A guide to finding the right therapist in ireland

When you reach that difficult moment of emotional crisis when you decide to contact a psychologist, you will most likely look online. Confusion. You look at a confusing list of accreditation letters - ICP, IACP, PSI, IAHIP, FTAI to name a few - and you realize that there seem to be several methods - psychoanalytic psychotherapy, constructivist psychotherapy, couples and family therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and Integrative Humanistic Psychotherapy.

You may see the words "counseling" and "psychotherapy" and wonder what the difference is. With so many phone numbers and email addresses to work with, for the uninitiated, it's like entering a PIN on an online card and hoping the person in charge will be nice to you.

Finding a therapist is not like finding a dentist. Your friends always have a list of dentists, GPs, and personal trainers to contact. People tend not to discuss their therapists with each other, partly because of the ongoing stigma in Ireland and partly because of the deeply personal nature of the problem you're trying to solve.

Today, psychotherapy in Ireland has developed to a high standard, although there is no official state recognition of psychotherapists.  Many people suffer four or five years before they see a therapist and may be at the end of their relationship with sleep problems, anxiety, or anger.

Whatever the reasons for considering therapy, there is no doubt that people feel very vulnerable when they finally decide to take the plunge. can you ask a friend? That's a great idea, but you may not want to share your friend's psychotherapist. Your GP may have a psychotherapist or counseling psychologist, which can be a good place to start.

Finding a therapist may not be as easy as finding a family doctor, but it's a good idea to follow the same path. Are you comfortable with that person? Do they hear you on the phone? Are they friendly, clear, and attentive to the user (like trying to tell you what they're asking for)? are they around?

“Just as we choose doctors, we must allow ourselves to shop around until we find someone who fits us well,” advises Trish Murphy, psychotherapist and suffering aunt of The Irish Times. "It's not always easy, and a lot of people choose to stick with people they meet for the first time, and that often works out well."

Psychotherapists are trained to connect and care for people in distress. They work to relieve personal suffering and inspire change.

"The therapeutic relationship is very important and you need to be able to trust your therapist," says Yvonne Towne, a cognitive-behavioral therapist and one of five accredited "modalities." "It's about working with a therapist, working together to understand the problem like depression or anxiety that you want to work on.

In recent years, psychotherapy has focused on shorter, decision-based therapies that can help clients get through difficult times or make difficult decisions. However, some therapies may take longer.