Aviva CBT and EMDR Therapist in London and Online

What Aviva covers for mental health

Aviva includes mental health cover on many of its health insurance plans, and its corporate schemes often carry more generous mental health benefits than individual policies. Cover typically works as an authorised block of sessions with a review before further sessions are approved.

Because entitlement varies so widely between an individual plan and an employer scheme, the figure that matters is the one Aviva gives you on the phone, not a number published on any therapist's website.

• Confirm whether talking therapy is on your plan
• Ask how many sessions the first authorisation covers
• Ask about the excess and whether it applies per claim
• Ask whether a GP referral is needed for your particular scheme

Aviva's mental health pathway

Aviva has moved much of its mental health support towards direct access, so that members can begin the process themselves rather than waiting for a GP appointment purely to generate a referral letter.

Where your scheme still requires a referral, that route remains open and I can work alongside the referring GP or psychiatrist on reports and continuity. Aviva will tell you which applies when you open the claim.

Why brief therapy makes your cover go further

Most private policies authorise a block of sessions and then ask the therapist for a report before approving any more. That structure suits how I work anyway. My training is in brief, focused models: Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, CBT, Brief Strategic Therapy, EMDR and Single Session Therapy.

The aim is not to fill the sessions your policy allows. It is to make the earliest ones count, so that you leave with something usable whether or not you come back. Some people get what they came for in one or two appointments. Others use the full authorised block. Both are normal outcomes, and neither is treated as a failure.

In practice this means a policy authorising a short initial block is rarely a problem. If more work is genuinely needed, I write the review report your insurer asks for.

If you would rather not involve your insurer

You do not have to use your policy. Some people prefer not to, because a claim creates a record with their insurer, because the excess is close to the cost of a session anyway, or because they want to keep the work entirely separate from anything an employer scheme can see.

Paying directly is straightforward and needs no authorisation, no referral letter and no diagnosis. You can see current fees on the pricing page, and a free introductory call is available either way.

Frequently asked questions about Aviva

Does Aviva cover therapy?

Many Aviva plans include cover for talking therapies, particularly corporate schemes, but it is not universal. Open a claim with Aviva by phone or through MyAviva before booking and they will confirm what your policy allows.

Can I do an Aviva self-referral for therapy?

On many Aviva schemes, yes. Aviva's mental health pathway is designed for direct member access. Some plans still require a GP referral, which Aviva will tell you when you open the claim.

Are online sessions covered by Aviva?

Remote sessions are generally treated the same as in-person appointments, and I see Aviva members across the UK online. Confirm this when Aviva authorises your claim.

How many sessions will Aviva approve?

Aviva usually authorises an initial block and reviews it before approving more, but the number depends on your policy. Ask when you get your authorisation reference. Where further sessions are justified, I provide the review report Aviva requires.

What if I need to cancel an appointment?

Let me know as early as you can and we will rearrange. Insurers do not generally reimburse sessions missed without notice, so late cancellations may fall to you under the cancellation terms rather than to Aviva.