What NHS Talking Therapies is
NHS Talking Therapies (in England, once known as IAPT) is a free, confidential NHS service for common mental health difficulties — mainly anxiety and depression, but also stress, panic, phobias, OCD and trauma. You don’t need a diagnosis to use it.
- Most treatments are based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) — practical ways to ease unhelpful patterns in how you think and feel.
- Support comes in the way that suits you: in person, by video, over the phone, or as an online course.
- It also includes guided self-help and counselling depending on what you need.
You don’t have to be “bad enough”
You don’t need a diagnosis, and you don’t have to be in crisis to qualify. Reaching out early, when things first start to feel hard, is exactly when support works best.
How to refer yourself — no GP needed
In England you can go straight to your local NHS Talking Therapies service and refer yourself online — you don’t need your GP to do it for you:
- Search “find NHS talking therapies” on the NHS website (nhs.uk).
- Enter your postcode to find your local service.
- Follow the link to self-refer online — it takes a few minutes.
The service will then contact you, usually do a short assessment to work out the right support, and tell you how long you may wait. Your GP can also refer you if you’d prefer.
Not registered with a GP?
You usually need to be registered with a GP, but in some areas you can self-refer even if you’re not — check your local service’s page. If you need to register, it’s free and quick: see
register with a GP.
Who it’s for — and the wait
It’s open to most adults: you can use it if you’re 18 or over (16+ in some areas) and registered with a GP. It’s for anyone struggling with worry, stress, low mood or feeling overwhelmed — you don’t need a label for it.
And for most people it’s reasonably quick: the vast majority start treatment within 6 weeks of referring (recently around 88%). Waits vary by area, so your local service will give you a clearer picture once you’ve referred.
If you need help right now
This service isn’t for emergencies
NHS Talking Therapies is for ongoing support, not a crisis. If you’re in crisis, or worried you might harm yourself, get help now: call NHS 111 and choose the mental health option, contact your local NHS urgent mental health helpline, or in an emergency call 999. You can talk to Samaritans free, day or night, on 116 123, or text SHOUT to 85258.
Do this now
If you can wait for ongoing support, search “find NHS talking therapies”, enter your postcode and self-refer today — it’s free and takes minutes. If things feel urgent, use the crisis numbers above first.
For more support of every kind, see the UK helpline directory, and if tonight feels like too much, there’s a calmer place to start.