Britain | Talk talk

Private therapy in Britain is booming and largely unregulated

Would tighter rules make sense?

JH40TK Chairs set up for Channel Therapy session, group therapy session, informal group sit in a circle and respond in turn — And how does that make you feel?Image: Alamy

Apr 13th 2023

IF A QUACK sets up shop in Britain, calls himself a doctor of medicine and is reported, he is likely to end up regretting it. “Doctor”, along with other professional health titles from “art therapist” to “hearing-aid dispenser”, is protected in law. Pretenders face unlimited fines. Yet “therapist” (including the “psycho-” sort) is not. Anyone can do a weekend counselling course—or not bother with one at all—and take paying patients.

This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “Talk talk”