Counselling or psychotherapy: what's the difference in Ireland?
Counselling usually helps with one specific, current difficulty over a shorter time. Psychotherapy usually works with deeper or long-standing patterns and is more open-ended. In Ireland the two overlap, many therapists are trained in both, and neither title is protected by law yet, so check a therapist's training and professional body before you book.
This guide is about counselling and psychotherapy for adults in the Republic of Ireland. Rules and titles are different in Northern Ireland and Britain.
Key takeaways
- Counselling tends to focus on a current issue; psychotherapy tends to go deeper and run longer.
- Neither title is protected by law in Ireland yet, because CORU's registers have not opened.
- CORU has set minimum levels: counsellors NFQ Level 8, psychotherapists NFQ Level 9.
- Check any therapist in the IACP, IAHIP, ICP, PSI or FTAI directories before you book.
- Rosemary Chaney is IACP-accredited as a counsellor and psychotherapist, so you don't have to choose first.
What is the difference between counselling and psychotherapy?
Counselling usually focuses on a specific, current difficulty, such as a bereavement, a stressful period or a decision. Psychotherapy usually works with deeper patterns and more complex distress, and tends to be open-ended. The two overlap a great deal, and many people use the words to mean the same thing.
The HSE describes counselling as one type of talk therapy, and notes that some people use the word counselling to mean therapy in general (HSE, 2025). Either way, a counsellor will not usually tell you what to do. They help you work things out for yourself.
CORU, the state regulator that will register both professions, draws the line by depth and scope. Its standards describe entry-level counselling as work with mild to moderate difficulties and a clearly identified issue. Psychotherapy also covers severe and complex distress, and work that is more open-ended (CORU, 2025).
| Counselling | Psychotherapy | |
|---|---|---|
| Usual focus | A specific, current issue | Long-standing patterns, the past, and how you relate to yourself and others |
| Usual length | Often shorter, sometimes a set number of sessions | Often longer and open-ended |
| Difficulty covered at entry level (CORU) | Mild to moderate | Includes severe and complex distress |
| Planned minimum qualification (CORU) | NFQ Level 8 | NFQ Level 9 |
| Title protected by law in Ireland? | Not yet | Not yet |
Sources: CORU standards (2025) and HSE talk therapy guidance (2025).
Counselling usually works on one issue now; psychotherapy usually works on patterns that run deeper and longer.
| Point on the spectrum | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Counselling end | A specific, current issue; mild to moderate difficulty; often shorter | CORU, 2025; HSE, 2025 |
| The overlap | Work that starts focused and can go deeper; many therapists, including Rosemary, work across both | IACP; RC Psychotherapy |
| Psychotherapy end | Long-standing patterns; includes severe and complex distress; open-ended | CORU, 2025 |
| Minimum qualification markers | Counsellor NFQ Level 8; psychotherapist NFQ Level 9 | CORU, 2025 |
| Register status | Not open, no date set (November 2026) | CORU |
See how general counselling with Rosemary works in practice.
Is a counsellor the same as a psychotherapist in Ireland?
Not always, but often in practice. Many Irish therapists train in both, and the IACP accredits counsellors and psychotherapists together. Psychotherapy training is usually longer and deeper. The most reliable test is not the title on the door but the person's training, accreditation and supervision.
Training routes differ by professional body:
IACP (Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) has over 7,000 members (IACP). For applications since September 2024, accreditation needs training at NFQ Level 8 or above lasting at least four years, with 500 or more hours of class time and 50 hours of personal therapy. After qualifying, members complete 450 hours of client work, with one hour of supervision for every 10 client hours (IACP).
IAHIP (Irish Association of Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy) asks for at least four years of psychotherapy training at NFQ Level 9 after a three-year degree, 180 or more hours of personal therapy, 300 or more supervised client hours and 75 or more hours of supervision (IAHIP).
ICP (Irish Council for Psychotherapy) is the umbrella body for psychotherapy associations in Ireland.
So a psychotherapist has usually trained for longer. But a long-qualified, accredited counsellor may have more hours of experience than a newly qualified psychotherapist. That is why the questions you ask matter more than the label.
Are counsellors and psychotherapists regulated by CORU?
