What we do
We work with individuals, couples and organisations to find a best-fit solution for various mental health needs, starting with an initial consultation to talk through the issues and think about what type of therapy would be most helpful.
Why choose us?
Choosing HTC enables you to access high quality individual or group therapy with a therapist committed to making therapy accessible to all.
Our charitable and not-for-profit business model means that clients who can afford therapy contribute directly to widening access to those who can least afford it.
Booking
As part of our aim of increasing access to high quality therapy, we provide in-depth initial consultations which can be booked instantly via this website. You don’t need to know anything about therapy before you begin and we guide you through the process.
What we do
We are a not-for-profit organisation providing counselling, talking therapies and coaching for individuals, couples, young people and local businesses who are seeking mental health and well-being support.
We are proud of our team of highly specialised and qualified therapists who have vast experience in dealing with a whole range of psychological and emotional issues. As a registered charity, we use any surplus generated from our mainstream work and fundraising activities to support individuals financially to enable them to access professional therapy that they would not otherwise be able to afford.
We operate an equal opportunities policy to ensure that therapy can be accessed by all members of our local community, and we welcome those from diverse backgrounds. We provide services in person, online and by telephone.
Our Vision
To make quality psychological therapies accessible to all.
Our Mission
To provide a wide choice of high-quality psychological therapies to all.
We are committed to meeting the needs of underrepresented or difficult-to-reach groups who find it harder to access therapeutic services. We are joined in our mission by our practitioner team and others who choose to work or volunteer for HTC and by our full fee-paying clients who, in using our services, are contributing financially to our charitable work.
Our Values
Integrity. Inclusivity. Compassion. Excellence.
Our Aims
- To create centres of clinical excellence that are informed by our commitment to inclusivity, the advancement of best practice and expertise in areas of specialism, including trauma-informed approaches.
- To help individuals in our communities improve their emotional well-being and quality of life by working with them to help them learn strategies to maintain their own mental wellness and to prevent relapse.
- To improve access with our no-cost and low-cost programs to ensure that people can receive appropriate, effective psychological therapies, regardless of their economic status.
- To reach out to those who because of their religion, race, class, sexual orientation, gender identity, political or economic status, or for other reasons, may find it more difficult to access services.
- To facilitate a practitioner learning community through the provision of clinical supervision, reflective practice and training opportunities.
- To involve service users, staff and other stakeholders in the development and improvement of our services.
- To grow and develop the HTC model to reach other communities in need.
Why choose us?
We would like to welcome you to Hastings Therapy Centre, where we prioritise making therapy inclusive and accessible to all.
We offer in-depth initial consultations in order to find the right therapy for your individual requirements and aim to match you with a suitable therapist within 2 weeks. You don’t need to know anything about therapy before you book, as we guide you through the process. Unlike other services, initial consultations can be booked instantly online with the aim of making therapy as available as possible.
Bespoke
At HTC, we aim to find the best therapy fit for you.
After your initial consultation with one of our experienced practitioners, we will consider your needs, preferences, budget and availability and make our recommendation. Whether that’s long term psychotherapy, short term solution-focused therapy, or coaching, our services are set up to help you find the approach that suits you best.
Inclusive
Therapy can make a huge difference to peoples’ lives and we believe it should be accessible for everyone, whatever your history, ethnicity, age, budget and however you identify.
Because we are a registered charity, our profits go directly towards providing low-cost therapy for those who would not otherwise be able to afford it. When you choose HTC you also choose the ethical alternative, supporting the wellbeing of residents in Hastings and Rother.
Professional
Our commitment to clinical excellence ensures that our practitioners are highly qualified and experienced.
We support the wellbeing and professional development of our practitioners by providing regular supervision and training, and we work in accordance with guidelines provided by the NHS, NICE, and professional associations including BACP and UKCP. All our practitioners work to the highest ethical standards.
Our story
Hastings Therapy Centre (HTC) is a growing social enterprise in the heart of Hastings offering mainstream and low-cost therapy services to the local community. It is part of our registered charity, Brighton Therapy Centre (BTC).
Hastings Therapy Centre has grown out of the success of Brighton Therapy Centre with the aim of making high quality and inclusive therapies available to all. We started in 2023 with three therapy rooms in the centre of Hastings where we offer a mix of mainstream and low-cost services. With the support of the community and external funding, we hope to grow to meet the needs of local people and look forward to working in partnership with other charities and services.
Hastings and its surrounding area has a rich history and vibrant culture making it a distinctive and much-loved place. However, we know that demand for mental health services in Hastings and Rother is high. The Chief Medical Officer’s 2021 annual report highlighted the substantially higher burden of physical and mental health conditions in coastal communities, and identified Hastings and Rye as the most deprived constituency in the county of Sussex. The region’s suicide and self-harm rates are significantly higher than the national average and it continues to be ranked within the most deprived 15% of the UK’s Index of Multiple Deprivation.
Sussex Health & Care report that 1 in 5 Hastings adults are estimated to have a common mental health disorder such as anxiety or depression. When we opened, it was also an official Home Office dispersal region for asylum seekers and refugees with about 120 occupying bed spaces in Hastings and another 200 between two contingency hotels in Eastbourne and Hastings. Many of these were experiencing severe mental illness as result of traumatic experiences. Despite the well evidenced need for mental health support there is a severe shortage of services in the area.
We are driven by charitable and ethical aims of improving access to mental health provision in this area. Our funding model can achieve this because in addition to charitable fundraising our not-for-profit business model means that money from our standard bookings by those who can afford therapy contributes directly to providing services for those in need who can least afford therapy. We want to provide higher levels of availability and better clinical outcomes than NHS services currently, and an ethical and inclusive alternative to private practice more widely.
Testimonials
"My therapist gave me the perfect combination of empathy, space to release and process trauma, and practical tools to use in everyday life. I feel transformed by the process, in ways that I never expected."
"My experience with therapy has built so much confidence and enabled me to enjoy every aspect of my life again. I was feeling really stressed and anxious when I began and now I am able to fully enjoy life again. It has been life changing."
"Drastically improved my ability to cope in a relatively short amount of time, and improved my perspective."