Heather Gillin is an experienced psychoanalytic psychotherapist with over 20 years of clinical experience. She offers online individual therapy, couples therapy, family and child therapy, and psychedelic integration sessions. She holds a Master's Degree in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy and is accredited by both APPI (Association for Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy in Ireland) and ICP (Irish Council for Psychotherapy). Sessions are held online and are available to clients wherever they are located. Learn more at www.heathergillin.ie.
Psychoanalytic psychotherapy goes deeper than traditional counselling. Rather than focusing solely on surface-level symptoms or coping strategies, it explores the unconscious patterns, early relational experiences, and inner conflicts that shape how we think, feel, and behave. Heather Gillin uses this approach to help clients understand the root causes of their distress — not just manage it. It is a slower, more exploratory process that supports lasting change rather than short-term relief. www.heathergillin.ie.
When searching for an online therapist in Ireland, it's important to look for someone who is accredited by a recognised professional body such as APPI or ICP. Heather Gillin is a member of both and has over 20 years of clinical experience. She offers online sessions to clients across Ireland and internationally. You can book a session directly at www.heathergillin.ie/bookings.
A qualified psychotherapist in Ireland should hold relevant academic qualifications (such as a Master's in Psychotherapy or Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy) and be registered with a professional body such as ICP (Irish Council for Psychotherapy) or APPI. Heather Gillin holds a Master's Degree in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, a Higher Diploma in Psychotherapy, and additional certifications in NLP and psychedelic practitioner training. She abides by the ethical guidelines of both APPI and ICP.
Yes. Online therapy is now widely recognised as equally effective to in-person sessions for most issues. Heather Gillin offers online psychoanalytic psychotherapy sessions via video call, allowing clients to access high-quality, accredited therapy from the comfort and privacy of their own home regardless of where they are based. Visit www.heathergillin.ie to find out more.
Psychotherapy can help with a wide range of emotional, relational, and psychological challenges including anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, trauma, relationship difficulties, grief and loss, life transitions, identity issues, and a persistent sense of feeling stuck or unfulfilled. Heather Gillin works with individuals, couples, and families, tailoring each therapeutic relationship to the client's unique needs and goals.
Yes, this is one of the most common reasons people seek psychotherapy. You don't need to have a diagnosis or a clear presenting problem to benefit from therapy. Heather Gillin's psychoanalytic approach is particularly suited to those who sense there is something deeper at work such as, a recurring pattern, a feeling of emptiness, or a sense that life isn't quite matching who they know themselves to be. Therapy creates space to explore what lies beneath the surface.
You can book a therapy session directly through the bookings page at www.heathergillin.ie/bookings, or contact Heather at info@heathergillin.ie or +353 87 691 7665.
The length of therapy varies depending on what you're working on. Psychoanalytic psychotherapy is generally an open-ended process, some clients work for several months, others for longer, depending on the depth and nature of what they're exploring. Heather Gillin will discuss your goals and expectations at the outset and assess progress collaboratively with each client.
Yes. All sessions with Heather Gillin are strictly confidential, in accordance with the ethical guidelines of APPI and ICP. Confidentiality is a cornerstone of the therapeutic relationship, and any exceptions (such as a serious risk of harm) would always be discussed with you first wherever possible.
Heather Gillin offers individual psychotherapy sessions at competitive rates for accredited psychoanalytic psychotherapy in Ireland. Fees are discussed directly during an initial consultation, allowing for a transparent conversation about what works for you. To enquire about current session fees, contact Heather at info@heathergillin.ie or visit www.heathergillin.ie/bookings.
Many private health insurance providers in Ireland, including VHI, Laya Healthcare, and Irish Life Health, offer partial reimbursement for sessions with accredited psychotherapists under qualifying plans. As an ICP-accredited psychotherapist, Heather Gillin's sessions may be eligible for reimbursement depending on your specific policy. It is always worth contacting your insurer directly to confirm your entitlements before beginning. You may also be entitled to claim tax relief on therapy fees through Revenue's Health Expenses scheme (Med 1 / Form 12), which can reduce the effective cost of sessions by 20%. Visit www.heathergillin.ie to find out more.
The first session is an opportunity to meet, talk, and begin to get a sense of whether therapy and this particular therapeutic relationship feels right for you. Heather will invite you to share what has brought you to therapy at this point, and will listen carefully without pressure or judgement. You don't need to have everything figured out before you arrive. Many people come to their first session with only a vague sense that something needs to change, that is more than enough to begin. There is no obligation to continue after an initial session, and Heather will always take time to answer any questions you have about the process.
