specialising in Mental Health) or Psychologists have to be registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) and Health and the Care Professions Council (HCPC) respectively.
For any other Harley Street Counsellors, we recommend you look for someone who is accredited with the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP). This type of accreditation requires rigorous training in the diagnosis and treatment of Psychological problems using evidence-based Psychological Therapies.
Some Counsellors and Therapists may hold accreditations with organisations such as the BACP and UKCP. At Dynamic You we do not recruit Therapists with these backgrounds because we do not believe the requirements to be suitable for the most effective treatment.
The Cost
If you’re looking to start a course of Psychological Therapy then it’s important to make sure that you’re able to complete the full treatment. By choosing to receive private Therapy you’ll need to think about whether you can afford to regularly attend appointments in order to get the benefits.
Many Harley Street Psychotherapists will have higher fees than professionals who are based in other areas of London. This is because the costs of clinic rooms in Harley Street is significantly higher than other areas.
For example at the time of writing this article the average cost of Harley Street Psychotherapy appointments are around £150.00 – £200.00. This is around 25-50% more expensive than the fees we charge in our London Clinic, which is also in Westminster.
Over an average course of Psychological Therapy (lasting 10 sessions) this could cost you around £1,000 more for exactly the same treatment with an equally qualified and experienced Clinician. Many Harley Street Psychotherapists also don’t offer treatment to people using Health Insurance policies (for example BUPA), because Health Insurers will not cover these significant prices of treatment.
Recommendations
One of the very best ways to make sure you’re seeing someone who is likely to be useful in helping you achieve results is by getting a recommendation.
Sometimes friends or family will have a recommendation of someone who has helped them beat a Psychological problem. Failing this, researching impartial reviews and testimonials from previous clients is always a great place to start. At Dynamic You we invite all of our clients to leave a review at the end of their Therapy with us. This helps to show others the results we’ve achieved in the work we do.
You can read our reviews on Google and on our Testimonials Page.
Wherever you choose to have Therapy, it’s important to make sure that you are seeing someone who genuinely has a professional background in Mental Health and not just an impressive address. Harley Street Psychotherapist fees can often be at a premium, given high clinic and property rental prices in the area, and so it’s likely that you could get an equally effective treatment for your money in another part of London.
Want To Speak To One Of Our Experts? Contact Us Now To Find Out More About Our London Clinic.