How can Openforwards help?

Who are we?

With years of experience in psychotherapy, our team has successfully helped clients overcome their challenges and achieve emotional well-being.  We’ve had the privilege of helping 1000s of people suffering from constant stress, burnout, anxiety, OCD, depression, and PTSD recover when they’d lost all hope. We’ve supported people through grief, loss of health and relationship breakdown when they didn’t know which way to turn.

We could help you too.

We know that managing mental health can be overwhelming at any age, and we are here to provide the support, care and strategies you need.

Founded by Jim Lucas in 2016, Openforwards provides therapy in Birmingham, UK. We’ve won awards for being the best cognitive behavioural therapy provider in the West Midlands and for digital mental health care innovations. Jim has spoken on BBC radio, offering advice about mental health, and was featured on the TV programme Twinstitute with Dr Chris and Xand Van Tulleken.

98% of our clients would recommend our services to their loved ones.*

*based on results from feedback questionnaires at the end of therapy.

Therapy with us in a nutshell

• Fees: £105 per session.
• Starting frequency: weekly or fortnightly to begin.
• Location: Birmingham city centre and online.
• Do I need to pick a therapy type first? No – we’ll advise you and together, we can decide.

How therapy works

Book a Consultation

We listen to your concerns and discuss the issues affecting you or your family so we can start mapping the patterns that keep you stuck.

Personalised Therapy

We create a customised plan based on your unique needs, whether you’re dealing with anxiety, stress, or life transitions.

Create Change

Through therapy, you will develop the tools and strategies to navigate life’s challenges with more calm, courage and wisdom.

Why choose our counselling and therapy service?

At Openforwards, we understand the impact of anxiety, self-doubt and loneliness. That’s why we want to help you become more emotionally resourceful.  To do that, you need the tools to create calm, the communication skills to connect and clarity about what you want from life.  The problem is that anxieties about your health, career, and relationships can make you feel overwhelmed, uncertain, and confused. 

Everyone deserves the opportunity to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives.  We recognise that life is often challenging, and managing your mental health effectively is fraught with difficulties.  This is why our therapists, counsellors and psychologists will fully equip you to reach your goals. 

Our team of psychotherapists use a range of evidence-based therapies so you can move forward. We focus on what you want to change and the skills and supports that make change more likely.

That might include:

• learning how to respond differently to thoughts and feelings
• experimenting with new behaviours between sessions
• building self-compassion so you can pay attention to what really matters
• making values-based choices (even with discomfort present)

What happens during therapy?

Types of therapy we offer (and how you choose)

We offer a range of evidence-based approaches, including:

ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy)

Helpful for: overthinking, anxiety, self-criticism, feeling stuck, and building a life guided by values rather than fear.
Focus: learning to be present and open to your experiences so you can commit to leading a life you want.

CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)

Helpful for: anxiety, low mood, panic, OCD-type cycles, unhelpful habits.
Focus: understanding the links between thoughts, feelings, behaviours – and trying out new routines.

Compassion-focused approaches (CFT-informed)

Helpful for: shame, harsh inner-critics, self-worth struggles.
Focus: building a kinder, wiser and warmer internal tone to softer the impact of a busy mind.

EMDR (where appropriate)

Helpful for: trauma memories that still feel “present”.
Focus: processing distressing memories safely and effectively.

Systemic / relational approaches

Helpful for: relationship patterns, family dynamics, communication problems.
Focus: understanding the patterns between people, rather than pinning blame on one person.

Important: you don’t need to choose a therapy-type before you start. We’ll help you figure that out and agree an approach that fits you.

Common reasons people come to therapy

You don’t need a psychiatric diagnosis to benefit from therapy. People often come because they want to:

• feel calmer and less overwhelmed
• get a grip on anxiety, panic, OCD-type cycles, or persistent low mood
• process grief or difficult memories
• build confidence, self-esteem, and assertiveness
• work with shame, perfectionism, loneliness, or phobias
• understand themselves better (including neurodiversity-related questions)

If you’re not sure your issue “counts”, that’s very common. If it matters to you, it’s worth exploring.

“But… I’m not sure I need therapy.”

Here are some common thoughts and doubts people have about starting therapy.

“My problems will get better in time.”

Sometimes they do. And sometimes “time” just means you lose the best years of your life.

“Sometimes I feel OK.”

That’s a good sign; it means you already have moments of steadiness. Therapy can help you build more of them.

“Other people have it worse.”

True. And your pain still matters. Comparison rarely heals anyone.

“Won’t talking make it worse?”

Therapy can feel unsettling, at first. We go at your pace, and you learn to carry your thoughts and feelings with more skill.

“What if therapy doesn’t work for me?”

A good therapist will review progress with you, adapt the approach, and be honest if another kind of support is needed. Therapy is collaborative, not something “done to you”. It does require work and we’ll help you practice what’s needed to make progress.

Therapy helps – and it can’t solve every problem

Therapy can be life-changing, but it can’t fix everything on its own. Some challenges may need practical or specialist support too, such as:

• Financial / Debt Advice.
• Housing Support.
• Mental Health Crisis.
• NHS Urgent Help.
• Parenting Classes.
• Leaving an abusive or unsupportive home or work environment.
• Medical Treatment.
• Legal guidance.
• Immigration services.
• Educational Needs.

You can do therapy alongside seeking other resolutions. In some circumstances, you may need to resolve these problems before you start private therapy. 

Looking for free or NHS support in Birmingham?

We don’t receive government funding and don’t offer free therapy. If you need free-at-point-of-delivery support, here are some local options from our previous resource list: