History of family therapy in Ireland. 1. A bird's-eye view

This paper presents an overview of the history of family therapy in Ireland. Profiles of key figures in the development of family therapy in Ireland are contained in a companion paper. In Ireland family therapy is a small profession, with under 200 registered therapists. The Irish family therapy movement began in the mid-1970s. By 1980 the Family Therapy Network of Ireland in the Republic of Ireland and the Northern Ireland Branch of the UK Association Family therapy had been founded. At present there are three main family therapy training centres in Ireland: two in the south (the Mater Hospital, affiliated to University College Dublin and Clanwilliam Institute) and one in the north (at Queen’s University Belfast). These centres run professional family therapy training programmes accredited by national and European psychotherapy associations, with which family therapists register. Accredited professional family therapy programmes in Ireland are 4-year part-time courses culminating in masters level qualifications. A primary degree in medicine, nursing, psychology, social science or education is a prerequisite for entry. The curriculum includes academic tuition and research, clinical practice, and personal development. Family therapists in Ireland work in both private practice and the public health service. Most family therapists in the public sector are employed as social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists or nurses, and conduct family therapy as part of their broader professional roles. Couple therapy in Ireland is provided by family therapists, and also by voluntary couple counsellors based in networks of local centres, some of which were established by religiously affiliated organizations, without a formal connection to national family therapy associations. The three major future challenges for Irish family therapy are creating a research infrastructure, developing a career structure in the public health service, and introducing statutory registration.