A Broken System Cannot Hold Us All: Support Counsellors and Therapists Now
The Issue
The Hidden Crisis in Mental Health: Support Those Who Provide Care
As a trained counsellor, I know first-hand the emotional and financial strain of becoming and staying—one. I’ve lived it.
After investing everything into my training—time, money, and energy—I found myself burnt out and unable to afford therapy for myself. This is the reality for many of us in the counselling and psychotherapy profession: those trained to support others are often left without support themselves.
That’s why I’ve started this campaign.
In the context of the UK’s ongoing economic and political crisis, rising cost of living, and increasing demand for mental health support, this issue is no longer sustainable or acceptable. We are building a mental health workforce on foundations that are financially and emotionally unstable—and it is both practitioners and clients who are paying the price.
I am raising my voice for every trainee, qualified counsellor, and therapist who is quietly struggling under the weight of “the cost of caring.”
Why this matters now
1. Training is financially out of reach for many
Counselling training is becoming increasingly inaccessible. Between tuition fees (where applicable), unpaid placements, mandatory personal therapy, supervision costs, and ongoing expenses, many are forced into debt or exclusion.
This disproportionately affects people from working-class backgrounds and underrepresented communities—reducing diversity in a profession that urgently needs it.
2. Qualified therapists are still unsupported
The financial burden does not end at qualification.
Insurance, directory listings, supervision, CPD, and personal therapy costs continue long after training. Yet there is no structured financial support system or safety net to help therapists maintain their own wellbeing while sustaining their practice.
3. Burnout is widespread and escalating
Many counsellors are quietly reaching breaking point.
We are expected to hold space for others’ trauma while carrying our own emotional and financial strain with little to no support. This imbalance is not sustainable—and it increases the risk of burnout, withdrawal from the profession, and ultimately reduced quality of care for clients.
4. A profession without diversity cannot meet society’s needs
When only those who can afford it are able to enter and remain in the profession, we lose essential voices.
We urgently need more Black, neurodiverse, working-class, and male therapists whose lived experiences reflect the communities they serve. Without this, mental health services remain disconnected from the realities of many clients.
5. Clients are ultimately affected too
When the cost of training, maintaining practice, and surviving in the profession is so high, those costs are passed on.
This makes therapy less accessible to the very people who need it most—deepening inequality in access to mental health care at a time when demand is already at crisis level in the UK.
What we are calling for
1. Free or subsidised therapy for counsellors and therapists
Those who support mental health must also have access to mental health support. Ongoing therapy should be recognised as essential, not optional.
2. Paid placements and funded supervision during training
Trainees should not be expected to work for free while paying significant training costs. Fair compensation and support would improve wellbeing, retention, and professional standards.
3. More accessible and inclusive training pathways
We need reform that removes financial barriers and creates genuinely accessible routes into the profession—so counselling reflects the diversity of the society it serves.
A profession in crisis needs systemic change
If we want a strong, ethical, and sustainable mental health system in the UK, we must stop building it on unpaid labour, personal financial sacrifice, and emotional depletion.
Caring for counsellors and therapists means better care for everyone.
If you believe mental health matters, then it’s time to care for the carers.
Sign this petition. Share it. Help create a profession that is sustainable, inclusive, and accessible for all.
91
The Issue
The Hidden Crisis in Mental Health: Support Those Who Provide Care
As a trained counsellor, I know first-hand the emotional and financial strain of becoming and staying—one. I’ve lived it.
After investing everything into my training—time, money, and energy—I found myself burnt out and unable to afford therapy for myself. This is the reality for many of us in the counselling and psychotherapy profession: those trained to support others are often left without support themselves.
That’s why I’ve started this campaign.
In the context of the UK’s ongoing economic and political crisis, rising cost of living, and increasing demand for mental health support, this issue is no longer sustainable or acceptable. We are building a mental health workforce on foundations that are financially and emotionally unstable—and it is both practitioners and clients who are paying the price.
I am raising my voice for every trainee, qualified counsellor, and therapist who is quietly struggling under the weight of “the cost of caring.”
Why this matters now
1. Training is financially out of reach for many
Counselling training is becoming increasingly inaccessible. Between tuition fees (where applicable), unpaid placements, mandatory personal therapy, supervision costs, and ongoing expenses, many are forced into debt or exclusion.
This disproportionately affects people from working-class backgrounds and underrepresented communities—reducing diversity in a profession that urgently needs it.
2. Qualified therapists are still unsupported
The financial burden does not end at qualification.
Insurance, directory listings, supervision, CPD, and personal therapy costs continue long after training. Yet there is no structured financial support system or safety net to help therapists maintain their own wellbeing while sustaining their practice.
3. Burnout is widespread and escalating
Many counsellors are quietly reaching breaking point.
We are expected to hold space for others’ trauma while carrying our own emotional and financial strain with little to no support. This imbalance is not sustainable—and it increases the risk of burnout, withdrawal from the profession, and ultimately reduced quality of care for clients.
4. A profession without diversity cannot meet society’s needs
When only those who can afford it are able to enter and remain in the profession, we lose essential voices.
We urgently need more Black, neurodiverse, working-class, and male therapists whose lived experiences reflect the communities they serve. Without this, mental health services remain disconnected from the realities of many clients.
5. Clients are ultimately affected too
When the cost of training, maintaining practice, and surviving in the profession is so high, those costs are passed on.
This makes therapy less accessible to the very people who need it most—deepening inequality in access to mental health care at a time when demand is already at crisis level in the UK.
What we are calling for
1. Free or subsidised therapy for counsellors and therapists
Those who support mental health must also have access to mental health support. Ongoing therapy should be recognised as essential, not optional.
2. Paid placements and funded supervision during training
Trainees should not be expected to work for free while paying significant training costs. Fair compensation and support would improve wellbeing, retention, and professional standards.
3. More accessible and inclusive training pathways
We need reform that removes financial barriers and creates genuinely accessible routes into the profession—so counselling reflects the diversity of the society it serves.
A profession in crisis needs systemic change
If we want a strong, ethical, and sustainable mental health system in the UK, we must stop building it on unpaid labour, personal financial sacrifice, and emotional depletion.
Caring for counsellors and therapists means better care for everyone.
If you believe mental health matters, then it’s time to care for the carers.
Sign this petition. Share it. Help create a profession that is sustainable, inclusive, and accessible for all.
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on 19 May 2025