Not yet. CORU, Ireland's regulator for health and social care professionals, will register both professions, but as of November 2026 its counsellor and psychotherapist registers have not opened and no opening date has been set. Until they open, anyone can legally call themselves a counsellor or psychotherapist.
How regulation has moved so far:
2018.The Minister for Health signed the order to regulate counsellors and psychotherapists (Department of Health, 2018).
27 February 2019.CORU's Counsellors and Psychotherapists Registration Board was set up (CORU).
11 July 2025.The Board published its standards: counsellors will need at least NFQ Level 8 and psychotherapists at least NFQ Level 9. Course approval is due to start four years after publication, in 2029 (CORU, 2025).
Still to come.Approved courses, a code of professional conduct and registration bye-laws. The registers open only once a list of approved qualifications exists, and CORU says it cannot give a definite date (CORU).
When the registers open.People with at least two of the previous five years in practice get a two-year window to register. After that, only registered practitioners can use the titles (CORU).
October 2026.The IACP, which opposes setting psychotherapy at Level 9, complained to the European Commission and asked the Minister to pause the process. CORU says its approach complies with EU rules (Irish Examiner, 2026).
Until CORU opens its registers, anyone in Ireland can legally call themselves a counsellor or psychotherapist. For now, the professional bodies are your safeguard.
Do I need counselling or psychotherapy?
If one recent issue is on your mind and you want support to get through it, focused counselling is a good place to start. If the same patterns keep repeating, or the past still shapes your present, psychotherapy may suit you better. If you're unsure, start with one session; the work can deepen as you go.
Use the short guide below to think it through. It is not a test or a diagnosis, and nothing you choose is saved or sent.
What matters to you
Pick any statements that fit you. The comparison marks the points they touch, and the lists show the parts of this guide and the questions that go with them.
Not safe right now? Get urgent help today. Call 112 or 999, or Samaritans free on 116 123.
Nothing picked yet, so the full comparison and every suggested question are shown.
This is information to talk through with a therapist. It is not a recommendation or a diagnosis.
How the two usually differ
Counselling
Psychotherapy
- Usual focus
- Counselling: A specific, current issuePsychotherapy: Long-standing patterns, the past, and how you relate to yourself and others
- Usual length
- Counselling: Often shorter, sometimes a set number of sessionsPsychotherapy: Often longer and open-ended
- Difficulty covered at entry level (CORU)
- Counselling: Mild to moderatePsychotherapy: Includes severe and complex distress
- Planned minimum qualification (CORU)
- Counselling: NFQ Level 8Psychotherapy: NFQ Level 9
- Title protected by law in Ireland?
- Counselling: Not yetPsychotherapy: Not yet
Where they overlap
- The two overlap a great deal, and many people use the words to mean the same thing.
- Many Irish therapists train in both, and the IACP accredits counsellors and psychotherapists together.
- If you're unsure, start with one session; the work can deepen as you go.
- With Rosemary, a 50-minute session is €75 in Gorey or online and €85 in Dublin 7, whether the work is counselling or psychotherapy.
Parts of this guide
- What is the difference between counselling and psychotherapy?
Counselling usually focuses on a specific, current difficulty, such as a bereavement, a stressful period or a decision. Psychotherapy usually works with deeper patterns and more complex distress, and tends to be open-ended.
- Is a counsellor the same as a psychotherapist in Ireland?
Many Irish therapists train in both, and the IACP accredits counsellors and psychotherapists together. Psychotherapy training is usually longer and deeper.
- Are counsellors and psychotherapists regulated by CORU?
Until CORU opens its registers, anyone in Ireland can legally call themselves a counsellor or psychotherapist. For now, the professional bodies are your safeguard.
- How do I check a counsellor or psychotherapist is properly trained?
A good therapist answers plainly and explains fees, confidentiality and its limits at the start.
- How does Rosemary work with counselling and psychotherapy?
You don't need to know which you need before you start. The first session is for working out what would help, at your pace.
- How much does counselling or psychotherapy cost?
In Ireland, a private counsellor usually charges €60 to €100 a session, according to the HSE.
Questions you could ask a therapist
- What is your training?
- Are you accredited?
- Who supervises your work?
- Which professional body's directory can I find you in?
