Frequently Asked Questions

My private therapy room is located in Glengarriff, Co. Cork. There is both off road private parking and free on road parking available. The building is at the edge of Glengarriff village on the Castletownbere road, it is quiet and private. There is a waiting room if you arrive before your appointment start time. There is also a toilet available if needed.

I also see clients one day a week from my therapy room in Lisheens House, Skibbereen, Co. Cork. There is on street parking outside the building and many car parks in the surrounds. The therapy room is off the reception area of Lisheen's House with access to a toilet if needed.

If you contact me we can discuss this. We can discuss what might be challenging you, what you want to do about it and if this is something that can be achieved through therapy. Every person has a unique life experience so different things work for different people at different times. This is something we can figure out together.

The answer is a resounding yes. This is very normal and experienced by nearly everyone before their first session. To organise and attend psychotherapy and counselling is a courageous thing to do for yourself. It takes bravery to acknowledge challenges and address them. Well done choosing to invest in yourself.

Acknowledge that how you are feeling before your first session is normal and it will soon pass once you have arrived for the session. I will do my very best to put you at ease and build a trusting and strong relationship together from the very first moment.

I am very conscious of how you may be feeling coming to your first session.

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Deciding to attend psychotherapy and counselling alone can be a nerve wracking decision that requires bravery. To show up for the first session can cause all sort of feelings, most commonly anxiety, nervousness or shame.

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I will greet you in my meeting room and we will then proceed to my warm, inviting and relaxing private therapy practice room. This is not a medical space or an office environment. It is a space in which we can sit together and work collaboratively. 

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The first session is a further exploration of what we would have discussed on the phone. It is also the opportunity for you to decide if we are the right fit. We will also discuss how therapy works, confidentiality and fees/cancellation policy.

By the end of the first session, if you decide to go ahead with further sessions, we will have an understanding of your challenges, how to work with them effectively and what you would like to be different for you and your life at the end of an agreed upon number of sessions.

Lastly, trust and safety in the therapeutic relationship between me and you is the most important and effective way to ensure therapy and counselling is successful. I will do my very best to put you at ease, build trust, hold a safe space and facilitate you to explore, grow and develop. You are the expert on your life and I will accompany you as you discover your resources and embrace change.

Individual psychotherapy and counselling is 1 hour long. Walk and talk psychotherapy and counselling is 1.5 hours long.

All sessions will always take place in a way that ensures you feel comfortable and safe. I am trained to facilitate and provide a space that is safe for you. If you need a break then you can take a break, after all, it is your therapy.

In person and online (1 Hour):

Individuals €65 

Walk and Talk (1.5 hours):

Individual €85

Payment must be made in full at the time of booking your session. 

Cancellation is free up to 72 hours before a booked session and your payment will be refunded in full.

Cancellation within 72 hours before a booked session is non-refundable.

Yes, we can have the session on Zoom instead. Please give at least 4 hours notice of this change.

We will discuss this in your first sessions to find the right therapy approach, or mix of approaches, to suit your individual challenges and needs. You may want to address thoughts, feeling or behaviours or all of these at once. Each person is unique and no therapy works for all. You can read about the therapy approaches I am trained in here. 

I am a pre-accredited member of the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP). My membership number is M14474. Therefore I adhere to the IACP Code of Ethics and Practice for Counsellors/Psychotherapists.

Unfortunately, I can not accept medical cards. 

You will have to contact your insurance company and provide them with my name, Leo Muckley, and my IACP pre-accredited membership number, M14474, to query if the sessions with me are covered. If your insurance company does not cover sessions with me then I can recommend alternative options if you want me to.

This is something that can only be answered by you and after a couple of sessions. Each individual is unique. We will explore this and agree together on the frequency of sessions but in general most people attend 6 to 8 sessions to experience change.

Psychotherapist and Counsellor

The words Counsellor and Psychotherapist are mostly used interchangeably. A Psychotherapist and Counsellor is a professional who has been trained to use therapeutic methods to help a client with their particular area of concern. In general, counselling is focused on immediate life stresses and how to deal with them. While psychotherapy is focused on in depth mental health challenges that may stem from childhood and might take a longer number of sessions to address. They will not diagnose or pathologise.

Psychologist 

A Psychologist has similar but different training to the Psychotherapist. This gives them the knowledge to recognise and flag possible neurological, learning, emotional or developmental issues which may need further exploration through a psychological assessment. They will diagnose and assess issues.

Psychiatrist
A Psychiatrist is a medical Doctor whose specialist area of practice is mental health. They concentrate on the biological and chemical side of a mental health concern and usually work in tandem with the client’s GP. The psychiatrist may prescribe medication if necessary, they may also call upon the expertise of a Psychotherapist or a psychologist if counselling is needed.