A new national therapist-founded platform – Men’s Counselling Service – has launched in Brighton, where it seeks to make private therapy more accessible to men both within the local community and across the country. The launch is timely: England is preparing to roll out its first ever Men’s Health Strategy, a major national effort to close entrenched gender gaps in physical and mental health, underscoring the urgent need for better support for men at a local level.
The online service facilitates both in-person and online therapist appointments by connecting men with qualified therapist members. Men’s Counselling Service was launched this month, and features over 100 available therapists across the country. All of the therapists on the directory are fully accredited by the Professional Standards Authority-approved registers such as BACP, UKCP and NCPS.
The platform has been launched to help address the United Kingdom’s epidemic of poor male mental health. According to NHS England’s Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, around one-in-six men (15%) in England have a clinical mental health condition.
At the same time, men can struggle – or be reluctant – to access mental health support due to stigma, uncertainty, or lack of awareness. National NHS data shows men make up only around one-third of Talking Therapies referrals, despite men accounting for three-quarters of UK suicides (ONS, 2024).
Data shows a significant treatment gap for men across the South East, where 91% receive no support for mental or emotional difficulties despite experiencing symptoms. Levels of distress remain high, with 24.2% of men reporting lifetime suicidal thoughts and notable rates of suicide attempts and self-harm. Happiness scores are also low, and anxiety levels elevated, suggesting many men are struggling without adequate access to help.
Empowering Men to Seek Support
The Men’s Counselling Service platform has been built entirely around men’s mental health needs. It aims to help men find affordable, local, and male-focused support that caters to their specific needs via an easy-to-use and intuitive directory.
The service allows men to connect with therapists immediately and directly, and explore therapy options without making a commitment upfront. Many therapists offer a free initial session, allowing men to explore therapy without a financial commitment.
The site also hosts a range of free practical resources and guides for men seeking support or wanting to learn more about mental health. These include articles and videos on a broad range of topics, from the impact of autism on relationships to the suitability of AI as a therapeutic tool.
Ben Jefferson MBACP, Psychotherapist and Founder of Men’s Counselling Service commented: “We launched Men’s Counselling Service this year with the explicit aim of making it easier for men to access support, and are delighted to have a presence in Brighton. Our goal is to bring like-minded therapists with a passion for working with men together, in turn making it easier for men looking for private therapy to connect with a qualified, passionate professional.”
“There is a long way to go when it comes to improving health outcomes and quality of life for everyone across the United Kingdom. By providing men with an easy way to access support built around their needs – as well as helpful resources and toolkits – we hope to make a positive difference to people who are in need of it, but might find it difficult to take the first step in a new direction.”
Tim Pike, Counsellor and Therapist with Men’s Counselling Service, said:”I’ve noticed how more men are now coming forward to seek improvement with therapy for their mental health and the old model of counselling being a last resort receding to the past where it belongs. Past understandings of associating manly inner strength with battling alone and soldiering on in silence are thankfully being replaced. It’s increasingly normal for men to seek support with the inner struggles that can be intense and overwhelming at times, be that with tempers, rage, unwanted emotions, fear of failure, anxiety and depression. A way forward and a lighter inner load can be achieved for many with therapy sessions with a qualified experienced therapist.”
Following the launch, Men’s Counselling Service seeks to continue to grow its therapist base both within the South-East and across the country. Men who are interested in learning more about the benefits of therapy, or who want to connect directly with a local qualified therapist, should visit the Men’s Counselling Service site today.
