Top Psychological Therapy Centres in Taunton

If you’re looking for psychological therapy in Taunton, it can be difficult to know which option is right for you. Different services offer different models of care, types of therapy, and professional backgrounds. This guide sets out the main options of psychological therapy centres in Taunton, Somerset, including a small number of well-known local services, to help you make an informed and thoughtful choice.

The aim of this article is not to rank or review providers, but to explain how services differ and what that might mean for you.

1. NHS psychological therapy services

In Taunton, the NHS psychological support service is known as Talking Therapies. If you are 16 or over you can access this for free by filling out their online self-referral form or you can speak to your GP first and they can refer you.

Typically suited for:

• Mild to moderate anxiety or depression

• Short-term, structured support

• People who prefer NHS provision or who want to keep all their health interventions within the NHS
  

Things to consider:

• At the time of writing the wait time for therapy to start is up to 18 weeks

• Therapy options may be limited to set models and session numbers

• The NHS operate a stepped-care model, offering the least invasive option of therapy first. If you have been offered a very short term piece of therapy (e.g. low-intensity CBT) then it's likely you were seen at Step 2, if you do not feel that this has resolved your difficulties you can request an assessment for a Step 3 intervention with them (which can include high-intensity CBT, Mindfulness-based CBT and EMDR).
  

Talking Therapies can be a valuable starting place for many people, especially if cost and NHS access are priorities.

2. Charities

Charitable mental health organisations can be an important source of support, particularly for people who need low-cost, accessible help or who are seeking specialist support around specific experiences. These services are often grant-funded and may combine emotional support, advocacy, groups, and short-term therapeutic input rather than open-ended therapy.

Typically suited for:

• People seeking low-cost or free support

• Those wanting practical help alongside therapy

• Individuals affected by specific issues such as sexual violence, abuse, or severe mental distress

• People who value peer support, groups, or advocacy as part of their recovery

  
  

Examples of charitable services linked to the Taunton and Somerset area include:

• Mind. Mind is a national mental health charity with local branches across Somerset. Services often include wellbeing support, peer groups, advocacy, and guidance around navigating mental health services. They do not usually offer long-term psychotherapy but can be an important source of ongoing support and signposting.

• SARSAS (Somerset and Avon Rape and Sexual Abuse Support). SARSAS provides specialist support for people affected by rape or sexual abuse, including helplines, emotional support, advocacy, and trauma-informed counselling services. Their work is highly specialised and focused on recovery from sexual violence.
  

Things to consider:

• Availability can depend on funding, eligibility criteria, and capacity

• Waiting times may still apply, particularly for counselling services and can be quite long

• Support may be time-limited or focused on specific issues rather than broader mental health needs

  
  

3. Private counselling centres

Private counselling centres bring together counsellors and psychotherapists - a good fit for people looking for supportive, reflective therapy, particularly when difficulties are relational, situational, or centred around emotional processing over time. Therapists in these settings usually come from counselling or psychotherapy training routes and are often registered with professional bodies such as BACP or UKCP. Models used usually include person-centred, psychodynamic, integrative, humanistic and other relational models, although they might also offer CBT and EMDR.

Typically suited for:

• Emotional support during life transitions

• Relationship difficulties

• Ongoing reflective or supportive therapy
  

Examples in Taunton include:

1. Somerset Counselling Centre. This is an established centre offering counselling for age 16 upwards to individuals and couple. They also offer training and have low cost counselling options available.

2. The Terrace. Another long-standing option led by experienced psychotherapists and also offering complementary therapies as well (Bowen technique, nationalist advice and massage).

3. Marlborough House. This is a complementary therapies centre which includes coaching, and counselling for bereavement, couples and confidence.

Things to consider:

• Practitioners may have varied training routes so check which model they use and whether this is best for your current areas of concern.
  

4. Clinical Psychology Services

If you suffer with anxiety or have been through a traumatic event, or if you're unsure what kind of difficulties you have or which therapy approach would be best then a clinical psychology service is a good option. Psychologists are trained to assess biological, psychological, and social factors, this means they are well placed to fully assess your situation and give recommendations about the best options of therapy for you. They are trained in a number of structured approaches such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (high-intensity CBT), Trauma-Focused CBT, EMDR, compassion-focused therapy, and similar evidence-based therapies - depending on the person’s needs and all guided by NICE Guidelines.

Typically suited for those who:

• Would like an assessment with a psychologist to understand their difficulties and get recommendations about options.

• Have anxiety, trauma or burnout that hasn't responded to counselling or low-intensity therapy

• Have a mental health diagnosis (such as Generalised Anxiety, PTSD, CPTSD, Health Anxiety or OCD), or suspect they would meet a diagnosis and want this assessed.

