The Institute for Counselling & Psychotherapy Studies
Terms, Conditions, Code of Conduct
Institute of Counselling & Psychotherapy Studies (ICPS)
& State of Mind Counselling, Psychotherapy and Education
Last updated: 5th May 2025
TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR EDUCATIONAL TRAINING COURSES
(Governing Law: Ireland)
​
Welcome
At State of Mind Psychotherapy, Counselling & Education, we are dedicated to supporting your mental wellness journey through compassionate and personalized care. Our experienced team is here to help you navigate life's challenges and achieve a balanced state of mind. We offer Professional Counselling & Psychotherapy Services as well as being a DUAL Accredited CPD Provider & Provider of Training Excellence. We offer Professional Diplomas in many areas
​
​About
​​
State of Mind Psychotherapy, Counselling & Education in delivering professional counselling and psychotherapy services alongside being a fully accredited educational institute. We offer professional and continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities, ensuring our students top-notch training. Our accreditations from the Professional Development Consortium, The CPD Standards Office, and the Irish Counselling & Psychotherapy Association (ICPA) underscore our commitment to excellence. With dual accreditation as both a CPD Provider and a Provider of Training Excellence, we are dedicated to fostering growth and development in the mental health field.
​​​
​Our Services
​
Our Professional Mental Health Services encompass a range of therapeutic approaches, including Counselling, Psychotherapy, Psychoanalysis, and Psychology, designed to support individuals on their journey to emotional well-being. Additionally, we offer fully accredited Professional Diploma qualifications & CPD, empowering aspiring mental health professionals to excel in their field.
​
Contact Us
Thank you for considering State of Mind Psychotherapy, Counselling Education. We are here to support you on your journey; please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions or to schedule an appointment.
Office Hours- 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday
​
Out of Hours Emergencies- 5pm-10am Monday to Sunday
​
-
Email: support@icps.freshdesk.com
-
Phone: 043 33 62001
-
WhatsApp Text: Click Here
​
The Institute for Counselling & Psychotherapy Studies (ICPS)
​
1. Introduction and Welcome
1.1 These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) govern the relationship between State of Mind Psychotherapy, Counselling & Education (“the College”, “we”, “our”, “us”) and any individual who applies for, enrols on, or attends one of our educational training courses (“the Student”, “you”, “your”).
1.2 By submitting an application, paying any deposit or course fees, signing any enrolment form, or attending any part of a course, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to be legally bound by these Terms in their entirety.
1.3 The College is committed to providing a safe, respectful, professional and effective learning environment for all students. We value diversity, inclusion, and the personal growth of each individual who joins our programmes. In return, the College requires all Students to behave with honesty, integrity, and respect at all times.
1.4 Many of the College’s programmes are Professional Diplomas designed to prepare students for careers in counselling, psychotherapy, and related mental health professions. By enrolling on a Professional Diploma, the Student acknowledges that they will be expected to conduct themselves to a standard consistent with professional practice in the field of mental health and wellbeing.
1.5 The College reserves the right to update, amend, or modify these Terms at any time. Students will be notified of any material changes via email or through the College’s official communication channels. Continued participation in any course following notification of changes constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.
2. Enrolment, Eligibility and Application Process
2.1 Enrolment on any course offered by the College is subject to the following conditions: - The Student satisfying all entry requirements specified for that particular course - Submission of accurate, current and complete application information and supporting documentation - Payment of the applicable deposit and/or course fees as required by the College within the specified timeframes - Acceptance of the Student by the College, at the College’s absolute discretion
2.2 The College reserves the right, in its absolute discretion, to accept or reject any application for enrolment at any stage of the application process and is under no obligation to provide reasons for refusal. This discretion is exercised to ensure the suitability of students for professional training programmes and to maintain the quality and integrity of our educational offerings.
2.3 The Student warrants that all information supplied to the College during the application and enrolment process is true, accurate, complete, and not misleading in any way. This includes personal details, educational qualifications, professional experience, references, and any declarations regarding fitness to practice or criminal convictions where applicable. Providing false, incomplete or misleading information may constitute serious misconduct and may result in immediate suspension or expulsion from the course without any refund of fees paid.
