Anxiety Therapy in Glasgow: What Are Your Options?

If anxiety is getting in the way of your life and you live in or around Glasgow, there are more options than most people realise. Some are free, some you can reach without seeing a GP, and some cost money but can start quickly.

I’m a private therapist, so I’m not completely neutral. But the aim of this guide is to help you find the right help for you, even if that isn’t me.

If you need help urgently

If you feel unable to keep yourself safe, call 999 or go to A&E. For urgent help that isn’t an emergency, you can call NHS 24 on 111. Samaritans are there day and night on 116 123, and Breathing Space offers a listening ear on 0800 83 85 87, Monday to Thursday from 6pm to 2am and from 6pm on Friday through to 6am on Monday.

Starting with your GP

For most people, the GP is the first step on the NHS. Your GP can talk through what’s been happening, check whether anything physical is playing a part, discuss medication if it’s appropriate, and refer you to NHS psychological therapy.

Waits vary. The Scottish Government standard is that 90% of people should start psychological therapy within 18 weeks of referral. In the three months to December 2025, Public Health Scotland reported that 82.1% did. Half of people started within two weeks, so some are seen quickly while others wait much longer.

Free help you can reach yourself

You’ll see a lot online about NHS Talking Therapies, where you can refer yourself. That service is for England. In Scotland there are other routes you can use without a GP:

• Living Life is a free NHS 24 service for anyone in Scotland aged 16 or over with anxiety or low mood. It offers four to six phone sessions using CBT based techniques. You refer yourself on 0800 328 9655, Monday to Friday from 9am to 9pm.
• NHS inform has a free anxiety self help guide you can work through at your own pace.
• Lifelink is a Glasgow charity offering one to one counselling. You can refer yourself online or call 0141 552 4434.

Private options compared

If you’d rather not wait, or the NHS route hasn’t worked for you, private therapy is an option. These are the main approaches you’ll come across.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). The most researched talking therapy for anxiety and the one the NHS usually recommends first. It helps you spot the thoughts and habits that keep anxiety going and gradually change them. If you go private, look for a therapist accredited by the BABCP.

Counselling. Gives you space to talk things through with someone trained to listen and help you make sense of what’s happening. It can be especially helpful when anxiety is tied up with something going on in your life. In Scotland, the COSCA register lists counsellors who meet its standards.

Hypnotherapy. Works with the automatic part of anxiety, the reactions that happen before you’ve had a chance to think. It’s often a good fit for people who already know their fear doesn’t make sense but can’t switch it off. The research is smaller than for CBT but encouraging, and I’ve summarised it in Does Hypnotherapy Work for Anxiety? An Honest Answer. Look for someone on the CNHC register.

EMDR. Mainly used for trauma. It can help when anxiety started after something frightening or overwhelming. I’ve written more about emotional and psychological trauma.

Medication. Your GP can talk to you about medication for anxiety. Some people use it alongside therapy, some on its own, and some not at all. It’s a decision to make with your doctor.

Private sessions in Glasgow usually cost somewhere between £50 and £100. I’ve written more about what hypnotherapy costs if that helps you compare.

How to choose

A few questions can help point you in the right direction:

• Have you tried CBT already? If it helped, it may be worth going back. If it didn’t, that’s very common and doesn’t mean nothing will work. I’ve written about what to do when CBT didn’t work for your anxiety and about hypnotherapy compared with CBT.
• Do you already know the fear doesn’t make sense? If logic isn’t the problem, an approach that works with the automatic response may suit you better than one that relies on thinking your way out.
• Did it start after something happened? If your anxiety began after a frightening or traumatic experience, ask about trauma focused approaches like EMDR.
• How soon do you need help? NHS waits vary. Private therapy can usually start within days.
• In person or online? Plenty of therapists in Glasgow, me included, work both ways.

Whatever you choose, check the therapist’s training and registration, and trust your sense of whether you feel comfortable with them. That relationship matters more than most people expect.

Where I fit in

I specialise in anxiety, and I work with people from across Glasgow at my practice in Carmyle, and online. I use hypnotherapy alongside other approaches, including EMDR, Brainspotting and NLP, depending on what you need. If you’re worrying mostly about your health, I’ve also written about health anxiety.

Most people see me for between two and four sessions, and sessions start from £70. The first step is always a free 20 minute consultation. If I don’t think I’m the right person to help, I’ll tell you, and point you towards someone who is.

Common questions