Mental health professionals

Mental health services use a multidisciplinary approach, which means that a number of different types of healthcare professionals offer their skills in a co-ordinated and complementary way. This page describes mental health professionals and what they do.

Read more about mental health services in Ireland on our website.

Access support from the HSE for your mental health.

Family doctor (GP)

Your GP is often the first person you will seek help from. They will assess the problem and may if necessary:

• Provide medication and monitor your condition, or
• Refer you to a specialist, for example, psychiatrist, psychologist or counsellor

Psychiatrist

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor that specialises in mental health. Psychiatrists are responsible for the medical care of psychiatric patients and can help you with your mental health using medication and counselling.

A psychiatrist usually works in a psychiatric hospital or unit or as part of a community care team but can also be part of a private practice.

In most cases, your GP will refer you to a psychiatrist if they think it is necessary or if you ask for a referral.

A psychiatrist will assess you to decide on the best treatment. This may involve treatment with medication or referral to a member of the mental health team. If a psychiatrist thinks it necessary, they may suggest that you be admitted to hospital.

Psychologist

A psychologist is trained in the study of human behaviour and tries to explain feelings, thoughts and behaviour.

Psychologists can assess and treat a wide range of psychological problems such as anxiety and depression. They can also help you examine the effects your illness is having on your life and ways you can cope with those effects. A psychologist will try to bring you closer to understanding your illness.

Within mental health, the psychologist usually works as a clinical, community or counselling psychologist. They do not prescribe medication unless they are also medically qualified.

The psychologist works in different ways such as group work, telephone consultations or one-to-one consultations.

Clinical psychologist

A clinical psychologist has a specialist qualification in mental health and works as part of the mental health team in a unit or hospital and are involved in assessment and counselling therapy.

A clinical psychologist may offer you family therapy, or a particular approach may be used for specific problems. For example, if you have a phobia, cognitive-behavioural approach therapy may be used. Referral is often through a GP or psychiatrist, but you may also self-refer.

Community psychologist

A community psychologist has a clinical qualification and works as part of a community-based team with professionals such as social workers, speech therapists and community welfare officers.

The community psychologist assesses and works with patients with a wide range of problems, including children with behavioural, educational and other difficulties.

Counselling psychologist

Counselling psychology, includes a broad range of methods that can help you improve their well-being, alleviate distress and maladjustment, resolve crises, and increase their ability to live more highly functioning lives.

Counselling psychologists work in many places such as, schools and colleges, industrial workplaces and health services.

Psychotherapist

Psychotherapy can be more in-depth than other forms of therapy. It suggests that the less aware you are of your motives, feelings and actions, the more they control you and the more you stay stuck in old patterns that may be harmful to you.

A psychotherapist can help you examine your subconscious thoughts. By making you aware of your unconscious motives, fears and feelings and dealing with them in order to get relief from your symptoms. Psychotherapists usually follow a long postgraduate training during which trainees must undergoing therapy.

Behavioural therapist

Behavioural therapy is based on the idea you can change what people do by teaching them to respond to things in a different way.

Behavioural therapy helps you control undesirable habits or irrational fears (phobias) and can be used in treating behavioural conditions such as eating disorders.

In many cases, behaviours can be learned or unlearned through basic conditioning techniques including:

• Aversive conditioning - unwanted habits are paired with unpleasant stimuli
• Systematic desensitisation - a stimulus that causes anxiety is paired with a pleasant one.

Some behavioural therapists may also be psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurses or social workers who have been trained to work in this area. While this therapy is often used to treat behaviour disorders, it may not be available in all regions.

Cognitive behavioural therapist

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) aims to reduce mental health problems, and behaviour by changing your behaviour and thinking patterns.

CBT professionals believe that changes in thinking can reduce distress and bring about a change in symptoms and behaviour. This change can happen by

• Practicing new behaviours, and
• Analysing thinking patterns.

Cognitive behavioural therapists may not all be psychologists or psychiatrists. You should check with your HSE Local Health Office to see if the service is available in your area.

There are different forms of counselling for a wide range of problems and many counsellors specialise in areas such as addiction or bereavement.

Counsellors do not judge you but attentively listen and respect you as the client. Counselling aims to help you take control of your own life. You can usually self-refer to counselling, although a GP, psychiatrist or trusted friend may be able to recommend someone suitable.

Some counsellors are qualified psychologists, but many are not. Those who are not may have a basic degree or training in other areas and/or relevant work experience (for example, teaching or nursing) plus a counselling qualification. These qualifications can vary from Master's degrees to short-term courses.

It is important to make sure you are happy with the training and qualifications of any counsellor that you choose. Counselling is often one session per week and can continue for a specific number of sessions or last longer, although this can vary.

Addiction counsellor

Addiction counsellors provide assessment, counselling, information and addiction treatment services for people suffering from alcohol, drugs and gambling addictions.

Before getting counselling for addiction, you must go through a detoxification programme, if necessary. You are then referred to the community-based addiction treatment service.

Individual and group counselling is often used, focusing on the consequences of your behaviour caused by the addiction. The main part of the treatment examines the triggering factors that lead to the development of the addiction.

Target goals are set to try and establish new patterns of healthy behaviour. An important part of the treatment is to involve a family member, who can help you achieve these targets. Addiction counselling lasts for an average of 6 to 8 weeks and is followed by an after-care service.

Read more about addiction treatment services on our website.

The HSE have information on how to give up or cut down if alcohol or drugs

You can also get support for changing your alcohol or drug use on the HSE website.

Psychiatric nurse

A psychiatric nurse plays a central role in the care of the psychiatric patient, both in a hospital setting and in the community.

They work within a psychiatric service as part of a health care team. They provide you with physical and psychological care and can also provide essential support and encouragement to your family. The psychiatric nurse's activities can include:

• Providing day patient care
• Organising detoxification programmes
• Educating student nurses and community groups
• Supporting and educating your family
• Providing group therapies, individual counselling
• Liaising with in-patient services, GPs, strategy and voluntary organisations
• Organising admissions to hospital and reception
• Making initial assessment of referrals from GPs

The community psychiatric nurse usually keeps contact with patients after they are discharged from hospital by calling to their homes and attending out-patients' clinics and day care centres.

Mental health social worker

Mental health social workers work as part of a team to provide counselling, information and coping strategies. Mental health social workers help to coordinate different services including health services, housing, social welfare and employment services.

Occupational therapist

Occupational therapists provide services if you have difficulty coping with everyday activities due to physical, psychological or developmental problems.

Occupational therapy aims to help you be as independent as possible. Treatment can include:

• Self-care
• Personal development
• Mobility and access
• Skills and training
• Home management
• Work preparation
• Stress management.

Find out more about occupational therapy for mental health on the HSE website.

Vocational supports trainer

Vocational training provides skills, knowledge and attitudes to help you start work, further training, education and self-employment.

You can usually be referred through a professional such as a psychiatrist, but you can also self-refer.

Some trainers are mental health professionals, such as psychiatric nurses, but others may not have specific medical training.

You can find out more about the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme on our website.

You do not have to pay to use the services of mental health professionals who work in the public health system.

If you decide to use private mental health services, the cost will vary. You should check with the health professional for more details.

Contact your GP to access to mental health professionals, both public and private. Some private counsellors, psychologists, etc. can be approached directly without a referral.

Find out more about accessing mental health services.

Get mental health supports on the HSE website.

You can find more about your rights as a psychiatric patient.