Frequently Asked Questions About Psychology in Glasgow

The easiest way to get started is to contact us via our contact form or by email. Tell us a little about what brings you to therapy, and we will help match you with the most suitable psychologist. You can also book a free 10-minute call with our Clinical Director, Dr Aisha Tariq, to discuss your needs. No GP referral is needed for private therapy.

No, you do not need a GP referral to access private therapy or assessments at Illuminated Thinking. You can self-refer by contacting us directly or booking a free 10-minute call with our Clinical Director. If your GP has recommended you seek psychological support, you are welcome to share any referral letters with us, but this is not required.

Fees vary by clinician, ranging from £70 to £150 per session. Assessment fees vary depending on the type of assessment. For example, our adult ADHD assessment is £900. We are transparent about fees from the outset, and your psychologist will discuss expected session numbers during your initial appointment. Some insurance providers cover our services, so please check with your insurer.

The length of therapy depends on the nature and complexity of your difficulties. Brief, focused interventions such as CBT for a specific anxiety problem may require 6–12 sessions. More complex or long-standing difficulties, such as those addressed through Schema Therapy or longer-term therapy, may benefit from 20–40+ sessions. Your psychologist will discuss an estimated timeframe with you and review progress regularly.

Clinical psychologists complete a minimum of six years of university training, including a three-year doctoral programme, and are regulated by the HCPC. This equips them to work with complex, severe, and co-occurring difficulties using multiple evidence-based models. Counsellors and therapists provide valuable support, often through person-centred or integrative approaches, but typically have shorter training and a different scope of practice. Read more on our about page.

Yes. We offer secure video therapy sessions with the same specialist psychologists who provide in-person therapy. Online therapy is available to clients across the UK and is supported by research as effective for many presentations, including anxiety, depression, and trauma (including EMDR).

Our psychologists are trained in multiple evidence-based approaches and select the most appropriate method based on your individual formulation. These include CBT, EMDR, ACT, Schema Therapy, Compassion-Focused Therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), DBT, and Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT). We take a blended approach rather than applying a single technique to every person.

The first session is an assessment appointment where your psychologist will ask about your current difficulties, relevant history, what you have tried before, and what you hope to achieve. This is a collaborative conversation, and you will not be pressured to disclose anything you are not ready to share. Your psychologist will begin to develop a formulation (an individualised understanding of your difficulties) and discuss a preliminary treatment plan.

Illuminated Thinking is based at Mearns Castle Golf Academy in Glasgow. Full directions are provided upon booking. We also offer online therapy via secure video for clients anywhere in the UK.

Yes. We provide adult ADHD assessments (£900), autism assessments (£1,300), and a combined ADHD and autism assessment (£1,850). All assessments follow NICE guidelines and are conducted by HCPC-registered clinical psychologists. You will receive a full written report with recommendations. See our assessments page for more details.

Yes. You can browse our team directory and request a specific psychologist. Alternatively, get in touch or book a free 10-minute call with our Clinical Director, and we can recommend the psychologist whose expertise best matches your needs.

If you are in immediate danger or experiencing a mental health crisis, please contact NHS 111, your GP, your local Crisis Team, call 999, or the Samaritans on 116 123. Illuminated Thinking is not a crisis service and cannot provide emergency support. If you are a current client experiencing a crisis between sessions, your psychologist will have discussed a safety plan with you.