Psychotherapy

Rootsrocker

Hi there
I am wondering if there is anyone out there who could help me with my query.
I am looking to train as a counsellor/ psychotherapist in the hse.
I am currently working as a nurse in a hse community hospital and looking to go on and do psychotherapy and stay within the hse. I have a masters degree from Germany in education where I studied early childhood education and counselling, more precise systemic therapy/ family therapy. It has been recognised by the national qualification authority as comparable to a masters degree. Now I would like to train as a counsellor and get funding through the hse and be taken on as a counsellor. Is that possible? If so how would I need to go on about it ?
I would appreciate any comments or advise and thank in advance.
Regards

dar100

I don't know a great deal about the HSE, but I'm almost sure that they will not let a person see clients unless they are fully qualified. I don't imagine they will fund your course of study either, maybe they will give you time off for college though. Someone actually working in the HSE may have better feedback for you and I may be off the mark with mine.

Your best bet to train as a counsellor giving your current academic background, would be a masters in C&P. You will most likely have to source your own clients on your own time though.

In fairness you are asking for a lot and from the HSE:)

Rootsrocker

Hi dar1000
Thanks for your comment and advice
Maybe there is a bit of misunderstanding there. I'm not asking the hse to pay me through my training. I am currently a hse employee. What I am looking for is a professional retraining within the hse. I know that the hse has funding available for professional development etc. for hse employees on a yearly basis and you can apply for it. What I need to know is what course I should ideally go for and whether somebody has done something similar as a hse employee. I know if the hse approves your application for funding then there always comes a commitment with it to stay with the hse, which I would like to do.
What I would like to do is professional development within the hse and with my academic background I think something in that direction would be ideal, considering I am a hse employee anyway.
Hope this clarifies my query a bit and helps to understand what I am aiming to do.
Thanking you

Jellyjelly

Hi Rootsrocker

I'm currently working within the HSE and studying part time, an MA is psychotherapy while I don't work within a therapeutic setting in my current day job within the HSE this is a career path that I have chosen. I applied for funding every year for the three years to no avail, my manager won't even give me study leave.

I wish you the best of luck with your application for funding and in your studies.

Regards

Jelly jelly

Ps I did apply to the HSE credit union, to the Betty Noone foundation and got some money back, every little helps

JuliusCaesar

There are quite a few mental health nurses who work in family therapy. Most would have trained through the Clanwilliam Institute. See if you can track down some Clinical Nurse Specialists (maybe through the National Nursing and Midwifery Board, or through your Director of Nursing) who can tell you how to do it.

innad

I worked for the HSE for over 8 years, did a masters part-time but ended up leaving because there was no way of transferring to a more suitable position, or of really utilising my new skills. As far as I know they won't retrain you. You can do training courses to help you do your current job better (e.g. health and safety training etc.), but I can't imagine that they have funding available to retrain staff. If you leave your current position, you will most likely not be replaced either, so your line manager may not approve retraining, even if it were available.

If you do a course in your own time you may be able to transfer to a new position once you're qualified, provided one is available and it is at the same grade as your current position. Otherwise you'll just be waiting for a job opening, and could well end up on a panel for years if the current OT/Social work/PT panels spread to other health professionals.

JuliusCaesar

Rootsrocker wrote: »

I am currently working as a nurse in a hse community hospital and looking to go on and do psychotherapy and stay within the hse.

JuliusCaesar wrote: »

There are quite a few mental health nurses .... See if you can track down some Clinical Nurse Specialists.

innad wrote: »

I worked for the HSE for over 8 years, did a masters part-time but ended up leaving because there was no way of transferring to a more suitable position, or of really utilising my new skills. As far as I know they won't retrain you.

Psychotherapy is a Clinical Specialism for Mental Health Nurses. It is not a new job, it is a speciality. Funding may, or may not be available to undertake courses.

innad

JuliusCaesar wrote: »

Psychotherapy is a Clinical Specialism for Mental Health Nurses. It is not a new job, it is a speciality. Funding may, or may not be available to undertake courses.

Sorry, I missed that the OP wanted to stay working as a MH nurse, I assumed they wanted to work as a Psychotherapist (not a nursing-specific profession imo). Crossed wires!

I would still be very surprised if there was any money available, but hopefully I'm wrong.

Edit: just as an example, I worked with several OTs who paid for their own AMPS training.