Psychotherapy has moved from the margins to the mainstream in Ireland. More people are turning to therapy to deal with anxiety, grief, trauma, relationship problems, and the everyday pressures of modern life. But as demand grows, so do the questions — especially around who is qualified to practice, how therapists are trained, and how the profession is regulated. 

On today’s podcast, Shane Beatty takes a close look at psychotherapy in Ireland: what it actually involves, how people become psychotherapists, and why new standards proposed by the health and social care regulator, Corú, have sparked concern across the profession. 

Corú says its proposed framework is designed to protect the public, setting minimum education and training requirements, and introducing statutory regulation for the first time. But leading professional bodies warn that key safeguards are being weakened — including clinical training hours and the long-standing requirement for trainee therapists to undergo personal therapy themselves. 

To explore what’s at stake, Shane is joined by psychotherapists Belinda Moller, chair of the Irish Council for Psychotherapy, and Mary Cullen. They explain how psychotherapy works, what clients should look for when choosing a therapist, and why many practitioners believe the proposed standards could have unintended consequences. 

You’ll also hear from Corú’s Claire O’Cleary, responding to those concerns and outlining the regulator’s thinking behind the new proposals. And as the debate intensifies, we ask: who ultimately decides how psychotherapy is regulated in Ireland — and does the Minister for Health need to step in? 

You can hear Claire O’Leary’s full interview on Alive and Kicking here: 

🔗 https://www.goloudplayer.com/episodes/coru-on-regulating-the-psychothe-ZGQ4N2ViYmI2NmE1ZmFhMDgxNTdiYzA0MDYxZTA1ODM=