Disclaimer: we have not been a client with any of the below therapists, so cannot comment on how disability affirming these therapists are. Do let us know if you don’t have a good experience.

Check Credentials:

Be aware that anyone in the UK can call themselves a ‘therapist’ or ‘counsellor’ because it is not a legally regulated term like ‘Doctor’ for example. We recommend checking someone has completed a minimum level 4 qualification that was a minimum of 450 hours, has completed some personal therapy and ask what their disability experience is. COVID-19: most therapists are now working online or by phone as well as in person, we suggest you check they have had training in delivering therapy remotely as this is different from in person support.

Are you a disability affirmative therapist?

UK-wide organisations

Neurodivergent Therapist Directory through the Association of Neurodivergent Therapists (ANDT)

FOR PARENTS & CARERS – Affinityhub.uk signposts to organisations and practitioners who provide emotional support to parents and families of disabled children. Many also provide support for those who are disabled. The website also includes words of wisdom from other parent carers. Jo Griffin, the counselling psychologist who runs Affinity Hub has recently published a book on wellbeing which you can find here.

FOR PARENTS & CARERS – Counselling Carers is run by psychotherapist Jenny Pillar who has personal experience of caring and you find out more about their services by going to https://counsellingcarers.org/

Although not therapy, Diversity and Ability offer support around Access To Work and Disabled Students Allowance

Working Solely Online

Online: Emma west is a disabled counsellor who has additional training for online work and works solely online with adults 18+ www.emmawestcounselling.co.uk

Online: Olga Chernyavska has many years’ experience of working with physically disabled people. She offers Holistic Counselling and Psychotherapy with a focus on mind-body interconnection for dedicated professionals struggling with anxiety and worries. Clients can choose to have weekly or intensive formats of therapy. Contact details: info@olga-therapy.com and https://olga-therapy.com/

Midlands

Belper, Derbyshire: Debra Newton: “I am a BACP accredited counsellor with 27 years experience working alongside disabled people. I also work with Employee Assistance Programme and NHS clients. I offer online/telephone counselling and supervision and a small number of face to face appointments. I have an additional qualification in person centred experiential counselling for Depression and have undertaken professional development training in Autism.” debracounselling@yahoo.co.uk.

Birmingham City Centre, Midlands: Louise Brookes is a disabled qualified integrative counsellor and in addition is in her final year of psychotherapy training. She is also trained in online working and offering online sessions. Louise works with individuals 18+. Her website is https://psychotherapylb.wixsite.com/lbpsychotherapy and email Psychotherapylb@gmail.com.

Birmingham, Midlands: Bev Wood is a disabled trained life coach. She works with individuals 18+. Find her on Twitter @BevLifeCoach

Birmingham, Midlands: Wendy Hooker is a psychotherapist and laughter coach and has a lot of experience working with disabled families. www.birmingham-therapy.co.uk/aboutme.html

Birmingham, Midlands: The Disability Recource Centre in Kitts Green offer a variety of services around employment, benefits, advocacy and wellbeing support. They have a time-limited counselling service for anxiety and depression www.disability.co.uk

Blackpool, Lancaster, Preston, Southport, Oswestry: Michelle Donald is disabled and a psychosexual&couple therapist with a specialism in spinal cord injury. She works with individuals and couples 18+ in person and online www.sexandthespine.com or michelledonaldpst@btinternet.com

South & East

Bath, South West: Grace Quantock is disabled and a qualified counsellor&psychotherapist with many years’ experience as a life coach. She works with individuals 18+ in person and online www.gracequantock.com

Belmont, South: Verity Green is a counsellor and has personal experience of disability. She works with individuals and couples 18+ and has a lot of experience with PTSD and trauma https://richmondbalance.co.uk

Berhamsted, East: Sarah Standish is a counsellor and has a lot of experience of working with disabled families. She works with individuals and couples 18+ https://www.findatherapy.org/counselling/sarah-standish-17092.html

Brighton & Hove, South East: Ruth Hazleton is a qualified individual, couple and psychosexual therapist. She has experience of illness and disability and is very willing to explore disability issues. https://www.hazelton.org.uk/

