Counselling in Ulster

Search for nearby therapists or counsellors by inputting your city, eircode, or a provider’s name into the search bar. From there, you can filter providers by the issues they treat, cost, insurance, gender, and other factors to find providers who are well-suited to your needs. To navigate between locations within the same country, enter a new city or eircode into the search bar.

Learn more about how to find a therapist

Most Counsellors and Psychotherapists listed in the directory are accredited members of the main professional associations, mainly the Irish Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP) and the Irish Council for Psychotherapy (ICP). Most Psychologists are accredited members of the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI).

Providers whose professional membership or primary credential has been verified by Psychology Today are signified by a “Verified” symbol. Given that professional memberships are not a statutory requirement in Ireland, certain qualified professionals or organisations may choose not to maintain such memberships despite possessing the necessary qualifications. They may be selectively included without the “Verified” seal.

Counsellors, psychotherapists and psychologists can all provide counselling or talking therapy and have credentials and supervised, practical experience that enable them to do so in Ireland. Psychologists have earned a doctoral degree in psychology and many are accredited members of the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI). Counsellors and Psychotherapists are not required to have a doctoral degree, but to belong to a professional organisation such as the IACP or ICP, they must complete a minimum of an NFQ Level 7 programme with 100 hours of clinical experience and a minimum of 450 hours of post-training clinical experience under clinical supervision.

The type of therapy best suited to a particular individual depends on several factors, including their primary reason for seeking therapy, their preferred timeline (some therapy types last for a set number of sessions, while others are open-ended), and their personality and preferences—some may prefer a more structured approach. For many individuals, multiple types of therapy could provide a good fit.

The cost of therapy depends on a number of variables, including location and the therapist’s experience and training. On average, a therapy session in Ireland could cost between €50 – €90 when seeing a counsellor and €75 - €120 or more when seeing a clinical psychologist. If you have private insurance, your plan may cover some if not all of your sessions. You should contact your insurance provider to determine if they provide coverage for therapy sessions and to determine what, if any, requirements they might have in order for your sessions to be covered, such as a referral from your GP or medical specialist.

Many therapists offer sliding scale payments, usually on a limited number of slots, which consists in an agreement between the therapist and a client to pay a reduced rate. Therapists who provide such arrangements often consider the client's income or ability to pay, but the extent of the discount is ultimately at the therapist's discretion. Furthermore, while group therapy may have different goals and benefits compared to individual therapy, it can be a more affordable solution to address certain types of issues.

If you are struggling to access therapy due to budget constraints, you could also consider public funded mental health services. The National Counselling Service (NCS) is a government-funded service that provides short to medium term counselling and psychotherapy for free to individuals who have experienced trauma or abuse. The service can be accessed by GP referral or self-referral.

Many therapists charge the same amount for online therapy as they do for in-person therapy—though clients may still find this cost-effective if it cuts down on their transportation costs. Health insurance plans often offer equivalent coverage for online and in-person therapy; indeed, in many places, they are legally required to do so. Text-based or on-demand therapy apps may be cheaper than traditional one-on-one psychotherapy; however, the practice may be less effective and is not likely to be covered by insurance.

Therapy conducted online can be just as effective as in-person therapy, as long as there is a strong alliance between the client and the therapist. To find a therapist who provides telehealth services to clients in your area, click “Online Therapy” on the directory homepage and search by your city or town or your eircode.

Therapists who are part of a professional organisation such as the IACP, the ICP, or PSI are bound by an ethical framework that requires them to uphold a confidentiality agreement. Confidentiality is a crucial part of the therapeutic relationship and only under specific circumstances, such as when there is the potential or known harm to the client or others or when a child is in danger, will a therapist be obligated to break the agreement. These exceptions to the confidentiality agreement are usually discussed during the initial consultation.