Most clients begin with weekly sessions, which provides enough continuity to build the therapeutic relationship and allow the work to develop meaningfully. Some clients choose to attend twice weekly as the work deepens. Heather will discuss frequency with you at the outset, and this can always be reviewed as your circumstances or needs change. What matters most is finding a rhythm that is sustainable and that genuinely supports the work you are doing.
Yes. Anxiety is one of the most common reasons people seek psychotherapy, and psychoanalytic psychotherapy is particularly well-suited to it. Rather than focusing only on managing anxiety symptoms in the moment, the psychoanalytic approach explores what the anxiety may be expressing, the underlying fears, conflicts, or relational patterns that are driving it. Many clients find that as these deeper sources are understood and worked through, anxiety loses much of its grip. Heather Gillin works with anxiety across a wide range of presentations, from generalised worry and panic to social anxiety and anxiety in relationships. Visit www.heathergillin.ie to find out more.
Yes. Depression, whether experienced as persistent low mood, flatness, loss of meaning, or a sense of going through the motions, responds well to psychoanalytic psychotherapy. The approach works not just to alleviate symptoms but to understand what has led to them: the losses, disappointments, or ways of relating to oneself and others that may have contributed over time. Heather Gillin has extensive experience working with depression, and approaches it with both clinical care and genuine relational warmth. To begin a conversation about whether therapy might help, visit www.heathergillin.ie/bookings.
Therapy and coaching serve different purposes. Coaching tends to focus on goals, performance, and forward movement. Therapy, particularly psychoanalytic psychotherapy, explores the deeper psychological patterns, relational histories, and emotional blocks that may be limiting you. If you find yourself repeating the same patterns in relationships, struggling with emotions you can't explain, or feeling disconnected from yourself, therapy is likely the more appropriate path. Heather Gillin also holds a Diploma from the Irish Coaching Institute, giving her an integrated perspective across both disciplines.
The therapeutic relationship itself is one of the most significant factors in whether therapy helps, research consistently supports this. It is entirely reasonable to have an initial consultation before committing, and to pay attention to how you feel during and after that first meeting: whether you felt heard, whether the therapist's way of working resonates, and whether something in you feels ready to return. Heather offers an initial session precisely for this reason. You are not committing to a long process by making one appointment, you are simply giving yourself the chance to find out. You can also book a short consultation to meet and ask questions. www.heathergillin.ie/bookings.
Couples therapy can help with communication breakdowns, recurring conflict, trust issues, intimacy difficulties, navigating major life transitions, and the aftermath of infidelity or loss. Heather Gillin works with couples to explore the relational dynamics and unconscious patterns that underpin conflict, supporting deeper understanding and connection. Sessions are available online. Visit www.heathergillin.ie/couples-therapy.
Yes. Relationship difficulties, whether in romantic partnerships, family dynamics, friendships, or at work are among the most common areas people bring to therapy. Psychoanalytic psychotherapy is especially valuable here, because it explores the deeper relational patterns that tend to repeat across different relationships. Often, understanding what we bring from our own history to how we connect with others opens up real and lasting change. Heather Gillin works with individuals on relational difficulties as well as offering dedicated couples therapy. Visit www.heathergillin.ie/couples-therapy.
Yes. Heather Gillin offers family and child therapy to support children, young people, and families navigating emotional, behavioural, or relational difficulties. Therapy for younger clients may include creative and expressive approaches alongside more traditional methods, tailored to the child's age and developmental stage. More information is available at www.heathergillin.ie/family-child-therapy.
Psychedelic integration therapy is a specialised form of support that helps individuals process and make meaning of experiences with psychedelic substances, whether in a clinical, ceremonial, or personal context. It bridges insights from the psychedelic experience with everyday life, relationships, and long-term psychological growth. Heather Gillin is one of a small number of accredited psychotherapists offering dedicated integration support, drawing on her psychoanalytic training and her certifications with the Synthesis Institute and Beckley Retreat. www.heathergillin.ie/psyche-delic-integration
Yes. Difficult psychedelic experiences, sometimes called "challenging journeys" can surface deeply held material that feels disorienting or hard to integrate. Working with an experienced, accredited therapist who understands both psychoanalytic frameworks and psychedelic states is invaluable in this context. Heather Gillin offers psychedelic integration sessions specifically designed to help you process, understand, and integrate what arose. You can learn more at www.heathergillin.ie/psyche-delic-integration.
Psilocybin-assisted therapy is not currently legal in Ireland, but psychedelic integration therapy support before and after psychedelic experiences is available and legal. Heather Gillin offers accredited integration sessions online to help clients prepare for or make sense of psychedelic experiences in a safe, clinically informed, and psychoanalytically grounded way. www.heathergillin.ie/psyche-delic-integration
