Therapy for Depression

Therapy that comes to you when getting out the door feels like too much. Talk to an accredited therapist by secure video, from home.

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Accredited therapists Fully confidential Evening & weekend times

Everything is confidentialWhat you say in a session stays in the session.

Secure video, Ireland-wideFrom wherever you feel comfortable, on any device.

No GP referral neededBook online in a couple of minutes.

Evening and weekend timesSessions that fit around work and family.

Depression has a way of putting the very thing that would help just out of reach. Getting dressed, ringing a clinic, sitting in a waiting room. If you have been meaning to sort something out for months and it keeps sliding to next week, that is the low mood doing what low mood does.

Online therapy means talking to a qualified therapist by secure video from wherever you feel comfortable, with no commute and no waiting room. It suits a lot of people. It does not suit everyone, and the right option depends on how you are doing and how safe you are right now. Worth being honest about that before you book anything.

How does online therapy for depression work?

Online therapy is counselling or psychotherapy with a trained, accountable professional, delivered by secure video, by phone, or sometimes through an approved messaging platform. It is not the same as a peer support forum, a wellness app, or an AI chatbot. There is a real person, with training and a professional body behind them, and a proper duty of care.

Stage	What usually happens
Choosing	You pick a therapist from their profiles, or ask to be matched
Enquiry or assessment	A short form or first session covering what is going on and what you want from it
Getting matched	You are paired with someone whose experience fits, and you can say if it is not working
Regular sessions	Typically 50 minutes, weekly or fortnightly, at a time that suits you

Between sessions there may be something small to try: a thought record, a mood diary, one activity you have been putting off. Nothing heavy. Some services also allow secure messages between appointments.

One distinction that confuses people. A therapist does the talking work. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who can assess whether medication would help and prescribe it. Some people do one, some do both, and your GP is normally the way in to the medical side.

Is online therapy suitable for my depression?

It tends to work well for mild to moderate depression, for low mood that has quietly settled in over months, and for depression sitting alongside something else: anxiety, grief, a relationship that has gone flat, burnout after a long stretch of work.

You can attend from home, which matters when leaving the house is the hardest part of the day
Evening and weekend times make it easier to keep going when energy is low
No travel, and no local waiting list, wherever in Ireland you live
Continuity if you move, travel for work, or have a mobility or health issue

Suitability depends on how severe things are, whether you are safe, whether you have somewhere private to talk, and whether you would rather be in a room with someone. Age matters too, since teenagers need a service set up for young people, or a therapist who has done specific training in working with adolescents and teeagers. If you are unsure what you are dealing with, or whether you are depressed at all, your GP or another qualified mental health professional can help you work that out. The HSE mental health pages are a reasonable starting point.

Not sure if this is the right fit?

A first session is just a conversation.

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Which online therapies work for depression?

Cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT, is the most researched. It looks at the thinking patterns that keep low mood going, the way one bad day becomes proof that everything is going wrong, and at the withdrawing and avoiding that follows. Less is done, less feels possible, and the cycle tightens.

Approach	What it focuses on
CBT	Thought patterns, avoidance, practical tools between sessions
Behavioural activation	Rebuilding activity in small, manageable steps
Interpersonal therapy	Relationships, roles and losses that feed the low mood
Mindfulness-based work	Noticing thoughts without being dragged along by them
Integrative counselling	Drawing on several approaches, guided by what you bring

Research generally finds that therapist-led online therapy reduces depression, particularly where the work is structured and follows a recognised model. Outcomes can be comparable to meeting face to face for many people, though preference, clinical need and the relationship you build with your therapist all matter, and remote delivery is included among the treatment options in NICE’s depression guideline for adults. Mood trackers and self-help apps can sit alongside therapy and help you notice patterns. They are not the same thing as therapy, and no app carries a duty of care towards you.

How can I find a qualified online therapist in Ireland?

Accreditation is the single most useful filter. Look for registration with IACP, IAHIP, or, for psychologists, the Psychological Society of Ireland. Statutory regulation of counsellors and psychotherapists is being introduced through CORU, so it is worth checking the current position there too. You do not need a GP letter to book counselling privately.

Their experience with depression specifically, and any training in working online
Approach, session format, availability and which age groups they see
Fees, cancellation terms, and what happens if you need support between sessions
How confidentiality works, and the limits on it where there is a risk to you or someone else
Whether the platform is encrypted, how notes are stored, and whether there is a clear privacy notice

All of that should be explained to you before the work starts, not afterwards. Under GDPR you are entitled to know what is held about you and why, and the Data Protection Commission sets out those rights.

How much does online therapy for depression cost in Ireland?

Private fees vary by therapist, qualification and session length. Commonly advertised rates sit somewhere around €60 to €110 for a 50 minute session, so treat that as a guide rather than a fixed price and ask directly. The fee for each therapist at OnlineTherapyWorks.ie is shown clearly on their profile.

Route	What to expect
Private session	Roughly €60 to €110, booked directly, no referral needed
Reduced fee or trainee clinic	Lower rates, limited places, often a waiting list
Employee assistance programme	Usually free to you, a short block of sessions through your employer
Private health insurance	Some plans reimburse part of the fee for approved practitioners
HSE routes	Free, with eligibility criteria and waiting times

On the public side, your GP can refer you into HSE counselling and mental health services, and the HSE has at times offered free guided online CBT programmes. What is open changes, so check the current position with your GP or on the HSE site, and see Citizens Information for how referrals and medical card entitlements work. Before you commit, ask what the fee includes and whether there are assessment, missed session or subscription charges.

When is online therapy not the right option?

There are situations where a video call is simply not enough support. If you are in crisis, if thoughts of suicide or self-harm are pressing, if you cannot manage day to day basics, if you are experiencing psychosis, or if you need several professionals working together, you need an in-person assessment rather than a weekly appointment.

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, ring 112 or 999, or go to your nearest emergency department.

If things are severe, getting worse quickly, or affecting your safety, contact your GP, an out of hours GP service, or your local mental health service for an assessment. These supports can help in the meantime, though none of them replaces emergency care:

Samaritans, free on 116 123, any hour of the day or night
Pieta, freephone 1800 247 247, for suicidal distress and self-harm
Text About It, text HELLO to 50808, free 24/7 text support

Frequently asked questions

What happens during my first online therapy session?

Mostly talking and listening. Your therapist will ask what brought you, how long it has been going on, how you are sleeping and eating, and what you would like to be different. They will cover confidentiality and its limits. You do not have to have it all worked out beforehand, and you can say if a question is too much for a first meeting.

Can I choose my therapist and switch if they are not the right fit?

Yes. You can read profiles and pick someone yourself, or ask to be matched. If after a few sessions it does not feel right, say so. A good therapist will not take it personally and will help you find someone who suits you better. Fit matters more than most people realise.

What technology and level of privacy do I need for online sessions?

A phone, tablet or laptop with a camera, a reasonable internet connection, and a link that arrives by email. Nothing to install. For privacy, a room with a door is ideal, headphones help a lot, and plenty of people take their session from a parked car when the house is full.

How can I take the next step?

Start by deciding which route fits: private therapy you can book yourself, an HSE service through your GP, or a conversation with your GP first if you are not sure what you are dealing with.

Check the therapist is accredited with a recognised Irish body
Book an initial session and ask about approach, confidentiality, fees and availability
Give it a few sessions before judging whether it is working

If the first therapist or the online format does not suit you, changing is a reasonable thing to do, not a failure. Booking takes a couple of minutes, evening and weekend times are available, and you can start whenever you feel ready.