Starting therapy: a guide for first-timers

If something has been affecting your sleep, work, relationships or enjoyment of life for more than a couple of weeks, or you keep coming back to the same worry, it is worth talking to someone. You do not need to be at breaking point.

For anxiety, depression and many other common problems, research and NHS services have found video therapy works well for most people. What matters most is the fit between you and the professional.

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who can diagnose and, where licensed, prescribe medication. A psychologist is trained in talking therapies and assessment and does not prescribe.

Many people feel a difference within six to twelve sessions for a focused problem such as panic or mild depression. Longer-standing difficulties can take more. You can review progress with your professional at any point.

Yes. On Therapy O'Clock you can filter professionals by language, including Urdu, Punjabi, Pashto, Saraiki and English, and mix languages in the same session if that is how you speak at home.

Not from us or your professional. Sessions are private, messages stay on the platform, and professionals keep what you say confidential except in rare safety situations explained at the start.

That happens and it is not a failure. You can book a different professional at any time; a good fit makes a real difference to how well therapy works.

Not for private online therapy. In the UK you can also refer yourself to NHS Talking Therapies in England, though waiting times vary.

Each professional on Therapy O'Clock sets their own fee for a 50-minute session, shown on their profile before you book. You pay per session, with no subscription.

A phone, tablet or computer with a camera, a steady internet connection and somewhere you will not be overheard. Headphones help if you share a home.

No. Most people come with everyday struggles: stress, low mood, family conflict, grief, worry or feeling stuck. Therapy is for anyone who wants support to think and feel better.