The Aware Counselling Service

A free talking therapy service

Aware provide’s psychological therapy, also called ‘talking therapies’ including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and counselling free of charge to people who are seeking support for mild to moderate depression and anxiety.

Who is this service for?

We offer talking therapies to people with mild to moderate depression and anxiety. The service is for people who are over 18 years old, living in Ireland and not having counselling anywhere else.

Please note, this service is not a crisis service and will not be suitable for you if you are at immediate or imminent risk to yourself or others. Please visit this page if you need urgent help.

Who is the programme aimed at?

Our programme is aimed at individuals, who reside in Ireland, who are experiencing mild to moderate depression, stress and/or anxiety and would like to learn new ways to deal with life’s challenges.

What we offer?

We offer up to 8 sessions of CBT or counselling, which can be accessed free of charge and without referral from a GP. These therapies can be in person or online. They are offered on a weekly basis at the same time each week. Each weekly session will last for 50 minutes.

How much will it cost?

The Aware Counselling Service is free of charge.

What are the opening hours of the Aware Counselling Service?

Appointments are available Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm. In some cases, evening appointments may be available on request, depending on therapist availability.

Please note that due to limited capacity in this new service, we may not always be able to accommodate specific days or times, and appointment slots can fill up quickly.

We currently offer sessions in Dublin, Cork, and online.

Are there waiting times?

Yes, there may be a waiting times, depending on demand and therapist availability at the time of your online self-referral. We do our best to offer appointments as soon as possible; however, waiting times can vary, particularly during busy periods.

If you are placed on a waiting list, we will support you in the meantime by recommending other Aware services that may be best suited to your needs during that period.

Please note that due to limited capacity in this new service, we may not always be able to accommodate specific days or times, and appointment slots can fill up quickly.

We currently offer sessions in Dublin, Cork, and online.

Is it confidential?

We keep all information confidential and private. We will let your GP/Psychiatrist/Mental Health team know you are accessing our service, but not necessarily what is discussed. We won’t contact your GP if you tell us not to. The exception to confidentiality is if we are concerned that you or someone else is at risk of serious harm. The Aware Counselling Service offers a space that is confidential within normal limits. If we are concerned about harm coming to you or someone else, including the potential risk of harm to a child(ren), we may need to share information to keep you safe. This will always be discussed with you first.

The Aware Counselling Team

The Aware Counselling Service is delivered by a skilled and compassionate team of counselling and clinical psychologists, psychotherapists and counsellors. The service is led by our Clinical Director and Director of Services, working closely with our operations team to maintain high standards of care and ensure that each client feels supported throughout their journey with Aware.

All mental health professionals working with Aware are professionally trained and fully accredited with the relevant professional bodies in Ireland. They all have a minimum of 5 years’ post-qualification experience, with many having several more years’ experience than this.

Together, our team is committed to providing compassionate, high-quality and accessible counselling service.

How do I get started?

To get started, please fill out the form below. Once we receive your information, we will send you the next steps, including the online self-referral form. If you are unable to refer yourself online, please call 01-6617211.

Frequently asked questions

Looking for more information? Download our FAQ’s

What to expect

Find out what you can expect at our Counselling Service

Contact us

For general queries, please get in touch at counselling@aware.ie, or call Aware’s head office on 01-6617211, and a member of our team will respond as soon as possible. Please note that our office hours are Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm.

If you’re expressing your interest in our services, please use the form above.

Are you a GP, healthcare professional, NGO, or community partner?

You can refer someone to our service by completing the referral form. Click the button below to get started.

Not sure if counselling is for you? We have lots more free support services and education programmes.

Want to invest in your mental health?

Whether you are living with depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder, supporting a loved one, or you are simply looking to learn more about your mental health and how to protect it – we have the programme for you. Our Resilience Programme, Living Well With Bipolar Disorder Programme, and Family Support Programme are open for registration at different times throughout the year.

Do you need support?

Don’t forget that we’re here for you.

If you’re experiencing depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety or other mood related conditions, or are concerned about a loved one, we can offer you a safe and accepting space to receive support, compassion and guidance.

All our support services are offered free of charge.

Supporting someone else?

If you are looking for information and resources to help you as you support a loved one who experiences depression, we have some helpful actions and options below.

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