- How does confidentiality work, and when can it be broken?
- Can I have your fees and cancellation policy in writing?
What matters more than the label
The most reliable test is not the title on the door but the person's training, accreditation and supervision. Check training and accreditation, then notice how the first session feels.
| If most of your answers are… | A good starting point | What it usually looks like |
|---|---|---|
| One recent issue, wanting practical support | Focused counselling | Weekly sessions on one issue, reviewed as you go |
| Long-standing patterns, wanting to understand them | Psychotherapy | Regular sessions over months, at your pace |
| A mix, or not sure yet | Book a first session and decide together | One 50-minute session to talk about what would help |
| Not safe right now | Get urgent help today | Call 112 or 999, or Samaritans free on 116 123 |
With Rosemary you don't have to choose before you start. She works as both a counsellor and a psychotherapist, so the work can stay focused or go deeper as you need.
How do I check a counsellor or psychotherapist is properly trained?
Look the person up in their professional body's directory, then ask three questions before booking: what is your training, are you accredited, and who supervises your work? A good therapist answers plainly and explains fees, confidentiality and its limits at the start.
The HSE says counsellors you can trust will be registered with a professional organisation, and points to the IACP, IAHIP, ICP, PSI and FTAI directories (HSE, 2025).
A five-step check:
Search the directory of the body they name.
Ask about accreditation, not just membership. Accreditation means the body has checked their training and supervised practice.
Ask about supervision. Accredited therapists review their work with an experienced supervisor.
Ask how confidentiality works, and when it can be broken, for example if someone is at serious risk.
Get fees and the cancellation policy in writing before regular sessions begin.
Be cautious if a therapist can't name a professional body you can check, is vague about their training, or promises to fix things in a set number of sessions.
How does Rosemary work with counselling and psychotherapy?
Rosemary Chaney has been IACP-accredited as a counsellor and psychotherapist since 2005 and holds an MA in Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy. You don't need to know which you need before you start. The first session is for working out what would help, at your pace.
Rosemary takes time to understand what is happening before talking about what might help, and trusts each client's ability to find their own solutions. Some people come for a few focused sessions about one issue. Others continue for months to work on longer patterns. You review this together, and you can stop at any time.
Her training includes CBT, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy for trauma (Levels 1 and 2) and EMDR to the EMDR Europe standard (2022), so the work can be practical and focused, or deeper and longer. Sessions last 50 minutes: €75 at Bodhi, 14 Main Street, Gorey, or online, and €85 in Phibsborough, Dublin 7. Rosemary works with adults aged 18 and over, and no referral is needed.
How much does counselling or psychotherapy cost?
In Ireland, a private counsellor usually charges €60 to €100 a session, according to the HSE. With Rosemary, a 50-minute session is €75 in Gorey or online and €85 in Dublin 7, whether the work is counselling or psychotherapy. Free and low-cost options exist too.
The HSE puts private psychologists at €90 to €180 a session and low-cost services at €30 to €70 (HSE, 2025). For free options, insurance cover and tax rules, read how much counselling costs in Ireland, or see Rosemary's fees.
Terms used on this page
- Counselling
- is talk therapy that usually focuses on a specific, current difficulty.
- Psychotherapy
- is talk therapy that usually works more deeply with long-standing patterns, often over a longer time.
- CORU
- is Ireland's regulator for health and social care professionals. It will register counsellors and psychotherapists once its registers open.
- NFQ
- is Ireland's National Framework of Qualifications. Level 8 is honours degree level and Level 9 is master's level.
- Accreditation
- is a professional body's recognition that a therapist has met its training, supervised practice and ethics requirements.
- Clinical supervision
- is regular, confidential consultation where a therapist reviews their work with an experienced colleague.
- Integrative therapy
- draws on more than one approach to fit the person.
Frequently asked questions about counselling and psychotherapy
Is a psychotherapist better than a counsellor?
Not necessarily. Psychotherapists usually train for longer, and CORU's planned minimum is higher, at NFQ Level 9 rather than Level 8. But the right choice depends on what you need, the person's experience and how comfortable you feel with them. An experienced, accredited counsellor is the right fit for many difficulties. Check training and accreditation, then notice how the first session feels.
