As a qualified professional, I am trained to work closely with you to enable you to explore thoughts, beliefs, feelings and behaviours that may be affecting your life. Through counselling and psychotherapy, you are given the support and safety to explore, understand and often change these thoughts, beliefs, feelings and behaviours. The personal growth that can then take place can free you from the limitations of old patterns. This can allow more realistic and effective ways of improving the quality, contentment and satisfaction of your life to emerge.
You can benefit from counselling and psychotherapy at any stage in your life. However, it is more usual that you are likely to consider counselling when you are seeking to deal with changes, events or transitions in your life, or when you are facing a personal crisis.
The terms Counselling and Psychotherapy are often used interchangeably, but there is a difference. Counselling generally refers to a shorter term, solution focused consultation whilst Psychotherapy refers to a longer term and more in-depth exploration of issues.
Counselling typically deals with present issues that are resolved on the conscious level helping people to identify problems and crises and encourages them to take positive steps to resolve these issues. Clients are encouraged to identify behaviours and supported in making any desired changes. Counselling normally helps clients process powerful emotions such as grief and anger and deal with immediate causes of stress, depression and anxiety.
Psychotherapy is an evolutionary process that enables a person to look at long standing attitudes, thoughts, beliefs and behaviours that have resulted in the current quality of one’s life and relationships. It goes much deeper to uncover the root causes of problems, resulting in more dramatic changes in perspective regarding oneself, one’s life experience and the world in general. The focus is on the individuals thought processes and way of being in the world rather than specific problems.
Traditionally, Counselling & Psychotherapy work is undertaken face to face in a specific, quiet, comfortable and confidential setting. However, many people prefer to stay in a space that is familiar and comfortable for them. With this in mind, I also provide the option of distance therapy.
Simply contact me directly by phone (text or call) on 0872897299, via the contact page on this webpage or direct email to talk@lukedevlin.ie and we can have a brief chat about how therapy works and how it might be appropriate for you. It would be helpful if you could indicate the days and times you are available, and I will attempt to match your requirements as much as possible but please bear in mind that this might be subject to availability.
There really is no single answer to this as it will depend on what issues you are experiencing. During your first session we can have a discussion around your specific requirements and expectation’s, and you can either leave it open-ended or decide to fix on a number of sessions. Often it is agreed to work together for about 6 sessions and then review whether to continue further.
The length of a session varies slightly, but is between 50 and 60 minutes long, depending on the specific client requirement or desire.
The cost per session is €60. This can be paid in person or via Paypal.
Generally speaking, sessions are held on a weekly basis. This allows the relationship between the therapist and client to develop better as the therapy is regular and consistent. The client can also get a faster and deeper understanding of their experiences. In some cases, they may take place on a fortnightly basis by mutual agreement between client and therapist.
Counselling and psychotherapy is a totally confidential service in almost all situations. However, it is important to point out that in certain circumstances ethical and legal obligations must be considered, such as the Child Protection Act (protecting the rights and welfare of children and minors). The limitations on confidentiality will be fully explained and discussed with you in the first session.
In the event of the need to cancel a session I usually ask that you give me 24 hours-notice. If you are unable to cancel with less than the agreed period of notice you may be asked to pay a cancellation fee for the missed session which will be agreed upon at your first session.
Any Counsellor / Psychotherapist practicing on the island of Ireland needs to have completed a full, and accredited, professional training and be associates or accredited members of the main professional associations, mainly the Irish Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP), Irish Association of Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy (IAHIP), or the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI). Alongside this each professional is required to undertake monthly supervision with an accredited supervisor.
I am a fully accredited member of IACP and I have completed and achieved a first-class honours degree in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy followed by a Masters Degree in Pluralistic Counselling and Psychotherapy, both with The Institute of Integrative Counselling & Psychotherapy. I meet monthly with my supervisor who is fully accredited with IACP.
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