Professional membership and insurance
Choose the professional body whose ethical framework fits your training, and check what it expects of private practitioners. BACP, for example, leaves note-keeping decisions to private practitioners but expects them to work ethically and follow data protection law.
Get professional indemnity and public liability cover, and check that the policy covers online work if you plan any.
Set up as a sole trader
GOV.UK says you must register for Self Assessment once your earnings pass £1,000 in a tax year. You can register sooner, and you can begin trading before registering. Choose your business name early and keep business records from day one.
Data protection and notes
- Check whether you need to pay the ICO data protection fee. The ICO says sole traders that use personal information need to pay unless exempt.
- Decide whether you keep notes, how long you keep them, and tell clients before therapy starts.
- Write a privacy notice and a client agreement.
Space, sessions and booking
- A private, quiet room, or a set-up for online sessions with a secure platform.
- Your fees, session length and cancellation terms.
- A website and online booking so clients can find and book you.
Many private counsellors start with a few client hours a week alongside other work, and build from there.
Practical points to settle early
A few decisions are easier to make before your first client arrives.
- Where you will work, and whether the room is private enough that nobody can overhear.
- Your days and hours, and how much time you want between clients.
- How you will keep records, and where they are stored.
- Who you can talk to about your work, such as a supervisor, and how often.
- What you will do if a client is at risk, and who you will contact.
Write the answers down. They become the basis of your client agreement and your policies, and they help you feel ready.
Take your time over the first few months. Many counsellors begin with a small caseload, so they can learn what works for them before taking on more. Keep a simple note of enquiries, bookings and how people found you, which helps you decide where to put your effort next. Be kind to yourself while you learn, and review your plans every few months.
More questions
Do counsellors need a licence?
Check with the professional body you plan to join about its entry rules and what it expects. The sources read for this page do not set out a licence.
Do I have to keep client notes?
BACP says the law does not require it, but there is a growing expectation, and members must be able to explain a decision not to.
Can I offer sessions online as well?
Yes. Use a secure platform and a private space, and read BACP's guidance on online and phone therapy.
