Based off Chorley New Road, the Psychotherapy Institute Clinic (PIC) aims to make long-term therapy more accessible.
The service is being promoted as part of World Mental Health Day on October 10.
The clinic currently has no waiting list and is offering 50-minute weekly sessions to adults aged 18 and over, with appointments available as early as next week.
Gemma, a UKCP-registered psychotherapist and the clinic’s co-ordinator, said: “We wanted to create a service where people could access longer-term psychotherapy without cost being such a significant barrier.
“Having the time to build a trusting therapeutic relationship and work at a pace that suits the individual can be incredibly valuable.
“We’re delighted to have opened the clinic and to be supporting people across Bolton.”
Clients begin with an initial assessment before being matched with a suitable therapist.
Therapy is delivered by trainee psychotherapists enrolled in a four-year training programme at the Psychotherapy Institute in Bolton.
All therapists are DBS-checked, professionally insured through the clinic, and work within a framework of regular clinical supervision, ethical practice and safeguarding.
Steph, one of the trainee psychotherapists, said: “I’ve seen the difference long-term psychotherapy can make.
“Having a consistent, safe, and confidential space each week gives you time to explore what’s happening beneath the surface, understand yourself more deeply, and begin to make meaningful, lasting change.
“That’s what the PIC offers.”
Currently, around 5,000 people in Greater Manchester are waiting for NHS therapy, with many waiting more than a month for a first appointment.
Self-referrals can be made directly through the clinic’s website.