The Counselling Foundation

What The Counselling Foundation does

The Counselling Foundation is a registered charity (No. 1014988) and private non-profit company (No. 02713806) established in 1974 and headquartered in St Albans, England. It operates a dual service model combining the delivery of professional counselling and psychotherapy with a structured training portfolio for aspiring and practising counsellors. Clinical services are delivered across five physical centres in St Albans, Bedford, Hertford, Luton, and Stevenage, supplemented by virtual/remote counselling appointments, and serve approximately 400 clients weekly through three primary channels: NHS Talking Therapies (IAPT) contracts, workplace and Employee Assistance Programme contracts, and self-funded or subsidised counselling. The training arm enrols approximately 200 individuals annually across a BACP-aligned curriculum spanning a 4-week Introduction, 10-week Certificate, a 3-year Diploma in Contemporary Psychodynamic Counselling, an Advanced Diploma in Contemporary Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, an Advanced Certificate in Clinical Skills, a Diploma in Clinical Supervision, and a Body Awareness course, plus ongoing CPD events.

The organisation's methodology is built on psychodynamic counselling and psychotherapy, with the curriculum explicitly mapped to the BACP SCoPEd competency framework (Columns A, B, and C) to support individual BACP registration. Both the Diploma training course and the Counselling and Therapy Services are BACP-accredited, and the Foundation is an organisational member of BACP, with all staff, volunteers, and trainees in training accountable to BACP's ethical framework. The technology layer is conventional: standard video platforms for virtual counselling and distance learning delivery, no proprietary platform architecture, and Cyber Essentials certification as the principal security credential. Leadership comprises Co-CEOs Jo (Clinical Director, trained at the Foundation) and Stephen Anstee (Finance and Operations), a Training Director, clinical managers across all five centres, programme leads, and a Board chaired by a former KPMG Lead Vice Chairman.

Revenue is generated through four streams: counselling service fees (from NHS referrals, EAP contracts, and self-funded clients), training course tuition, NHS Talking Therapies contracts, and workplace counselling contracts, supplemented by donations and fundraising (JustGiving, Easyfundraising). Course fees are not publicly disclosed and are available in an annual prospectus, with bursaries offered for eligible applicants. Geographic reach is regional (Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire) for physical services, with virtual delivery and distance learning extending effective reach nationally, though training enrolment is restricted to UK residents.

Name

The Counselling Foundation

Legal name

The Counselling Foundation

Website

https://counsellingfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Counselling Foundation is a UK registered charity (est. 1974) providing BACP-accredited counselling services across five centres in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire to ~400 clients weekly, alongside a BACP-aligned psychodynamic training portfolio enrolling ~200 individuals annually across introductory to advanced diploma levels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Counselling & Psychotherapy Services

NAICS

Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) (621330), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Outpatient Mental Health Clinics & Counseling Centers (HLAFACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mental Health Counseling & Psychotherapy Services (EDALAFAB), Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD)

Keywords

• Psychodynamic counselling services
• Counselling training programmes
• NHS talking therapies
• Workplace employee assistance
• BACP accredited therapy

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Albans

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Counselling Service Fees: Revenue generated from providing professional counselling and therapy services to approximately 400 clients weekly, including both self-funded clients and those accessing low-cost counselling.
2. Training Course Fees: Tuition fees from counselling training programmes ranging from introductory courses to Advanced Diplomas. Fees are detailed in the annual prospectus and cover programmes such as the 4-Week Introduction Course, 10-Week Certificate, Diploma in Contemporary Psychodynamic Counselling, and Advanced Diploma in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy.
3. NHS Talking Therapies Contracts: Provision of short-term counselling work to NHS clients under the NHS Talking Therapies (IAPT) contract, as part of the charitable counselling service alongside other EAP (Employee Assistance Programme) contracts.
4. Workplace Counselling Contracts: Organisations contract the Foundation to provide workplace counselling services to employees, generating contract revenue alongside charitable subsidised counselling provision.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Counselling Foundation is a registered charity that delivers two integrated service lines: professional counselling and psychotherapy services (self-funded, NHS Talking Therapies, and workplace contracts) for approximately 400 clients weekly across Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, and a portfolio of BACP-accredited psychodynamic counselling training programmes enrolling around 200 individuals annually, spanning introductory courses through Advanced Diplomas and Clinical Supervision. Services are delivered in-person at five regional centres and remotely via virtual appointments.

