Pharmacology for Counsellors Ireland: Professional Diploma in Psychopharmacology

Many clients attending counselling and psychotherapy are also prescribed psychotropic medications, and an understanding of pharmacology is increasingly recognised as an important dimension of professional competence. The Professional Diploma in Pharmacology for Counsellors at ICPS College provides non-prescribing practitioners with a thorough, accessible grounding in psychopharmacology.

This programme does not prepare practitioners to prescribe medications. Rather, it supports counsellors and psychotherapists in understanding how prescribed medications affect the clients they work with, enabling more informed and collaborative practice.

Programme Overview

The ten-module programme covers neuropharmacology, classes of psychotropic medication (antidepressants, anxiolytics, antipsychotics, mood stabilisers, stimulants), side effects and client experience, pharmacology in addiction, medication in older adults and children, ethical considerations for non-prescribers, and working effectively within multidisciplinary contexts. Sixty CPD credits are awarded on completion.

Who Should Attend?

This diploma is designed for counsellors, psychotherapists, mental health workers, addiction practitioners, and other non-prescribing professionals working alongside clients on psychiatric medication.

Related Programmes

Practitioners in this area often find the Professional Diploma in Neuroscience for Counsellors and the Professional Diploma in Addiction Studies highly complementary to their pharmacology training.

For full programme details, visit the Pharmacology for Counsellors course page.