About Us
The Division of Psychotherapy promotes two key objectives; the promotion of psychotherapy as a core discipline within psychology, and the unifying recognition of Chartered Members across all PSI Divisions who have pursued requisite training in psychotherapy, such that PSI can endorse them as having specialist expertise in the practice of psychotherapy.
PSI Division of Psychotherapy consists of psychologists who have pursued training in psychotherapy in addition to their psychology education and qualification. A key aim of the division is the promotion of psychotherapy as a core discipline within psychology. The Division provides an identity for those psychologists with specialist expertise in the area of psychotherapy. Psychologists who have pursued additional training in psychotherapy are acknowledged and formally recognised within their own professional body, rather than any external body, which has no representative function in relation to psychology. The Division of Psychologists specialising in Psychotherapy within PSI is in a position to represent its members at a national level in relation to all matters relating to the broader professional psychotherapy community incl. accreditation, training, and supervision. The Division encourages additional training among psychologists with an interest in this specialism.
A key purpose of the Division is to provide the public with a list of psychologists, the members of which are endorsed by the Society as having met certain criteria laid down by the Society. The establishment of the Division of Psychotherapy in PSI is in line with a European move to recognise the unique contribution which psychologists make to the practice of psychotherapy.
The Division is relatively new, having formed in 2017. We are gradually establishing ourselves as a voice for psychotherapists who are members of PSI. As of the 2021 AGM, the division has a membership of 74. Many of our members are also members of other divisions of PSI, in particular Counselling and Clinical, while others are only members of this division. It has a committee that meets regularly; addressing issues of relevance and organising events such as workshops and seminars. The division also holds an AGM at which there is a keynote speaker who is invited to give a presentation.
Contact Us: psychotherapy@psychologicalsociety.ie
Officers
Sile MacNeill
Treasurer and Events Coordinator
Elaine Smith
Correspondence Secretary
Damian Davy
Minutes Secretary
Eimear Russell
Membership Secretary
Clotilde O'Keeffe Lyons
Ordinary Member
Declan Aherne
Ordinary Member
Michelo Delmonte
Ordinary Member
Nicola Mitchell
Ordinary Member
Membership of the Division of Psychotherapy
The benefit of joining this division is that it provides you with an opportunity to exchange ideas and views with those who have had a similar training to yourself. It is a very welcoming and inclusive group that recognises the importance for psychotherapists within PSI to have a forum where their professional identity can be best expressed.
Applicants for membership of the Division of Psychotherapy may apply for one of two levels; Full Membership or Associate Membership.
Full Membership
This is available to Psychologists who:
- Are Chartered members of PSI
And
- Have completed a formal training course in psychotherapy over a minimum of 3 years (or equivalent), to have included a minimum of:
- 500 hours of supervised practice
- 150 hours of supervision
- 100 hours of personal development work in the form of psychotherapy
- 400 hours of theoretical and practical teaching and learning
Or
- Satisfy a grand-parenting route (open until 31 January 2023) for Chartered Psychologists who have not undertaken formal psychotherapy training but who meet training course criteria in the form of hours accumulated, through attendance and participation at workshops, seminars, supervised practice, and personal therapy.
Associate Membership
This is available to:
- Students on clinical or counselling psychology training programmes with an interest in psychotherapy
Or
- Graduate Members who are pursuing psychotherapy training
Or
- Non-Chartered PSI psychologists who would otherwise meet Full Membership criteria. Such applicants would be eligible for Full Membership at the point of becoming Chartered with PSI.
Or
- Psychotherapists who are Graduate Members of PSI and have completed formal psychotherapy training
Associate Members who wish to gain Full Membership of the Division will be guided on how to do this.
Please read the guidelines document and how to complete the Division of Psychotherapy membership application.