A mental health service offering therapy with no waiting lists has opened the UK’s first high street hub in Leeds.
Towards opened the hub this week, offering in-person and online sessions delivered by qualified and qualifying therapists with experience in adult, child and young people’s services.
The Leeds hub is the first of several planned across the UK in 2025 and 2026. The aim is to make therapy feel as accessible as a visit to the optician.
Therapists are being trained through the Towards Academy, a partnership with the University of Exeter’s Cedar Create team, which aims to tackle the UK’s chronic therapist shortage.
In 2022, the NHS estimated a shortfall of 2,000 therapists.
The Academy’s training programme, developed by Cedar, prioritises people with the right personal qualities over academic qualifications. It focuses on practical, in-person learning and provides financial support to trainees.
Professor Catherine Gallop, director of Cedar, said: “There is a critical shortage of therapists here in the UK with the NHS estimating in 2022 a shortfall of 2,000.
“Which is why we want to help bridge that gap by supporting Towards in training brand new therapists and upskilling those already working in the industry.
“At Cedar Create we will also be assessing the efficiency and effectiveness of the hubs themselves and consulting on how practices can be improved,.”
Cedar is an applied psychological practice centre of excellence and one of the UK’s largest providers of training in evidence-based psychological practice and therapies.
Dr Sarah Bateup, Towards chief clinical officer, said: “Quite simply there are not enough therapists to meet the needs of people who have common mental health problems.
“Additionally, we know that there is significant variance in the quality of therapy on offer. We want to do something about that.
“Our partnership with the University of Exeter gives the best chance of making a difference.”
Towards plans to open further high street hubs throughout 2025 and 2026, staffed by therapists trained through the Academy.
