FAQs Counselling

• Who is it for?
• What is available?
• Is it a confidential Service?
• Is there a limit to confidentiality?
• How can counselling help me or someone I know?
• Who are the counsellors?
• Do I need a referral letter?

Who is it for?

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The National Counselling Service is provided free to adults over the age of 18. It is a service for anyone who has experienced any type of abuse before the age of 18. You may have been affected by more than one type of abuse.

What is available?

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Individual counselling involves meeting with the same Counsellor over a period of time (short, medium or long term).  You will be encouraged to talk about your experiences, thoughts, and feelings.  Your counsellor will assist in helping you understand your past and look at ways to improve upon your present and future life. 

Family members of those abused in institutional settings can access individual counselling also. 

Group work is available in some instances to clients of the service and may be either education or therapy focussed.

Is it a confidential Service? YES

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Yes. All personal information is treated in the strictest confidence. Counsellors and the Service overall has legal and ethical responsibilities in relation to confidentiality and record-keeping. Information about you or your attendance can only be given with your written consent.  You are free to discuss this with staff at any time or request our brochure on record-keeping.

Is there a limit to confidentiality? YES

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In extreme circumstances confidentiality might be broken without your consent, for example if a counsellor believes you might be at risk of seriously harming yourself or someone else.  Another example would include concern for a child and child protection procedures.  This information will be explained further at your first meeting.

How can counselling help me or someone I know?

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Counselling cannot alter your past, but it can help you make significant changes in how you cope with these experiences and your present life.  Breaking the silence about past abuse may take a leap of faith, but telling the right person can make a difference. 

If someone discloses past abuse to you, you can encourage them to access support by providing this information.

Who are the counsellors?

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All counsellors are health care professionals from clinical backgrounds such as nursing, social work, and psychology.  All have specialist training in the area of counselling and are committed to providing you with a quality service within a confidential and respectful environment.

Do I need a referral letter? NO

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The service encourages self-referral and the majority (almost two-thirds) of referrals to the National Counselling Service are from our clients directly.  

You can choose which centre you would like to attend for counselling and have the option of attending a different office or Health Service Executive area if you so choose.  

If you want to refer yourself or have any queries you can call the freephone number for your area. 

Alternatively, if you have been seeing another specialist who knows about your situation they can refer you by obtaining a referral form from any local office.