How much does counselling cost in ireland

Your first counselling session or two should give you a feel for the therapist – and help you judge if he or she is right for you (stock photo)

A rise in demand for private counselling means it can now take months to get an appointment with some private practitioners. This comes at a time when waiting lists for counselling through the public health system often run into the thousands – leaving many children and adults waiting more than a year for public counselling services.

For example, 212 children have been waiting for more than a year for an appointment with the State’s mental health service, the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). At the end of December, there were 2,327 children waiting for an appointment with CAMHS – a specialist clinical service for children who have moderate to severe mental health difficulties.

“Young adolescents could wait months or years to get treated [for mental health] in the public health system,” said Dermot Goode, health insurance expert with TotalHealthCover.ie.

Adults also usually face a wait for public counselling services. There were almost 1,300 adults on the waiting list for the National Counselling Service (NCS) at the end of December – with 344 of these on the waiting list for more than a year. The NCS was set up by the State to provide support to adults who experienced abuse when they were children.

Long waiting lists for counselling in the public system coupled with an increased awareness of – and willingness to address – mental health have led to a surge in demand for private counselling.

“The waiting lists for some private practices can be three to six months,” said Yvonne Tone, a cognitive behavioural therapist who runs her own private practice in Dublin and previously worked as a student counsellor. “Not all private practitioners have waiting lists – and if there is a waiting list, sometimes you can get a session earlier if there’s a cancellation.”

Furthermore, a private therapist can usually refer you elsewhere if he has a long waiting list. “There’s an increase in demand for counselling generally,” said Tone. “Young people are now more open to asking for help. The stigma around mental health has reduced – which is a good thing. People see looking for help as a sign of strength, as opposed to a sign of weakness.”

An increase in the number of people experiencing anxiety and depression is also likely to be behind the increased demand for therapy.

“Professionally in my practice, and from talking to other psychotherapists, there’s been an increase in demand for appointments over the last six months,” said Anne Colgan, chair of the Irish Council for Psychotherapy (ICP). “I have noticed an increase in anxiety [among clients] over the last year. There’s a high level of anxiety right across the board. I believe this is because people are always in ‘fight or flight’ mode – as a result of the ‘always-on’ nature of work these days and the extent to which people use social media.”

Costs

The total cost of private therapy could run into the thousands, depending on the number of sessions – and the type of therapy – you need.

You can expect to pay at least €50 an hour for private counselling – though prices vary and are often much higher. You could easily pay between €60 and €80 an hour for a one-to-one counselling or psychotherapy session in Dublin.

A family-counselling session – which typically involves a parent sitting in with their children – could cost around €100 an hour in Dublin.

Some therapies and therapists are more expensive than others. You could pay between €50 and €130 an hour for cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT – a therapy which works by helping you to understand that your thoughts and actions can affect the way you feel). A session of theraplay (play therapy which aims to strengthen the bond between a child and parent) could cost €200. Counselling can be cheaper outside Dublin and other big cities and towns – though availability of a nearby counsellor may be an issue in rural areas.

The amount of therapy you need will depend on how serious your mental health issue is.

You may need a weekly or monthly session for several months or more; or you may only need a few sessions. “Four to six sessions usually doesn’t work for counselling or psychotherapy because it often takes the client a while to build up a rapport with their therapist,” said Colgan. “If you have a teenager self-harming, they’ll need more than four sessions.”

Free counselling

You may be able to get free counselling through work if your company has signed up to an employee assistance programme (EAP). Furthermore, if you’re a member of a corporate private health insurance plan, your insurer may have an EAP in place which you can use. VHI’s EAP, for example, offers telephone counselling and up to six face-to-face counselling sessions.

There are limitations to EAPs though. “If you have a chronic condition and need treatment once a week, EAP usually won’t help you as it will only cover around six sessions,” said Goode.

“Also, if you’re already seeing a therapist for an existing problem, you usually can’t continue to see that therapist through the EAP – as the EAP will usually send you to a therapist on its panel.”

Counselling obtained through the public health system is usually free, though you may need a medical card to access some services.

For example, the HSE’s Counselling in Primary Care service is a free short-term counselling service for medical card holders who have mild to moderate mental health difficulties.

Jigsaw is a charity which offers free mental health supports for young people aged between 12 and 25. There is often free student counselling in schools and colleges – though waiting lists could be three months or more. There are also some low-cost counselling options available throughout the country, such as the Oasis Centre in Dublin, the Village Counselling Service in Tallaght and the counselling service offered by the Limerick Social Services Council centre.

Tax relief

Those paying for counselling should make sure to claim tax relief on their bills. You can claim back a fifth of your therapy bills in tax as long as your sessions qualify for relief. “Tax relief for counselling services would only qualify for relief where the person carrying out the treatment is a qualified practitioner or where a patient is referred by a practitioner for a diagnostic procedure,” said a spokesman for Revenue.

