While awareness of mental health has increased in recent years, we’ve yet to fully embrace talking therapy in the UK.

A 2025 survey by the British Association of Counselling Practitioners (BACP) found that 42% of people think there is a stigma attached to counselling.

Perhaps you’ve dismissed counselling as something “for other people” or those with “real” problems? Maybe you think it’s a lot of fluffy talk and navel-gazing – time that could be better spent working through your lengthy to-do list?

If so, you might be surprised to learn that the BACP survey showed more than a third of UK adults have sought help from a counsellor or psychotherapist at some point in their lives – and 75% of those would recommend therapy to others.

What’s more, mental health support is rising up the agenda for businesses. According to FTAdviser, 93% of UK companies acknowledge mental health as an important business issue.

Indeed, figures published by Deloitte reveal that poor employee mental health costs employers £51 billion a year. In contrast, every £1 spent on mental health support delivers, on average, about £4.70 back to employers. This is likely due to:

• Increased productivity
• Improved employee engagement
• Reduced absenteeism and presenteeism
• Improved employer retention and attraction.

I’m lucky enough to work for a supportive and empathetic employer who recognises the importance of mental health support for an individual’s wellbeing and their performance at work. As such, employees have unlimited access to regular, fully-funded counselling sessions.

If you’re not sold on the value of therapy for yourself and your team, here are some tangible workplace benefits I’ve noticed from my weekly therapy sessions.

1. Precious time to reflect

My professional life is fast-paced, and life outside work isn’t much different. It’s the same for most of my colleagues and friends – there’s little time to step back, process, and learn from our experiences.

Yet, these quiet moments of reflection are often precisely when light bulb moments occur. Whether you’re stuck on a client project or battling with difficulties at home, you might find that taking some time out shakes a new idea loose.

That’s why I’ve found it so beneficial to timetable 50 minutes of therapy (the “therapeutic hour”) into my work week. I treat this appointment the same as a meeting with clients or colleagues – it’s non-negotiable and I’ll only postpone it if something urgent arises.

2. Freedom to own (and learn from) mistakes in a safe space

Counsellors are trained to provide non-judgmental support. They are highly skilled in listening with empathy and understanding, rather than imposing their values on their clients.

The founder of person-centred psychotherapy, Carl Rogers, believed that “unconditional positive regard” is a cornerstone of therapeutic practice. In simple terms, this means accepting and valuing the client as they are.

As such, the therapeutic hour is a safe space to discuss and take accountability for personal and professional mistakes.

I have found that talking freely about things that haven’t gone so well, knowing that my therapist is there to offer impartial support, is extremely liberating and confidence-boosting. What’s more, I benefit from a fresh perspective that helps me reframe my “mistake” as a learning opportunity.

3. Support in developing stress management skills

I doubt there’s any such thing as a stress-free job. The type and intensity of the pressure you feel may vary throughout your career – or even throughout the working week – but it’s unlikely to be something you can completely avoid.

So, developing effective stress management skills can be invaluable if you want to thrive in your professional (and personal) life.

Of course, not all stress is “bad”. Sometimes a little pressure pushes us to deliver our best. A trained therapist can help you and your team recognise when stress becomes a problem and help you develop healthy coping mechanisms. You may even master the art of harnessing this emotion to drive success.

Not only could these skills safeguard your wellbeing and ensure you remain productive, but they could also enhance the performance of your team and reduce sickness absence.

4. Opportunities to celebrate progress

Therapy isn’t just about airing your problems or venting pent-up frustration. It’s also a place you can revel in your achievements and progress.

Whether you’ve overcome a personal challenge or earned an incredible promotion, your therapist is there to champion your successes, as well as support you through turbulent times.

I’ve found this a game changer. In the UK, we’re not great at patting ourselves on the back publicly, yet focusing solely on the “room for improvement” aspects of ourselves can be draining and demoralising. In contrast, recognising how far I’ve come has boosted my self-confidence and given me the self-belief to pursue new challenges.

Moreover, tracking progress and celebrating wins is the only way to keep your goals relevant and meaningful – just like you would suggest your clients do to keep their financial plan on track.

5. Reduce the risk of burnout

Burnout is a state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion, and it’s a very real risk for many UK adults.

The 2025 Mental Health UK Burnout Report revealed that 1 in 3 adults experienced high or extreme levels of pressure or stress “always” or “often” in the previous year.

Talking therapy can be a powerful tool for preventing such mental anguish. Just talking through a problem with a supportive, non-judgmental professional could be all you need to keep burnout at bay.

Additionally, a therapist could help you identify practical steps for tackling the issues that may be contributing to your stress. For example, they might encourage you to set clear boundaries that allow you to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

You can shape therapy to suit your needs

There is a huge range of therapeutic styles, from person-centred (humanistic) to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Individual therapists will also develop their unique approach.

So, if you think therapy isn’t for you, it could just be that you haven’t found your ideal match.

Even when you’ve chosen a professional to work with, you can make your therapy sessions what you need them to be. Whether you want to talk freely about whatever’s on your mind or need practical solutions for a specific problem, you’re in the driver’s seat.

What’s more, therapy is more accessible than ever. The BACP survey found that in 2025, twice as many people are having therapy over video conferencing, such as Zoom, compared to 2022.

So, what are you waiting for?

Get in touch

While we can’t offer you a therapeutic ear, our team of marketing experts, designers, and writers can transform how your financial services firm engages clients and prospects.

To find out more, email us at hi@theyardstickagency.co.uk or call 0115 8965 300.