Pre-Trial Therapy
If you’re a victim of a crime such as domestic abuse, getting through police investigations or attending a trial can be very stressful – so it's crucial to find a counsellor who’s proficient in this kind of work. Seeing a counsellor in this situation is sometimes called ‘pre-trial therapy’ or PTT – in practice, it’s just the same as regular therapy. But a counsellor who offers PTT also has considerable experience of working with abuse survivors; has a clear understanding of how to keep good confidential records; and knows how to liaise with legal professionals like the police.
New government guidelines in 2022 made therapy more accessible for victims of crime who are potential trial witnesses. Before 2022, accessing therapy as a trial witness could be difficult, because of assumptions that counselling might affect witness statements. Thankfully, the updated 2022 guidance acknowledges that therapy can be vital for crime survivors; and it also clarifies how any requests for data should be proportionate to the case, and what needs to happen when legal enquiry and therapy are both part of a person's life.
Pre-trial therapy applies to adults – women or men – who have survived abuse or exploitation; but it can also apply to survivors of other crimes.
Pre-trial therapy - the basics:
Therapy comes in all shapes and sizes – and my approach, called the Person Centred Model, is well-suited for pre-trial therapy. You decide what to talk about each session, and I do not try to sway your decisions; I don’t offer any diagnoses, coaching or advice. My aims are to listen and to understand. Therefore, this counselling approach is safer to use, if you are a victim of a crime that’s being investigated by police or if you’re a prosecution witness in a trial.
As a crime victim, you can choose to see a therapist before, during or after a trial. You decide with your therapist how therapy will happen and what it will be like. Legal professionals can’t instruct what you can or can’t talk about in sessions – that’s up to you, so you can get the support you need.
If you receive therapy before or during a trial, then the police may request access to some of your counsellor’s records to help with the criminal justice process. If this happens, you have choices – and I can talk you through this before it occurs, so you have a clear understanding of how your information is looked after, and what happens after a police request.
In a recent positive development, the Government said in 2026 they will support amendments to the new Victims & Prisoners Bill, which will mean police can only request counselling notes in exceptional circumstances.
As your counsellor, I can’t influence the outcome of a trial or investigation, and I have to comply with any court orders – but I am trained to do three things that may help you get through a legal process: I look after your data well; I keep my notes professional and objective; and I stay up-to-date with relevant legislation, so you can work out which records need to be shared and which don’t, and so you feel better-prepared for what’s ahead.
Where to get more help or information:
If you are a survivor of domestic abuse, or you are in an abusive situation right now, there is a wide range of specialist support available. Counselling is a good space to talk things through, and works well if you are also getting professional help and advice that tends to your urgent and practical needs.
I am based in the Bradford area, so I’m including this really useful link below – which takes you to the ‘Bradford District domestic abuse and sexual violence information’ website – this includes information about where to get help if you are a woman or a man experiencing abuse:
Useful contacts - Bradford DASV
For the rest of the UK, the link above contains info about national support organisations (or go to my FAQs page for a list of support agencies).
If you are interested in the 2022 CPS guidance about pre-trial therapy, a link to that document can be found here:
Pre-Trial Therapy | The Crown Prosecution Service
But if you would just like to hear a friendly voice and talk about being an abuse survivor or about pre-trial therapy, I will be glad to have a discussion either online or over the phone. There would be no charge for this confidential, initial conversation… and if all you need is to feel informed, and find out how to get help, and take some time to think about it – that’s fine by me. So feel free to give me a call or send me a message – I’m here and ready to listen. For my contact page, click HERE.
