About us

We are the professional home for counsellors & psychotherapists

We are a not-for-profit professional Society dedicated to supporting our members and the public through quality training, accreditation and ethical practice.

Join us Our Code of Ethics

Established in 1996, the National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (NCPS) has long been at the forefront of promoting high standards in counselling and psychotherapy across the UK. As one of the first organisations to gain Accredited Register status with the Professional Standards Authority, we ensure that our members are safe, competent and ethical practitioners.

Our mission & values

Our mission is to nurture and protect the vocation of counselling & psychotherapy, support and guide members, and provide a high level of public assurance to those seeking therapeutic services.

Autonomy

We advocate for choice and autonomy in therapy, ensuring clients and practitioners can shape support together that reflects their needs; keeping the power in the hands of those whom our work impacts most

Diversity

We embrace the richness of diverse approaches, backgrounds, and perspectives, recognising that mental health support is not one-size-fits-all, influenced by our backgrounds, cultures, experiences, desires, and needs

Creativity

We centre creative, flexible, and innovative ways of working that meet people where they are and adapt to what they need, when they need it, and where they need it

Connection

We put human connection, and our diverse and supportive community, at the heart of counselling & psychotherapy, knowing that safe, trusting relationships are where healing, growth, and change happen

Our Ethos

We want to take a little bit of time to talk about our ethos – the culture and character of the Society, and what that means for our members, the profession, and the public.

Talking openly about things we hold dearest – diversity, creativity, autonomy, accessibility, and a commitment to mental health equality – helps define us and shapes the path we take as a community. This underpins every decision we make and policy we develop.

By being open about who we are, we build a relationship with our members – our ethos flows through every interaction, event, and conversation. It’s in our actions, not just words, that you can see we try to live up to our standards.

Accessibility is vital for diversity. The profession thrives on its practitioners, modalities, backgrounds, and perspectives. We support training, inclusion, fair work, and thoughtful regulation to ensure the profession is accessible and representative of humanity.

We are member-led. Our members’ expertise guides us, and we honour professional freedom, the client relationship, and the unique nature of our work. Being member-led isn’t always easy, but we ensure all voices are heard, feedback is considered, and decisions are made thoughtfully.

At the heart of NCPS is a passionate team committed to supporting the profession, promoting creativity and autonomy, and ensuring counsellors remain central in therapy.

So, that’s who we are, and why. Thank you for joining us on this journey.