Gestalt therapy from a rented room

Individual adults paying privately, with referrals from directories, GPs, other therapists and word of mouth.

A fee per session, minus room hire. Rooms booked only when you have clients keep costs flexible while your practice builds.

• Completed gestalt or psychotherapy training
• Deep listening and emotional steadiness
• Clear boundaries and careful record keeping
• Building relationships with local referrers

• Psychotherapy regulation can vary, so check what your professional body requires for registration and accreditation
• Professional indemnity and public liability insurance, and whether the room provider also requires cover
• Room hire costs continue even when clients cancel, so check notice terms and set a clear cancellation policy
• Data protection: check whether you need to pay the ICO data protection fee and how you store notes
• Building a regular client list can take months, so plan your finances accordingly

Startup costs are typically around £500 to £2,500, depending on insurance, how you hire the room and your marketing. This assumes you have completed an accredited gestalt or integrative training. Treat it as an estimate.

Monthly revenue is typically around £800 to £4,000, depending on how many private clients you see and how often. The estimate starts from about 8 hours a week. Building a regular client list can take months.

Check what your professional body requires for registration and accreditation, and your professional indemnity and public liability cover, including any the room provider requires. Also check room hire costs and notice terms for cancellations, plus the ICO data protection fee and how you store notes.