Choosing therapists

It is important to choose the right therapist when seeking counselling. “The counsellor should be experienced and accredited [with a reputable professional body],” said Tone. “Going with an accredited therapist means they have qualifications which have been verified – and that they are supervised. There are a lot of therapists who are qualified but not yet eligible for accreditation – as they need to have a certain number of clinical hours of supervision before they can get accredited. Such therapists may charge less as a result of that but the lower charge doesn’t mean that they’re not a good therapist.”

Some of the organisations which your counsellor could be accredited with include the ICP, Irish Association of Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy, Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, Psychological Society of Ireland, and the Family Therapy Association of Ireland. Each has a code of ethics which their accredited members must follow.

Getting a referral from a GP or another professional can also help you to choose the right therapist – as can a recommendation from a friend who has used a therapist before.

Be very careful if choosing a therapist for a young child or teenager.

“You should have a therapist who is trained in child and adolescent psychotherapy,” said Colgan. Ensure too that the therapist has plenty of experience working with children.

Your first counselling session or two should give you a feel for the therapist – and help you judge if he or she is right for you. It’s very important that you get on with your therapist, advised Colgan. “You need to feel safe with your therapist and not be getting therapy from someone you consider judgemental,” she said.

Don’t be afraid to change your counsellor if your therapy is not working out.

“It’s about getting the right fit,” said Tone. “If the fit doesn’t feel right after one or two sessions, you may need to see someone different.”

If you’re suffering from a mental health problem like depression or anxiety, or even if you’re just feeling a bit low, it’s really important that you seek help for this. Maybe this help is simply having a chat with a trusted family member or friend, but you may need some professional or medical help as well.

There is a common perception that care for mental health is expensive and can be difficult to access. It is true that there are some treatment options out there that are costly. However, there are plenty of free and low cost options out there, and some of these may be of massive help to you. Here are some options for looking after your mental health when money is an issue:

Pieta House

Pieta House provides therapy sessions to people who are in suicidal distress and people who are self-harming. They have 13 centres located all around Ireland.

What services do they provide?

Pieta House provides face-to-face therapy sessions to people in suicidal distress and those who engage in self-harm.

How to get in touch

What services do they provide?

What services do they provide?

GROW arranges meetings in which attendees learn a practical psychology of mental health, known as the GROW Program. Members provide mutual support in undertaking certain tasks that encourage a healthy change in thinking, behaviour and/or relationships.

You can join an online group or one of their face-to-face groups. They also provide a phone listening service by calling 1890 474 474.

How much does it cost?

GROW meetings are completely free of charge. Calls are charged at LoCall rates.

MyMind

MyMind is a counselling and therapy service based in Dublin, Cork and Limerick.

What services do they provide?

MyMind provide a wide range of counselling and therapy services, including cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness and psychoanalysis. They will help you decide which option is right for you. They offer face-to-face, online and over the phone sessions for young people across Ireland. You can book an appointment on the MyMind website. MyMind do not keep waiting lists so they generally have appointments available . If you are aged between 16 and 18 you will need your parents permission to have an appointment – they must set up the online account for your appointment. Their opening hours are Monday to Friday from 8am to 10pm and Saturday from 9am to 7pm.

How much does it cost?

How much do they charge?

This is a free service. For more information on attending CAMHS read our factsheet, Attending a CAMHS service.

Helplink.ie (Helplink Support Services)

Helplink.ie (Helplink Mental Health)

Helplink is a charity that provides counselling, information and education mental health services (for free or at low costs) online nationwide and internationally.

What services do they provide?

Helplink provides online low cost counselling services for young people and students nationwide, 7 days a week: 9AM to 9PM Monday to Friday & 12PM to 6PM on Saturdays and Sundays.

They also provide a free online counselling service for Irish citizens returning home or living abroad (aged 16+); also available 7 days a week. All their counsellors are Garda vetted, qualified (minimum level 8) and insured. They also provide an online platform with video and podcast libraries around the topics of mental health and emotional wellbeing called mindhacks.ie.

How much does it cost?

The discounted counselling appointment fee is €30 for young people (who aren’t employed or are only part-time employed), full-time students and for part-time counselling students. You will need to provide proof of your status (i.e. student card) to avail of this rate.

For young people under the age of 18, the appointment price is determined by which fee category your parents and/or guardians fall into.

The Irish abroad counselling service is free as is the platform with the video and podcast libraries.

College / School Counsellors

If you’re a student, there will be free counselling services at your school or college.

What services do they provide?

Generally, they will offer free a counselling service, that can help you cope with a range of issues, including depression, anxiety, or other mental illnesses. At college, sometimes there may be waiting lists for these, but if it’s an emergency, let them know, and they may be able to see you sooner.

How much do they charge?

These counselling services are nearly always free of charge to students.

Low cost counselling and therapy

Many counselling and therapy centres offer free or low cost services, depending on your financial situation. Find a therapist in your area on the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy website.

Medical cards and GP cards

It is worth noting that depending on your income or the income of your parent/guardian, you may be eligible a medical card or a GP card. Certain counselling services will provide free or reduced cost services if you hold a medical card.

If you are prescribed antidepressants or other medication, a medical card may also cover the cost of this. A GP card will not cover the cost of medication or counselling, but it will cover your GP visits, which can be a big help.