The PSI, Cumann Síceolaithe Éireann, is the learned and professional body for psychology and psychologists in the Republic of Ireland
The Psychological Society of Ireland
About The Psychological Society of Ireland
The Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI), Cumann Síceolaithe Éireann, is the learned and professional body representing circa 4,500 psychologists in the Republic of Ireland. Since its creation the members of the PSI have helped shape and develop psychology as a science in Ireland, and their work and commitment has given Irish psychology a voice and standing on not only the European but also the world stage.
The PSI is committed to maintaining the high standards of practice in psychology that have been set by its members since the founding of the Society and also to exploring new and innovative ways of furthering psychology as an applied science. The PSI is an independently governed, registered charity and our office is located in Dublin 8.
What Do We Do?
When the Psychological Society of Ireland was established its primary objective was the advancement of psychology as an applied science in Ireland and elsewhere. The PSI has helped cultivate a high standard of psychology in Ireland which is visible in both academic and professional settings. These high standards provide psychologists who study and work in Ireland with the qualifications and experience that is needed to gain membership with the PSI.
PSI aim to:
Advance and promote the discipline of psychology
Promote high standards of training and education for psychologists in Ireland
Promote high professional and ethical standards within the profession
Provide professional learning, development and networking opportunities
Sustain growth in PSI membership
Annual scientific and professional conferences
Public talks and media communications
Update members on psychology matters in Ireland
Join the PSI
Student Membership (€18/year) – If you are currently enrolled in a PSI Undergraduate/Conversion Course, you are eligible for student membership. Apply here.
Graduate Membership – See website for criteria, processing, and fees.
Chartered Membership – See website for criteria, processing, and fees.
Accredited Undergraduate and Postgraduate Courses
Click on the links below to explore a full list of fully accredited courses available in Ireland:
Completion of a PSI accredited undergraduate degree with a Second Class Honours or above or completion of a PSI accredited Psychology Conversion Course with an overall pass mark of 50 per cent confers eligibility for graduate membership with the Psychological Society of Ireland.
To become a Chartered Psychologist, a PSI Member must meet the following criteria:
Be a graduate member of PSI
AND
Hold a PSI accredited postgraduate qualification at master’s level in Psychology or equivalent and four years' experience, inclusive of any time spent on undertaking postgraduate qualification, OR
Hold a Research Doctorate Degree in psychology in which the thesis was clearly on a psychological topic and both the research supervisor and examiner were identifiable as psychologists - by PhD thesis only, OR
Hold a PSI accredited postgraduate qualification at Doctoral level, or equivalent.
Chartered members must renew their membership annually and be in good standing. They also commit to adhering to the PSI Code of Ethics, and continue to engage in their own continuing professional development every year.
PSI Membership Benefits
A primary objective of the PSI is to seek to ensure that the public is protected by upholding the highest professional standards in psychologists' education, training and work. To this end, PSI encourages all its eligible members to become Chartered Members of the Society.
For a full listing of upcoming events and to book online click here.
Blog
Blog posts from the Psychology Society of Ireland (PSI), including comments from PSI staff and members on emerging matters in the psychology discipline. Read Blogs here.
Find a Psychologist
This online directory is to help you find a psychologist who is recognised by the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) as being a Chartered Member of the Society. Click here to search.
Clinical Psychologists use psychological knowledge and techniques to address psychological problems and to help you cope with a wide range of problems such as depression, self-harm and interpersonal difficulties as well as psychosis.
Counselling Psychologists contribute to the personal well-being and interpersonal functioning of individuals across their life span. Working to promote well-being, alleviate distress and increase clients’ ability to live fully functioning, healthier lives.
Educational Psychologists investigate processes of learning and teaching, developing psychological principles and techniques applicable to educational problems.
Work and Organisational Psychologists apply the principles of psychology to human resources, administration, management, sales, and marketing problems in an organisation.
Health Psychologists apply psychological theory, methods and research to health, physical illness and health care. They are concerned with health promotion, health behaviour change, and psychological effects of physical ill-health.
Clinical Neuropsychologists aim to understand how the structure and function of the brain relate to specific psychological processes and behaviours and how we can use this information to help people with neurological and neurodevelopmental conditions.
Sports and Performance Psychologists apply psychological knowledge in sport settings to help athletes, coaches or sports teams reach higher levels of performance.
Research Psychologists study the way people think and act and uses their understanding to help people with difficulties to change their lives for the better.
Cal Mc Donagh is a clinical psychologist working in the HSE alongside a team of Primary Care staff who deals with mild-to-moderate psychological needs.
Hi, Ask me a question...
What were the main 'career decision' milestones in your life so far?
There are several pathways to studying Psychology beyond the traditional undergrad. I didn’t decide to become a Psychologist until I was a bit older and had already been to college and gotten a degree in a different subject.
I wanted to learn more about Psychology so I did a 2-year conversion HDip, which was accredited by the Psychological Society of Ireland, followed by a Masters in Applied Psychology. Next, I got work experience as an Assistant Psychologist, working with a qualified Senior Psychologist.