2.4 Certain courses may have specific entry requirements including minimum educational qualifications, relevant work experience, or completion of prerequisite courses. Students are responsible for ensuring they meet all stated requirements before applying.
2.5 The College may require applicants to attend an interview, submit additional documentation, or complete assessment tasks as part of the enrolment process. Participation in these processes does not guarantee acceptance onto a course.
​
3. Course Structure and Delivery
​
3.1 The College offers a range of educational programmes including professional diplomas, certificate courses, and continuing professional development (CPD) training. Each course has its own structure, duration, assessment requirements, and learning outcomes as detailed in the course documentation provided to students upon enrolment.
3.2 Courses may be delivered through various methods including face-to-face instruction at the College premises, live online classes via video conferencing platforms, blended learning combining in-person and online elements, self-directed study, practical workshops, supervised practice placements, and group work. The specific delivery method for each course will be communicated to students prior to enrolment, though the College retains flexibility to adapt delivery methods as circumstances require.
3.3 The College is committed to providing high-quality education that meets the standards required by relevant professional bodies and accreditation organizations. Our programmes are designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary for professional practice in counselling and psychotherapy.
3.4 Course schedules, including class times, dates, and locations, will be communicated to enrolled students in advance. Students are expected to organize their personal and professional commitments to accommodate the course schedule. The College recognizes that students have diverse responsibilities and will endeavor to provide reasonable notice of any scheduling matters, though operational requirements may necessitate flexibility from all parties.
​
4. Fees, Deposits and Payment Terms
4.1 The Student agrees to pay all deposits, course fees, registration fees, examination fees, accreditation fees, materials fees, and any other charges as published by the College in course documentation or as otherwise notified in writing. Fee schedules are available on the College website and in course brochures.
4.2 Payment of fees is a fundamental condition of enrolment and continued participation in any course. All fees must be paid in full by the deadlines specified by the College. The College offers various payment options including full payment at enrolment or installment payment plans where available. Students who choose installment plans remain liable for the full course fee regardless of their continued participation.
4.3 Failure to pay fees by the specified deadlines may result in serious consequences including denial of access to classes and learning materials, withholding of certificates and qualifications, suspension from the course, or termination of enrolment. The College reserves the right to charge interest on overdue payments and to pursue debt recovery through appropriate legal channels.
4.4 The College invests significant resources in developing and delivering educational programmes, including instructor salaries, facility costs, learning materials, accreditation fees, and administrative support. Once a student enrolls and payment is received, the College commits these resources to that student’s education. For this reason, all deposits, part-payments, and course fees paid to the College are strictly non-refundable under any circumstances, to the maximum extent permitted by law in Ireland.
4.5 The non-refundable nature of all payments applies in all situations without exception, including but not limited to circumstances where the Student changes their mind about pursuing the course, decides the course is not suitable for their needs, fails to attend some or all scheduled classes, experiences personal circumstances that prevent course completion, faces medical issues or health challenges, encounters work-related conflicts or employment changes, experiences financial difficulties or changes in financial circumstances, is suspended or expelled for misconduct or breach of these Terms, fails assessments or does not successfully complete the course requirements, is dissatisfied with the course content or delivery for any reason, disagrees with instructors or College staff, experiences technical difficulties accessing online content, or for any other reason whatsoever.
4.6 Students acknowledge that the decision to enroll in a course is a serious commitment and should be made after careful consideration of their personal circumstances, goals, and ability to complete the programme. The College encourages prospective students to ask questions, seek clarification, and thoroughly review all course information before enrolling.
4.7 In the event that course dates are rescheduled, postponed, or changed for any reason including insufficient participant numbers, instructor availability, facility issues, or other operational considerations, students remain liable for all fees paid and no refunds will be issued. The College will work with affected students to accommodate them on rescheduled dates or alternative courses where possible, but this does not create any entitlement to refund of fees.
4.8 Nothing in these Terms is intended to exclude or limit any mandatory statutory rights that cannot lawfully be excluded under Irish law. Students retain all rights provided by Irish consumer protection legislation and other applicable laws.
