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
You can find contact details for your local centre on the Pieta House website. Simply call them to book an appointment.
You can also contact their free phone and text listening services at any hour of the day by phoning Freecall 1800 247 247 or you can simply text HELP to 51444.
How much does it cost?
Services with Pieta House are completely free of charge.
Childline
Childline is a free and confidential listening service for children and young people. You don’t need to be mentally ill or in distress to get in touch with Childline – even if you just want a chat, they are there to listen.
What services do they provide?
Childline provide phone, text and online listening services. You can contact Childline by phone on 1800 666 666, text by texting ‘Talk’ to 50101, or chat online. You can contact them 24 hours a day.
How much does it cost?
Childline is 100% free of charge.
Traveller Counselling Service
Traveller Counselling Service is a mental health service run specifically for Travellers. You can talk to them about depression, anxiety, bereavement, or other issues.
What services do they provide?
It is a face-to-face counselling service, located in Phibsborough, Dublin City Centre, Bray, Tallaght, Fingal, Clondalkin, and Tullamore. You can book an appointment by calling 086 308 1476. You can find out more on the Traveller Counselling Service website.
How much does it cost?
The Traveller Counselling Service is free of charge.
Samaritans
Samaritans is a listening service for anyone who is in distress or upset about something. You do not have to be suicidal or depressed to call Samaritans, although this is one of the things that they may help with.
What services do they provide?
They provide a 24 hour phone, text and e-mail listening service. You can contact them by telephone on 116 123, text them on 087 2 60 90 90 or e-mail them on [email protected].
How much does it cost?
In the Republic of Ireland, their phone and text service is completely free of charge. However, do be aware that if you are in the UK, there is a charge for their phone service.
Niteline
Niteline is a phone listening service, specifically for college students. It is run by and for the students of ITT, ITB, MU, NCAD, NCI, RCSI, TCD & UCD, and their affiliate colleges. You don’t have to be depressed or have a mental illness to call, but this is one of the things you may call about.
What services do they provide?
Niteline is a phone service. You can contact them by calling 1800 793 793. They are open every night of term between 9pm and 2:30am.
How much does it cost?
Calls to Niteline are free of charge.
Aware
Aware is a service for people affected by stress, depression, bipolar disorder and mood related conditions. You can contact them for support and further information on appropriate treatment.
What services do they provide?
Aware offers listening and information services on both telephone and email. You can contact them by telephone on 1800 80 48 48 (Monday to Sunday from 10am – 10pm) or via email on [email protected] (expect response within 24 hours).
They also provide free support groups that offer a chance to talk openly about depression and anxiety with others who may be going through similar experiences. You can find a list of your local support groups on the Aware website.
How much does it cost?
Aware’s e-mail and support group services are completely free of charge. Their phone service is charged at standard local and network rates.
Shine
Shine is a listening and information service for people suffering from depression or anxiety and their family members. You can contact them for further information on mental illness, or just for a listening ear.
What services do they provide?
You can receive e-mail counselling services by contacting [email protected] or by filling out the form found here. Shine aims to respond to emails within a 24 hour period between Monday and Friday (except bank holiday Mondays). All e-mails are answered by a trained psychotherapist.
How much does it cost?
Shine’s e-mail service is completely free of charge. Their phone service is charged at standard local and network rates.
Jigsaw
Jigsaw is a support service offered by Headstrong, a youth mental health organisation, for youth aged 12 to 25. They have 13 centres in different locations around the country. You can find your nearest Jigsaw centre on the Jigsaw website.
What services do they provide?
Jigsaw offers one-on-one support sessions, where you can get advice and support about your mental health. These sessions are confidential and non-judgemental and you can make an appointment through their website.
How much does it cost?
All Jigsaw services are free of charge.
GROW
GROW facilitates support meetings all over the country for people suffering with mental illness. They also provide meetings specifically for young adults.
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?
MyMind offers reduced rates for those over 18 who are students, unemployed people, and part-time employed people. Their rate for students and the unemployed is €20 per session, and their rate for part–time employees (up to 20 hours per week) is €30 per session. The regular fee, if you are in full-time employment or under 18 is €50 per session.
If you’re on a very limited budget, this may still seem quite expensive. However, as their website points out, they are significantly less expensive than the average counselling sessions.
Moodgym
Moodgym is an online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy programme that helps manage symptoms of depression and anxiety.
What services do they provide?
Moodgym provides a free online course in which you complete various exercises over an extended period of time, that aim to encourage positive thinking habits, improve overall mental health, and build up your ability to cope with upsetting or stressful situations.
How much do they charge?
Moodgym costs between €25-€30 ($39 AUD) for one year’s access.
NHS Inform
NHS Inform is a website that offers information and advice to anyone experiencing troublesome thoughts, feelings and actions.
What services do they provide?
NHS Inform provides various self-help guides covering conditions such as depression, anxiety, stress, panic and sleep problems.
How much do they charge?
NHS Inform is completely free of charge.
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
CAMHS treats young people up until the age of 16 or 18 if in full time education.
What services do they provide?
You have to be referred to CAMHS by your GP. They provide counselling, therapy, medication, speech and language therapy. Find their regional contact details on the HSE website.
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.
