Psychotherapists, Counsellors should indeed be regulated
Irish Medical News: Published 12th November 2007
Psychotherapists, Counsellors should indeed be regulated
The emerging consensus is that psychological therapies should be regarded as fundamental to mental health services at primary, secondary and tertiary care levels.
Psychotherapy in Ireland is regulated by the Irish Council for Psychotherapy. We have currently over 1,050 psychotherapists on our register, which can be accessed via our website, www.psychotherapycouncil.ie.
ICP standards are in line with the European Association of Psychotherapy, and accreditation as a psychotherapist generally requires at least seven years of training, a primary degree, a foundation year and three years part-time training in one of the psychotherapeutic disciplines. The total duration of the training for psychotherapists accredited with ICP is 3,200 hours, spread over a minimum of seven years.
There are five Modality Sections of the Irish Council for Psychotherapy: humanistic and integrative, cognitive behavioural, constructivist, systemic family therapy, and psychoanalytic. All sections have codes of ethics which oblige therapists to uphold a high standard of professional competence and personal conduct in their practice with their clients and each section also has a complaints and disciplinary procedure.
We are at present seeking to have our profession statutorily regulated and are currently working with other mainstream psychotherapy organisations on proposals in this regard which should be ready for submission to the Health Minister next month.
Ms Derval Ryan, Chairperson,
Irish Council for Psychotherapy,
Quinns Road,
Shankill,
Co Dublin