These letters refer to the main therapy accrediting organisations in the UK for therapists, counsellors, psychologists and hypnotherapists. In order to be registered to these organisations, therapists need to be qualified to a high standard, whilst also adhering to a professional code of ethics.
BACP – The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy is the largest and most recognised accrediting body across the UK.
UKCP – The UK Council for Psychotherapy is a professional body of clinical psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors.
HCPC – The Health and Care Professions Council are a UK-wide health regulator.
BPS – The British Psychological Society is a representative body for psychologists and psychology in the UK.
HGI – The Human Givens Institute is a membership organisation accredited in the UK by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA).
CNHC – The Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council is the voluntary regulator for complementary healthcare practitioners in the UK.
NCS – The National Counselling Society is a leading professional body representing hypnotherapists and counsellors.
BABCP – The British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies is a multi-disciplinary accrediting body for therapists involved in the practice and theory of behavioural and cognitive psychotherapy.
BPC – The British Psychoanalytic Council is a professional association and voluntary regulator of the psychoanalytic psychotherapy profession.
COSCA – Counselling and Psychotherapy in Scotland is a national, professional organisation representing counsellors and psychotherapists in Scotland.
ACC – The ACC is a Christian UK-wide counselling organisation holding an Accredited Register with the Professional Standards Authority.
All our therapists must be registered to at least one of following accredited bodies: BACP, UKCP, HCPC, BPS, HGI, CNHC, NCS, BABCP, BPC, COSCA and ACC.
What are the differences between a counsellor, a psychotherapist and a psychologist?
Take a look at the TimeWith guide describing some of the key differences between a counsellor, psychotherapist and a psychologist. to make sure you choose the right one for you.
The different types of therapy are broad-ranging and can feel like a maze when you’re first starting out. Most people find that they resonate with one approach more than another, in just the same way that we naturally ‘click’ with one person more than someone else.
For a clearer explanation of what each approach to therapy involves, head over to our types of therapy page.
We know how important privacy is when you make the decision to reach out. All messages sent through chat are fully encrypted so you can connect with therapists securely, in total confidence. You can also rest assured that we will never share your data with third parties.