
Where can I find free therapy in Birmingham?
If you’re looking for free counselling or therapy in Birmingham at the point of delivery, you can contact several services.
Free counselling at the point of delivery means you don’t have to pay anything to start receiving therapy. They’ll often receive funding from other sources, allowing them to offer free therapy.
The quality of free therapy is just as good as private therapy. Many skilled therapists are working across the free and private sectors. The biggest difference will be the time you have to wait.
Free therapy services are often very popular, which means they may be unable to offer you counselling immediately. Depending on the service and public demand, you may have to wait several weeks or months. Unfortunately, some services have waiting lists of up to two years due to limited resources.
Do they always have waiting lists?
Waiting times fluctuate, and it’s always worth calling them to find out. Fewer people can afford therapy, so there aren’t usually any waiting times. Some private therapists work alone and may stop taking on new clients temporarily. However, other private therapists work in small practices where it’s easier to offer ongoing therapy appointments without you needing to wait.
If you’re looking for fast access and can afford £200-£400 per month for your sessions, get in touch.
If that’s outside your budget now, here is a list of free therapy and counselling services in Birmingham (last updated in June 2023).
Birmingham services offering free counselling
- Mind Birmingham: They offer a range of support options, including counselling services, to help people manage their mental health.
- NHS Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust: They provide mental health services for people in Birmingham and Solihull. You can access these services through a referral from your GP.
- Birmingham LGBT Centre: They provide free counselling services for people identifying as LGBTQ+.
- Birmingham Healthy Minds: An NHS service, often accessible through GP referral, for people experiencing depression and anxiety.
- Birmingham Counselling Services: They offer a free initial consultation and sliding scale fees based on income. They also have some fully funded spaces available.
- Relate Birmingham: They are known for relationship counselling but also offer other services. Some options may be free, while others are on a sliding scale.
- Cruse Bereavement Care Birmingham: This organization specializes in support for those dealing with grief and loss.
- The Kaleidoscope Plus Group provides a wide range of mental health and well-being services and may have free options.
- Forward Thinking Birmingham: Offers mental health services for people under 25. They provide a range of services, including counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy.
- Aquarius: This organization provides free advice and treatment to people with alcohol, drugs and gambling problems.
It’s also worth noting that many universities, colleges, and some employers provide free counselling services to their students or employees, so it’s worth checking if this applies to you.
If you’re in crisis, there are also hotlines available, like Samaritans, who can provide immediate support.
Interested in Self-Help?
If you’re unsure about starting therapy and wondering whether you can benefit from self-help, check out our free email course here.
Please remember that while free resources are a great start, they may not be able to provide long-term or specialized care. Don’t hesitate to reach out to a healthcare professional if you’re struggling with your mental health.

Want to know more?
Our FREE Booklet will tell you almost everything you wanted to know about therapy.