​
5. Student Conduct, Behaviour and Professionalism
5.1 The College requires high standards of conduct and professionalism from all Students at all times. This expectation applies on College premises, at off-site training locations, during College-related activities and events, in online classes and virtual learning environments, in communications with staff and fellow students, on social media and public platforms when discussing College-related matters, and during practice placements or supervised clinical work.
5.2 Students are expected to model professional conduct consistent with the ethical standards of counselling and psychotherapy professions. This includes professional behaviour and demeanour in all interactions, ethical behaviour with integrity and honesty, respect and courtesy towards others regardless of differences, unconditional positive regard and empathy, acceptance of diverse perspectives and backgrounds, a non-judgemental and non-discriminatory attitude, appropriate emotional self-management and self-awareness, maintenance of confidentiality where required, and adherence to professional boundaries.
5.3 Unacceptable conduct includes but is not limited to harassment, bullying, or intimidation of any kind, discrimination based on protected characteristics, aggressive or threatening behaviour, dishonesty or academic misconduct, breach of confidentiality, inappropriate use of social media, attendance at classes while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and any behaviour that compromises the safety or wellbeing of others.
5.4 The College takes misconduct seriously and will investigate all allegations thoroughly and fairly. Depending on the severity of the misconduct, consequences may include verbal or written warnings, mandatory additional training or supervision, suspension from classes or placements, expulsion from the course without refund, or referral to appropriate authorities where criminal conduct is suspected.
5.5 Students have the right to appeal disciplinary decisions through the College’s formal appeals process, details of which are available from the administration office.
6. Attendance, Punctuality and Academic Requirements
6.1 The Student is expected to attend all scheduled classes, tutorials, workshops, practical sessions, supervision meetings, and assessments on time and fully prepared, unless prevented by genuine and unavoidable circumstances. Attendance is not merely a formality but an essential component of professional training, as students learn not only from instructors but also from peer interactions and group processes.
6.2 Students must notify the College as soon as possible if they are unable to attend a scheduled session. Repeated lateness, poor attendance, unexplained absences or failure to engage meaningfully with the course may be treated as misconduct and may result in disciplinary action.
6.3 The College may set minimum attendance levels for progression through the course or award of certificates and qualifications. These requirements are typically set by accrediting bodies and professional organizations to ensure students receive adequate training. Students who fail to meet minimum attendance requirements may be required to repeat portions of the course, which may involve additional fees, or may be withdrawn from the programme.
6.4 Students are responsible for completing all assigned work including readings, written assignments, practical exercises, self-reflection activities, and research projects to the required standard and within specified deadlines. Extensions may be granted in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of course instructors.
6.5 Academic integrity is fundamental to professional education. Students must submit original work and properly cite all sources. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in serious consequences including potential expulsion without refund.
6.6 The College provides academic support and pastoral care to help students succeed. Students experiencing difficulties are encouraged to speak with their course tutor, programme coordinator, or student support services at the earliest opportunity.
7. Assessment, Progression and Certification
7.1 Assessment methods vary by course and may include written assignments, case studies, practical demonstrations, oral presentations, examinations, reflective journals, portfolio development, and observed practice sessions. Assessment criteria and requirements are clearly communicated to students at the beginning of each course.
7.2 Students must successfully complete all required assessments to the specified standard in order to progress through the course and receive certification. The College maintains rigorous academic standards to ensure that graduates are competent and qualified practitioners.
7.3 Students who do not achieve the required standard in an assessment may be offered opportunities to resubmit work or retake examinations, subject to the specific regulations of each course and any requirements set by accrediting bodies. Additional fees may apply for reassessment opportunities.
7.4 Upon successful completion of all course requirements, students will receive a certificate or diploma as appropriate. Certificates will only be issued to students who have met all academic requirements, fulfilled attendance obligations, and settled all financial obligations to the College.
7.5 The College reserves the right to withhold certification if there are outstanding concerns about a student’s fitness to practice, professional conduct, or suitability for work in the mental health field, regardless of academic performance.
8. Course Scheduling and Operational Flexibility
8.1 The College endeavors to deliver all courses as advertised and according to published schedules. However, the operation of educational programmes requires flexibility to respond to various factors that may affect course delivery. Students acknowledge and accept that the College must retain operational discretion to ensure the quality and viability of its programmes.
