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  • Counselling
  1. Resources

Counselling

Counselling & Mental Wellbeing

Find the right therapist for you.

Navigating identity, social transitions, and mental health should never happen alone — especially with the additional barriers that Black trans and non-binary people face in finding affirming care. To help you on your journey, we have put together a list of registered counsellors, therapists, and psychologists who understand the nuances of your experience.

Whether you're exploring gender identity, gathering strength to come out, managing anxiety or depression, or simply needing an unbiased listener to be seen and heard — the practitioners listed below work across the full range, from general mental wellness to gender-related assessments and treatment.

An honest word
Therapy is a tool. not a verdict.

There is nothing wrong with seeking counselling. Reaching for support is a sign of self-respect, not weakness. In Black, queer, and trans communities, therapy is often stigmatised, dismissed, or treated as a last resort — the truth is the opposite.

A good therapist won't tell you who to be. They will help you become more of who you already are — on your terms, in your timing, in your language. The work of being seen and heard, by someone trained to listen well, is a gift to yourself and to everyone you love.

You deserve identity-affirming care. You deserve a practitioner who recognises both your Blackness and your transness as part of your whole self, not as problems to be solved.

What counselling can help with

  • Exploring gender identity, name, and pronouns at your own pace
  • Anxiety, depression, and the cumulative weight of discrimination
  • Family, relationships, coming out (or choosing not to)
  • Preparing for, navigating, or processing gender-affirming medical care
  • Workplace stress, microaggressions, and the toll of always being “the only one”
  • Trauma, grief, and processing what happened to you
  • Simply having someone trained to listen without judgement
62%

of Black, Asian and minority ethnic LGBT people have experienced depression in the last year.

Stonewall — LGBT in Britain: Health Report (2018)

A note on medical transition

Counselling and medical transition are separate pathways. If you want to explore medical transitioning, speak with your GP, who can refer you to an NHS Gender Identity Clinic. The therapists below can support you alongside that process, but you don't need to be considering medical transition to seek their support.

How to pick a therapist

Finding the right counsellor, psychologist, or psychotherapist who is culturally adept can be challenging. The fit matters as much as the credentials. A few things to consider:

  • Look at their approach. Different therapists work in different ways — talk, CBT, psychodynamic, integrative. There's no “best” type, only the one that fits you.
  • Ask if they have experience with Black trans and non-binary clients. Affirming care isn't a default — it's a specialism. A good therapist will say so honestly.
  • Most offer a free initial chat. Use it. You're choosing them as much as they're choosing you.
  • Check the cost. Many therapists offer sliding-scale or low-cost spots. Ask — never assume.
  • Trust your gut. If something doesn't feel right after the first few sessions, it is okay to look elsewhere. Switching is not failing.

The practitioners below are registered with the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) and/or the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). Click through to see what each provider offers and to ask questions about whether they can meet your needs.

A list of registered practitioners.

Each practitioner brings their own approach and area of expertise. Browse the deck and reach out directly to those whose work feels like the right fit for you.

Profile card for a registered counselling practitioner
Profile card for a registered counselling practitioner
Profile card for a registered counselling practitioner
Profile card for a registered counselling practitioner
Profile card for a registered counselling practitioner
Profile card for a registered counselling practitioner
If you need help right now
In crisis tonight?

If you are in immediate distress, please contact a crisis service now — do not wait for a counselling appointment. Free and confidential support is available 24/7:

  • Samaritans: Call 116 123 (free, 24/7)
  • Switchboard LGBT+ helpline: Call 0800 0119 100 (10am–10pm daily)
  • NHS 111: Call 111 and select the mental health option

You deserve to be seen, heard, and supported by someone who recognises your whole self.

Not sure where to start?

Email us and we will help you think through what you might need and which practitioner could be a fit.

Email us for support
Also worth knowing · BAATN

Counsellors and psychotherapists across the UK.

The Black, African and Asian Therapy Network (BAATN) connects you with counsellors and psychotherapists from Black, African, Asian, and Caribbean heritage backgrounds — right across the UK.

It is the UK's largest independent network of its kind — grounded in an understanding of intersectionality, and centred specifically on people who share those heritages.

Visit BAATN

Published: 8th September, 2020

Updated: 30th May, 2026

Author: Chris Deshields

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https://www.blacktransalliance.org/counselling
Counselling

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