Spaces Available Now
Weekly counselling in Clapham Junction, £35 a session.
Face-to-face therapy on Lavender Hill, SW11, for people caught between NHS waiting lists and private fees. Sessions are on Mondays, with supervised trainee counsellors.
Available appointments
MONDAYS 2.30 PM, 3.30 PM, 4.30 PM
£35
PER 50-MINUTE SESSION
Weekly
FACE-TO-FACE SESSIONS
Lavender Hill
SW11, CLAPHAM JUNCTION
WHO THIS IS FOR
You don’t have to be in crisis to come.
Maybe you’ve finished a course of NHS sessions and need more. Maybe private fees are simply out of reach right now. MGTS exists for exactly this gap, and it’s a bigger gap than most people realise.
THE MIDDLE GROUND
Between the waiting list and the private fee.
NHS talking therapy typically offers up to 12 sessions a year, often after a long wait. Private therapy in London usually costs £60 to £120+ a session. Many people fall between the two.
You’ve used your NHS sessions
And you know there’s more work to do, at a pace that isn’t set by a service limit.
Private fees don’t fit your budget
£35 a session makes weekly, ongoing therapy sustainable rather than a luxury.
You want structure and continuity
The same therapist, the same time, every week, in a calm and private space.
Meet the Therapists
WHICH IS RIGHT FOR ME?
Two ways into therapy at Smart Therapy.
PRIVATE THERAPY
Choose your therapist
How you start
Browse profiles and get in touch with the therapist who feels right. Many offer a free initial call.
Who you’ll see
Qualified therapists and holistic practitioners, many with specialist areas
When
You agree a day and time with your therapist. Most can start within days.
Fee
Fees are specific to the therapist and can range from £60-120+
A good fit if
You want to choose who you see, need flexibility over days and times or are looking for a particular specialism.
MGTS
Reduced Fee
How you start
Fill in an enquiry form, then have an assessment with a qualified therapist, who helps match you to a counsellor.
Who you’ll see
Counsellors in training, supervised by a qualified clinical supervisor, and managed by a BACP-Accredited Psychotherapist.
When
Mondays at Lavender Hill. If there are limited spaces or a waiting list, we will let you know before you book an assessment.
Fee
£35 per session
A good fit if
Cost has been what’s stopping you, and you can commit to a weekly session on a Monday.
Not sure which suits you? Ask us a question and we’ll help you work it out.
Professional therapy, professionally governed
Supervised practitioners
Sessions are provided by counsellors in the final stages of their training, working within a professionally governed service with regular group supervision from an accredited supervisor.
Clear clinical oversight
The service is led by Amy Launder, BACP Accredited Psychotherapist and Clinical Supervisor, with structured assessment, allocation, and review at every stage.
An honest fee
The £35 fee covers supervision, rooms, and clinical oversight.
“Affordable therapy shouldn’t mean lower standards.”
THE MIDDLE GROUND THERAPY SERVICE
HOW IT WORKS
Four steps, at your pace.
01
GET IN TOUCH
Complete the enquiry form. We’ll respond within 48 hours.
02
A CONVERSATION WITH AMY
A short assessment with our Programme Lead to understand what you need and whether MGTS is the right fit.
03
GET MATCHED
We’ll pair you with a practitioner whose availability and approach suit you, and confirm your first session.
04
BEGIN WEEKLY SESSIONS
In person at Lavender Hill, with regular reviews so therapy stays useful to you.
Between Services: A Practical Guide to Looking After Your Mental Health
This free guide offers steady, practical support while you consider your next steps. It explores how to stabilise yourself between services, what to look for when seeking therapy, and how to make thoughtful decisions about the kind of support that will feel containing and sustainable.
Download the guide below and we’ll also keep you updated as the Middle Ground Therapy Service develops.
WHERE YOU’LL FIND US
A calm, professional space on Lavender Hill.
MGTS is based at Smart Therapy’s Lavender Hill centre ~ 301 Lavender Hill, Battersea, SW11 1LN ~ minutes from Clapham Junction station and easy to reach from Battersea, Wandsworth, Balham, and Clapham.
Frequently Asked Questions
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The Middle Ground Therapy Service (MGTS) is for adults who want regular, face-to-face counselling but can’t quite afford private fees. Many people come to us after having their NHS sessions, or while waiting for them. You don’t need to be in crisis to come, and you don’t need a diagnosis or a GP referral.
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Not always, and we’d rather tell you that early on. MGTS isn’t an emergency or crisis service, and it isn’t suitable for everyone, for example if you’re at high risk right now or need specialist or more intensive support. That’s why everone has an assessment before they’re matched with a counsellor. If we think a different service would suit you better, we’ll tell you why and point you towards it.
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A counsellor in training, who has been assessed by their course as ready to see clients. All our counsellors are DBS checked and insured. They work in relational, humanistic, and integrative ways, which means the relationship between you and your counsellor is central to the work.
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Every counsellor has regular group supervision with a qualified clinical supervisor. Our Programme Lead is a BACP Accredited Psychotherapist and is in the building for the whole of every MGTS day.
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It’s a conversation with Amy, our Programme Lead, about what’s bringing you to therapy, what you’d like help with and what you need from the service. It helps us check that MGTS is the right service for you and match you with the counsellor who best suits your needs and availability. The assessment lasts up to 50 minutes and costs £35.
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We match you rather than you choosing from profiles, but you can tell us about any preferences on the enquiry form or at your assessment such as scheduling or preference of therapist based on their profiles.
If your chosen therapist isn’t available you can choose to see another therapist or choose to join the waitlist for your chosen therapist.
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Sessions run on Mondays at our Lavender Hill centre (301 Lavender Hill, SW11 1LN), close to Clapham Junction station. There are morning and afternoon times between 8 am and 6.30 pm. You’ll see the same counsellor at the same time each week.
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Sessions last 50-minutes. Ther’es no fixed number of sessions. We review how things are going with you every 12 sessions and decide together whether to continue or start planning an ending.
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Sessions cost £35, paid before each session. The fee covers the cost of running a supervised service, including supervision, rooms, insurance, and clinical oversight.
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Please give us at least 24 hours’ notice. Sessions cancelled with less notice are charged at the full fee.
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The Lavender Hill centre isn’t step-free. Is that, or anything else makes coming in difficult, please tell us and we’ll talk through options. Online sessions are available in the case of mobility barriers or other special circumstances.
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Yes, with the usual limits. Your counsellor discusses their work in supervision without sharing details that could identify you. Our Programme Lead has full oversight of all client information.
As in all counselling, we may need to share information if we believe you or someone else is at serious risk of harm, and we’d talk to you first wherever possible. The full details are in the client agreement we send before your first session.
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Counsellors commit to at least six months with MGTS. They also commit to a three month notice period. If your counsellor is going to leave, we will give you notice and talk with you about how best to end the work or move you on to another counsellor.
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We reply to every enquiry within 48 hours.
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MGTS can’t offer urgent support. If you’re in crisis, call NHS 111 and choose the mentlal health option, or call Samaritans free on 116 123 at any tme. If you’re in immediate danger, call 999 or go to A&E.
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