This gave me a better idea of the work Psychologists do and helped me to get onto a professional 3-year doctorate, which is necessary for qualifying as a Clinical Psychologist in Ireland. I worked as a ‘staff grade’ Psychologist for 3 years before becoming a Senior Psychologist.
Who are the people who most influenced your career direction?
I didn’t know any Psychologists personally, so I remember it being difficult to get reliable information at the start. When I started to work as an Assistant Psychologist, I was able to meet qualified Clinical Psychologists who gave me an insight into what the career involves and helped me to consider whether it was for me.
Not everyone who studies Psychology goes on to work as a Clinical, Counselling or Educational Psychologist; there is a wide range of career pathways. The Psychological Society of Ireland runs a mentoring programme for members at any stage of their career, but particularly students and early graduates of Psychology programmes.
How did you go about getting your current job?
I submitted an application form, with details of my qualifications and work experience, and was invited to an interview a few months later.
It was a competency-based interview and included questions about what I would do in a range of clinical scenarios working as a Senior Psychologist. The next stage of the recruitment process involved Garda vetting, qualification checks and occupational health checks.
Describe a typical day?
There is no typical day, but in a typical week I would see a range of clients, attend meetings, deliver supervision, try to keep up with admin, and spend time developing service initiatives and managing our waiting list.
I like to have my lunch with colleagues and go for a walk in the lovely park next to our Primary Care Centre. Sometimes I attend online meetings with the HSE LGBTQIA+ Staff Network over lunch.
What are the main tasks and responsibilities?
I work in a Primary Care team with Psychology Assistants and Trainee Psychologists. We work with people who have mild-to-moderate psychological needs in relation to difficulties like low mood and anxiety.
I work in a shared office with Primary Care administrators and clinicians from a range of other disciplines. A typical day could involve several appointments with service users for psychological therapy, assessment, or advice and consultation.
We keep detailed case notes, write psychological reports, and often work with other healthcare professionals, such as GPs. We also run therapy groups and psychoeducational talks in the local community. Senior Psychologists often give supervision to Psychology Assistants and Trainees; I really like this aspect of my role. I also attend my own supervision regularly.
What are the main challenges?
I feel very passionate about working as a Clinical Psychologist. There is a high level of demand for our services and, upon qualification, we carry a lot of responsibility in our roles. This means that self-care and work-life balance are key.
What do you like most?
It can be an honour to meet with clients and hear their stories. Psychologists have a lot of ideas and skills which can help people to understand themselves and make changes in their lives.
However, my clients are the experts of their own lives, and I get to learn so much by listening and paying attention.
Is there anything that isn't great?
Sometimes it can be frustrating to see misinformation about Psychology and mental health in the media!
What particular skills do you bring to your workplace?
One of my favourite skills, taught during Clinical Psychology training, is psychological formulation.
This involves the client and professional working together to make sense of any challenges the client is facing, propose working explanations for how they may have developed, and plan a way forward, drawing on psychological theories and concepts which feel relevant to the client’s situation.
What aspects of your education have proven most important for your job?
My doctorate in Clinical Psychology qualified me to work as a Clinical Psychologist, and my HDip in Psychology (conversion course) was necessary to get onto the doctorate (although most people do an accredited undergraduate degree instead).
It is important for Psychologists to have a good grasp of research, statistics and the scientific method and the HDip covered these things. I found my primary degree in English useful because it taught me critical thinking skills.
What have been the most rewarding events in your career so far?
The best thing about my career is that I have had the privilege of working with incredible clients.
What personal qualities do you have that helps you in your career?
I love working with people and that helps. I think that Psychologists have to try their best to be grounded, caring, curious, patient, encouraging, non-judgemental … the list goes on. We have to treat ourselves and others with compassion.
What is your dream job?
I would love to keep developing my skills as a Psychologist, delivering evidence-based psychological interventions, supervising future Psychologists, and helping to build services which are more trauma-informed and recovery-focused.
Does your job allow you to have a lifestyle you are happy with?
I work fulltime and find that my hours are similar to many of my non-Psychologist friends. Some of my Psychologist friends avail of parental leave or parttime contracts to make more space for family life.
I remember working very hard during my doctorate – often studying on evenings and weekends – and was happy to have more time to travel and pursue hobbies when I qualified: I started to learn Spanish! Pay scales for Psychologists in the public sector are publicly available.
Have you undertaken, or do you plan to undertake any further training as part of your job?
Applied Psychologists are trained to work within a reflective-scientific-practitioner model. We also have an ethical responsibility to work within our competency.
This means staying up-to-date with recent developments in the specific areas we are working in. Since qualifying as a Clinical Psychologist, I have done trainings in a range of therapeutic approaches and assessment tools, as well as supervisor training.
For example, I have done trainings in Compassion Focused Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing and Group Schema Therapy.