• Don't want to wait on an NHS waiting list

• Can self-fund therapy or have health insurance which covers the centre chosen

• Are looking for therapists who are accredited in structured models such as CBT or EMDR

• Or, are looking for a full psychological or neurodiversity assessment (for ADHD or Autism)
  

Things to consider:

An independent psychology practice does not routinely write to your GP (which may be one of the attractions for going privately). However they do still have a duty of care to keep you and others safe. This means you will be asked for your GP details but you can let your therapist know that you do not wish for them to be contacted except in an emergency.

Two local example includes:

1. Prometheus Psychological Therapy Centre, who has a longstanding reputation in the local area and are based near the centre of town. They offer both self-funding and health-insurance funded appointments. They have registered psychologists and a psychiatrist too.

2. Plum Psychology. A team of registered psychologists offering a high-touch psychology assessment and treatment service, specialising in EMDR therapy and trauma-therapy.

5. Online therapy options

Many of the Taunton-based services now offer online therapy alongside in-person sessions.

Typically suited for:

• People with limited time to get to sessions, or with mobilities issues that make it harder to leave the house

• Those who prefer the privacy and comfort of their own home for therapy

• People who want a therapist with a specific specialism where there is a lack of provision locally

• People with high anxiety symptoms that are stopping them from leaving the house (as can happen in OCD or Agoraphobia)

  
  

Things to consider:

• Online therapy can be effective for many difficulties - read more about online therapy effectiveness here.

• If you're choosing online therapy due to high anxiety symptoms (which make it hard to leave the house) you might wish to find someone local who can then switch to in-person once you are ready.

6. Solo practitioners

A final option when considering therapy is a solo practitioner. You can find one via directories such as Psychology Today or the Counselling Directory.

Typically suited for:

• Individuals who have some time and space to search directories and make a few enquiries

• Those who are confident in their ability to research therapist credentials to ensure they are accredited and have safe standards in place for safeguarding, managing risk etc.

  
  

Things to consider:

• If the therapist is not working as part of a centre then you will need to carry out your own due diligence - that is, checking they are registered with the appropriate governing

  body (these are checks that are carried out on your behalf when you contact an established counselling or psychology service). If they are a psychologist you can check the HCPC register here - search via surname and look up 'practitioner psychologist'.

• Solo practitioners may not have policies in place for managing safeguarding or a therapist Will (a policy for what happens to their notes in the situation where something affects their ability to work), so ask about this and check they have regular clinical supervision as this means they have a good support structure.

• You may need to contact several therapists before finding one that seems right for you or has availability.

• Many solo practitioners do all their own admin, so response times to enquiries might be slower than the bigger practices who have dedicated admin support. This means you mustn't interpret a lack of response as rejection, instead send a follow up email to bump it back up to the top of their inbox.

How to choose the right therapy centre for you

When exploring psychological therapy centres in Taunton, it can help to reflect on:

• Who delivers the therapy, and what is their professional training?

• What therapy models are offered, and are they evidence-based?

• Does the service have experience with your main difficulty (e.g. burnout, trauma, anxiety)?

• How are supervision, risk, and clinical governance managed?

• Does the format (weekly sessions, short-term work, or more intensive approaches) fit your life and energy levels?

There is no single “best” option - the right choice depends on your needs, preferences, and circumstances.

More About Plum Psychology

We are a private Taunton-based clinical psychology practice offering evidence-based therapy for adults, both online and at the beautiful Hestercombe House. Our practice specialises in burnout, trauma, anxiety, and moral injury in professionals looking for a bespoke therapy service. All of our therapists began their careers in the NHS so have a solid background and training to draw upon. We keep wait times down - aiming to offer you an initial consultation call with one of our psychologists within 2-3 days of your enquiry.

Plum Psychology is led by a practicing clinician who oversees all referrals coming in, ensuring that each individual is offered a high-quality service and a choice of the most well-suited specialist to their needs. We operate as a team - meeting regularly through out the year to share professional development and updates. We are all trauma-trained therapists and, as the lead is an EMDR Consultant, we have high quality EMDR therapy, with either weekly EMDR therapy or intensive EMDR programmes to choose from.

If you are exploring your options and would like to understand whether our therapy service is right for you, you can find further information on our website.

What Next?

Choosing a psychological therapy centre is an important decision. Taking time to understand the different options available in Taunton - including counselling centres, clinical services, and high-touch psychology practices - can help you find support that feels appropriate, within your price-range, and well-matched to where you are now.

Get in touch with us here if you feel that Plum Psychology are right for you.

You might also find this quiz helpful - Is EMDR Right For Me?