About Counselling & Psychotherapy
What is Counselling and Psychotherapy?
Some parties separate the practice of Counselling from Psychotherapy, distinguishing the latter as vastly superior to the former, by nature of the duration of therapy, the issues engaged in, and the level of therapist training. However, the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP) does not differentiate between Counselling and Psychotherapy, and for the purposes of clarity and simplicity, both terms are used interchangeably within this website. It should also be noted that all of our practitioners are trained and fully qualified in both Counselling and Psychotherapy.
The terms Counselling and Psychotherapy allude to a process which takes place in a safe and non-judgemental space. Your therapist facilitates individuals (adults, adolescents, or children), and couples in constructively examining and exploring their current perspectives, options, and actions, regarding any issue impacting upon their quality of life.
Attending Counselling or Psychotherapy is sometimes misunderstood as going along to have something done to you, but nothing could be further from the truth! Research from every popular therapeutic orientation, outlines a successful working alliance between client and therapist, as the greatest single factor promoting positive change for the individual.
What is CBT?
Underpinning the cognitive model, are global core beliefs developed mostly from childhood experiences, determining perceptions of ourselves, the future, and the world around us (Beck’s Cognitive Triad). Our core beliefs underlie the attitudes, rules, and assumptions of our intermediary beliefs, and our top level situation-specific automatic thoughts, which ultimately dictate our emotional, behavioural, and physiological responses in any given environment (Mansell & Taylor 2012, pp. 11-12).
These systems interact not only with each other, but with social, familial, cultural and economic environments. The same problematic patterns tend to manifest in the same environments, giving rise to familiar but unwanted feelings of distress, fear, Anxiety, Panic, anger, Depression, and negativity.
CBT can enable a person to gain awareness over the nature and sequence of these patterns, allowing them to strategise, and actively reclaim control of what they are in control of, whilst letting go of what they are no longer, or perhaps never needed to be, in control of!
Our Approach
Under certain circumstances, we may elect to employ an Integrative-CBT approach. In other words, we believe the therapeutic benefits available to clients can sometimes be enhanced by integrating CBT, with timely and appropriate elements from a range of other orientations.
This holistic and integrative approach works by treating the whole person, not just a specific presenting problem. Beyond their basic structure, your sessions are very much about the two of us working together on agendas that you set for yourself. Therapy really is one of those processes, where the rewards and benefits available to your life, are largely dependent on your commitment and input. The work undertaken within sessions sets the ball rolling for gradual changes in perspective and action in the outside world.
An overview of the basics
- Sessions can be scheduled via our online booking system or over the phone.
- Sessions are approximately 50-55 minutes in duration.
- Clients set the agenda for what we can work upon together, but it is not our role to offer advice.
- Optimal therapeutic benefits are more accessible for those clients attending a weekly set appointment time.
- Our fees are as follows:
- Adult Therapy with Psychotherapist (55 mins) €90
- Child/Adolescent Therapy (11+ years) with Psychotherapist (45 minutes) €90
- Play Therapy €95
- Art Therapy €95
- Parent Consultation with Psychologist (1 hour) €160
- Child/Adolescent Therapy (11+ years) with Psychologist (45 mins) €120
- Adult Therapy with Psychologist (55 mins) €120
- Couples Therapy with Psychologist (60 mins) €130
- Mentoring Trainee Counsellors/Psychotherapists/Counselling Psychologists P.O.A
- NOTE: Aside from Play Therapy & Art Therapy, we facilitate both in person and online options for all categories of therapy listed above
- All fees are payable in advance. Appointments cancelled with less than 48 hours’ notice forfeit 50% of the fee. Appointments cancelled within the final 24 hours forfeit the entire fee.
- Clients frequently commit to six therapy sessions, although many clients choose to work with us over a far greater period of time.
- The content of sessions will almost always remain entirely confidential. However, compliant with the Children’s First 2015 legislation and IACP guidelines, there are a couple of exceptions or limitations to the confidentiality. These will be clearly outlined at the outset.
- Further specifics about the Counselling process can be found here.
Seeking and accepting support is a strength and not a weakness so please feel free to contact us to take the next step!
“Men are disturbed, not by things, but by the principles and notions which they form concerning things”. (Epictetus)