Is a psychotherapist more qualified than a counsellor?
Usually, on paper. CORU's standards set psychotherapy at NFQ Level 9 and counselling at Level 8, and bodies such as IAHIP require longer psychotherapy training. In practice, many Irish therapists are accredited as both. Ask any therapist about their training, their accrediting body and their supervision before you book a first session.
Does counselling fall under psychotherapy?
They overlap. The HSE describes counselling as a type of talk therapy, and many people use counselling and therapy to mean the same thing. Professional bodies such as the IACP accredit counsellors and psychotherapists together. The main differences are usually depth, length and the training behind the title.
Should I see a counsellor, a psychotherapist or a psychologist?
For most everyday difficulties, a counsellor or psychotherapist is a good place to start, and you can book directly. If you may need a formal assessment, a diagnosis or medication, talk to your GP first, who can refer you on. The HSE says a private psychologist usually costs €90 to €180 a session.
Can anyone call themselves a psychotherapist in Ireland?
Yes, for now. CORU's registers for counsellors and psychotherapists have not opened, so the titles are not yet protected by law. When the registers open, people already in practice get a two-year window to register, after which only registered practitioners can use the titles. Until then, check professional body directories.
How long does psychotherapy take?
There is no fixed length. Counselling for one issue can take a handful of sessions, while psychotherapy for long-standing patterns often runs for months. With Rosemary, you review progress together and can stop at any time. Weekly sessions are common at the start, and some people move to fortnightly as things settle.
Do I need a GP referral for counselling or psychotherapy?
No, not for private therapy. Adults can contact Rosemary directly by phone, email or the booking page. Some public services do need a referral: HSE Counselling in Primary Care, for example, usually needs a medical card and a referral from your GP or another health professional.
Does health insurance cover counselling or psychotherapy?
Some plans do. Many Irish health insurance plans pay part of each session, but the amount and the rules about which therapists qualify vary by plan. Vhi's HealthSteps plans, for example, pay only for therapists registered with the IACP, ICP or PSI. Check your own table of benefits before you start.
Still have a question? Call 087 458 0150 or email Info@RCpsychotherapy.ie.
Training and accreditation
- IACP-accredited counsellor and psychotherapist since 2005
- IACP-accredited supervisor since 2012
- MA in Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy (Clinical), Carlow Institute of Technology, 2021
- BSc in Counselling and Psychotherapy, PCI College, 2007
- Further training in EMDR (EMDR Europe standard, 2022)
- Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (Levels 1 and 2)
- CBT
Sources and further reading
- Opening of the registersCORU. Why no opening date is set yet.
- About the standards and criteriaCORU, 2025. The planned qualification levels and how CORU describes each profession.
- What does regulation mean for me?CORU. The two-year window and title protection.
- Update for education providersCORU, 2025. When course approval is due to start.
- Types of talk therapyHSE, 2025. How counselling and psychotherapy are described.
- Private therapyHSE, 2025. Typical fees and the directories to check.
- Accredited membershipIACP. What accreditation requires.
- Accreditation criteria, Bye-Law 16AIAHIP. Psychotherapy training requirements.
What happens when you book
- You choose Gorey, Dublin 7 or online, then a session type and a time.
- You give your name, email and phone number. Clients must be 18 or over.
- Your slot is held for 30 minutes and confirmed as soon as the card payment goes through.
- You receive a confirmation email with the session details.
- Cancellation needs 48 hours' notice in person, or 24 hours online.
- Prefer to ask first? Enquiries are usually answered within one working day.
Who RC Psychotherapy works with
RC Psychotherapy offers private outpatient counselling and psychotherapy for adults aged 18 and over. It is not a crisis or emergency service. Under-18s should see a therapist trained in adolescent psychotherapy.
If you need help now
- If you are in danger now, call 112 or 999, or go to your nearest emergency department.
- Samaritans: freephone 116 123, day or night.
- Pieta: freephone 1800 247 247, or text HELP to 51444 (standard rates).
- Text About It: text HELLO to 50808, free, 24/7.
- HSE YourMentalHealth information line: 1800 111 888 (information, not counselling).
This is general information, not a diagnosis or personal advice. If you're worried about your mental health, talk to your GP.