Cambridge, South East: Rebecca Sherwood is a disabled counsellor and works with individuals age 18+ in Cambridge and online. http://www.rebeccasherwood.moonfruit.com/about/4584581101

Cambridge & Online: Martyn Sibley is a disabled life coach and works with individuals 18+. www.martynsibley.com

Chesham, South East: Andri White is a disabled counsellor who also has experience of working with disabled families. She works with individuals and couples 18+. https://www.psychotherapybuckinghamshire.co.uk/

London: LAPIS is run by counselling psychologist Lisa Greenspan, they offer psychotherapy for disabled people.

Portsmouth, South East: Libby Webber is a disabled counsellor who has also completed additional training in disability. She works with individuals age 14+ in Portsmouth and online www.southseacounselling.co.uk

Oxford, South East: Jenny Pillar is a counsellor and psychotherapist with personal experience of disability, she works with individuals, couples, and children over 11. She can be contacted at jennypillar@outlook.com or 07309255133. She also runs Counselling Carers, a social enterprise that provides high quality counselling and psychotherapy to anyone with a caring role.

Suffolk and online: Alex South is a counsellor and has personal experience of life changing illness and living with disability. She works with individuals 18+ and has over twenty years’ experience working in a children’s hospice setting both as a nurse and lay chaplain. Currently working online only as in the process of renovating a full accessible counselling space for future face to face use. info@alexsouthcounselling.co.uk and www.alexsouthcounselling.co.uk

Dawlish & London, South West and East: Katie Sarra is a sex therapist with experience of working with disabled couples. www.katiesarra.com

London and south east: Marc Dubreuil is a counsellor with more than 8 years professional and personal experience of being disabled and life changing illness. He works with individuals 16+ face to face and online. https://www.marcdcounselling.com

South London: David Gladwell is a BACP accredited integrative/eclectic counsellor (that is, he adapts to the particular needs of each individual), specialising in clients who have had a traumatic injury such as an amputation or SCI. Zoom or face-to-face sessions. https://www.davidgladwell-counsellor.co.uk/disability.html

North

Newcastle, NE40, North East: Nicola Preece is a disabled counsellor who works with individuals 18+ and facilitates group sessions for Spokz People, you can reach her on npreece28@gmail.com. She is able to offer low-cost support at £30-40 per session.

Wilmslow, North West: Peter Bloch, trained in the Alexander technique, works a lot with disabled clients. www.peter-bloch.co.uk

Newcastle, North East: Helen Rutherford is a disabled counsellor who works with individuals 18+ and has a few other disabled therapists on her team www.emotionalrespite.co.uk

Lothian, Scotland: The Centre of Independent Living offers 1-2-1 and group peer support and phone counselling (do check this is still available) for 16+ www.lothiancil.org.uk

Leith, Scotland: Talk Time Scotland offers disabled 12-25 year olds counselling, also online. www.talktimescotland.co.uk

Clutching at straws?

The section below are people we have had contact with over the years, but haven’t had contact with recently. We’re mentioning them because if they are in your area it could be worth doing a search for them and/or if you manage to contact them they may be able to suggest someone else locally.

Yorkshire, York: Susan Simpson is a counsellor and her child is disabled susansimpson693@googlemail.com

Wales: Jan Matthews CBT counsellor focusses on stress. www.jmstressconsultant.co.uk

Nottingham: Lucy Rychwalska-Brown www.bodycapcability.com had disability experience.

Brighton&Hove: Larnie Meeking/Ball is a life coach with disability experience. www.bridgingthegapuk.co.uk

Stanmore: Helen Smith is a counselling psychologist with disability experience. helen@shrink.eclipse.co.uk

London & Stanmore: Carol Smyth is a psychologist with disability experience. carolsmyth6@gmail.com

ASSESSMENTS & DIAGNOSIS, Featured News, Mental Health & Wellbeing, THERAPY & PURPLE THERAPY

Directory Therapists UK-wide