Product overview

The Counselling Foundation offers two interconnected service lines: professional counselling and therapy services, and a structured counselling training portfolio. The counselling services include self-funded, NHS Talking Therapies, and workplace counselling, delivered both in-person across Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire and via remote/virtual appointments. The training portfolio spans pre-qualifying (Introduction and Certificate courses) through qualifying (Diploma in Contemporary Psychodynamic Counselling) and post-qualifying stages (Advanced Diploma in Psychotherapy, Advanced Certificate in Clinical Skills, Diploma in Clinical Supervision, and Introduction to Body Awareness), all grounded in psychodynamic approaches and BACP-aligned. CPD events and Open Days support ongoing professional development and prospective student recruitment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Counselling & Therapy Services BACP-accredited professional counselling and psychotherapy delivered to adults across Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire through self-funded, NHS Talking Therapies, and workplace/EAP channels. Available in-person at five regional centres (St Albans, Bedford, Hertford, Luton, Stevenage) and via remote/virtual video appointments, serving approximately 400 clients weekly.
• Counselling Training Programmes Structured BACP-aligned portfolio of pre-qualifying, qualifying, and post-qualifying psychodynamic counselling training programmes enrolling around 200 individuals per year across introductory, certificate, diploma, advanced diploma, clinical supervision, and clinical skills levels.
• 4 Week Introduction Course A 4-week introductory course for individuals considering a career in counselling, providing foundational knowledge and exposure to psychodynamic approaches as a pre-qualifying entry into the Diploma pathway.
• 10 Week Certificate in Psychodynamic Counselling A 10-week pre-qualifying certificate programme delivering foundational psychodynamic counselling skills and acting as an access course to the full Diploma qualification.
• Diploma in Contemporary Psychodynamic Counselling A 3-year BACP-accredited qualifying training programme in contemporary psychodynamic counselling covering theory, clinical practice, and professional development, aligned to SCoPEd Column A.
• Advanced Diploma in Contemporary Psychodynamic Psychotherapy A 15-month part-time post-qualifying programme deepening academic and clinical training in psychodynamic psychotherapy at relational depth, aligned with SCoPEd Column C. Delivered in-person in St Albans for the first year and online for the final term.
• Advanced Certificate in Clinical Skills A 1-year part-time post-qualifying programme developing psychodynamic clinical skills and reflective practice, mapped to SCoPEd Column B, with 5 hours of tutor contact per week plus clinical work and supervision and an optional placement in the Foundation's clinical service.
• Introduction to Working with Body Awareness A Level 6 equivalent post-qualifying course delivered over 8 Saturdays across 6 months in online format, covering working with body awareness as a clinical skill enhancement for qualified counsellors.
• Diploma in Clinical Supervision A 12-month post-qualifying programme delivered over 12 Fridays and Saturdays (with maximum 12-14 students per group) providing comprehensive training in clinical supervision, aligned with the BACP Supervision Competence Framework for current and prospective supervisors.
• Self-Funded (Low-Cost) Counselling Charitable subsidised counselling for adults who cannot afford private therapy rates, delivered in-person across the Foundation's centres and via remote appointments as part of its three-strand service model.
• NHS Talking Therapies (IAPT) Counselling Short-term counselling for NHS-referred adults with mild to moderate anxiety and depression, delivered under the NHS Talking Therapies (IAPT) contract as part of the Foundation's three-strand charitable service model.
• Workplace & EAP Counselling Counselling services contracted by organisations to support employees as part of workplace wellbeing and Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs), delivered alongside the Foundation's charitable subsidised counselling and NHS contracts.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~400 clients receive counselling weekly
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Amped Audio ServicesminorOthersCommunity supporter listed on The Counselling Foundation's Ambassadors and Supporters page. Supports service provision through donations or in-kind contributions.
• Anne Jones DevelopmentminorOthersCommunity supporter listed on The Counselling Foundation's Ambassadors and Supporters page.
• Barratt David Wilson HomesminorOthersCommunity supporter and corporate partner contributing to The Counselling Foundation's service provision.
• Bedford & Luton Community FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity Foundation providing funding and support to community organisations in Bedford and Luton, partnering with the Foundation to support mental health service provision in the region.
• Great in 8minorOthersCommunity supporter listed on The Counselling Foundation's Ambassadors and Supporters page.
• Dennis BrothersminorOthersCommunity supporter listed on The Counselling Foundation's Ambassadors and Supporters page.
• Marchon Gym, HarpendenminorOthersCommunity supporter listed on The Counselling Foundation's Ambassadors and Supporters page.
• Megan's at the Old Bell, St AlbansminorOthersCommunity supporter listed on The Counselling Foundation's Ambassadors and Supporters page.
• Silver PalateminorOthersCommunity supporter listed on The Counselling Foundation's Ambassadors and Supporters page.
• St Albans CathedralminorOthersCommunity supporter listed on The Counselling Foundation's Ambassadors and Supporters page, supporting service provision.
• EasyfundraisingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Counselling Foundation is registered with Easyfundraising, a UK fundraising platform with over 8,000 retail partners. Shoppers can raise free donations for the Foundation when purchasing from participating retailers, supporting the provision of mental health services and training.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Relate: UK national charity providing relationship counselling, sex therapy, and training for counsellors. Comparable as a major counselling charity with accredited training programmes and BACP-aligned service delivery, though focused specifically on relationship counselling.
• Cruse Bereavement Care: UK national bereavement charity providing counselling and training for bereavement support workers. Comparable as a specialist mental health charity combining service delivery with volunteer and trainee counsellor pathways, similar in scale and operating model to the Foundation.
• Mind: England and Wales's largest mental health charity, providing information, local services, and advocacy. Comparable as a major UK mental health charity with broad service delivery, though Mind operates at significantly larger national scale and lacks the Foundation's training-funnel specialisation.
• Tavistock & Portman NHS Foundation Trust: NHS Foundation Trust delivering mental health services and postgraduate training in psychotherapy and counselling, including psychodynamic modalities. Comparable as a large-scale psychotherapy training and clinical provider, though NHS-affiliated rather than independent charity.
• Place2Be: UK children's mental health charity providing school-based counselling and training for school counsellors. Comparable as a charity combining mental health service delivery with accredited training, though focused on schools and children rather than adult community counselling.

Direct peers

• Metanoia Institute: UK-based psychotherapy and counselling training institution offering UKCP-accredited programmes with psychodynamic and integrative modalities. Comparable as a specialist counselling training provider with postgraduate pathways similar to the Foundation's Diploma and Advanced Diploma.
• Westminster Pastoral Foundation (WPF Therapy): UK charity providing low-cost counselling and BACP-aligned counselling training across multiple modalities. Directly comparable to The Counselling Foundation as a registered charity operating both clinical counselling services and accredited training programmes in the UK.

Others

• British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP): UK professional body that accredits counsellors, training courses, and service providers including The Counselling Foundation. Comparable as the industry regulator and accreditor whose framework shapes the Foundation's curriculum and clinical standards.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Counselling_Fdn
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheCounsellingFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-counselling-foundation

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Counselling Foundation