Counselling and psychotherapy: is there an economic case for psychological interventions?

The terms counselling and psychotherapy refer to a wide spectrum of talking therapies aimed at supporting individuals with mental and physical health problems in order to promote their health and wellbeing. Clinical research has examined the impact of different therapeutic approaches on wellbeing, symptoms, functioning and quality of life. However, it is abundantly clear that another important dimension comes into play when many policy, practice and commissioning decisions are taken. This is the economic dimension. The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) therefore commissioned the authors to examine whether there is an economic case fr counselling and psychotherapy.