8.2 While the College will use reasonable efforts to maintain published schedules, it reserves the right in its absolute discretion, at any time and for any reason, to make changes to course arrangements. Such changes may include but are not limited to adjusting start dates or end dates of courses, rescheduling individual class sessions, changing class times or days of the week, relocating classes to different venues, varying the content or structure of courses, modifying the timetable or duration of programmes, altering the method of delivery between face-to-face and online formats, replacing or changing tutors and instructors, introducing or increasing online or blended learning elements, and combining or splitting class groups.
8.3 The College operates courses on the basis that sufficient students enroll to make the course educationally and financially viable. Professional training programmes require adequate group sizes to facilitate peer learning, group dynamics, and collaborative exercises that are essential to counselling and psychotherapy education. Where enrollment numbers are lower than required for optimal learning outcomes, the College may need to adjust course commencement dates to allow additional time for enrollment. In such circumstances, enrolled students will be notified and offered the opportunity to begin on a revised start date. The College may reschedule a course start date multiple times if necessary to achieve viable enrollment numbers, and students accept this possibility as a condition of enrollment.
8.4 Factors that may necessitate course changes include but are not limited to insufficient participant numbers to ensure quality group learning experiences, instructor illness or unavailability requiring substitute arrangements, facility unavailability due to maintenance or other issues, adverse weather conditions or travel disruptions, public health emergencies or safety concerns, technological issues affecting online delivery, changes to accreditation requirements necessitating curriculum adjustments, and other operational considerations that impact the College’s ability to deliver courses as originally scheduled.
8.5 Students will be notified of any significant course changes with as much advance notice as practicable via email or other official communication channels. The College will make every reasonable effort to provide at least seven days notice of changes where circumstances permit, though this may not always be possible in cases of emergency or unforeseen circumstances requiring immediate action.
8.6 Students acknowledge that course changes, including rescheduling of dates, do not constitute grounds for refund of any fees paid. The College’s obligation is to provide the educational programme for which the student has enrolled, and reasonable adjustments to scheduling or delivery method do not alter this fundamental obligation. Students who are unable to attend rescheduled dates due to personal circumstances should contact the College to discuss alternative arrangements, which may include transferring to a future cohort or an alternative course where available, though no refund of fees will be provided.
8.7 The College recognizes that course changes may cause inconvenience to students and will endeavor to minimize disruption wherever possible. However, students must understand that flexibility is inherent in educational operations and that their enrollment constitutes acceptance of the College’s need to make operational decisions in the best interests of all students and the institution as a whole.
9. Student Rights and Responsibilities
9.1 Students have the right to receive quality education delivered by qualified and experienced instructors, to be treated with respect and dignity by all College staff, to access learning materials and resources necessary for their studies, to receive timely feedback on assessments and academic progress, to raise concerns or complaints through appropriate channels, and to have personal information handled in accordance with data protection legislation.
9.2 Students have corresponding responsibilities including engaging actively and professionally with their learning, treating staff and fellow students with respect, meeting all academic and attendance requirements, adhering to College policies and procedures, maintaining professional standards of conduct, and contributing positively to the learning community.
9.3 The College is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion. We welcome students from all backgrounds and will make reasonable adjustments to support students with disabilities or additional learning needs where possible. Students requiring support should contact the College as early as possible to discuss their needs.
10. Complaints and Appeals
10.1 The College takes all complaints seriously and has established procedures for addressing student concerns. Students who wish to make a complaint should first attempt to resolve the matter informally by speaking with the relevant instructor or programme coordinator. If informal resolution is not successful or appropriate, students may submit a formal written complaint to the College administration.
10.2 The College will investigate all formal complaints thoroughly and impartially and will provide a written response within a reasonable timeframe. Students have the right to appeal decisions made through the complaints process if they believe the matter has not been handled fairly or appropriately.
10.3 Full details of the complaints and appeals procedures are available from the College administration office and on the College website.
11. Data Protection and Privacy
11.1 The College collects, processes, and stores personal information about students in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Irish data protection legislation. Personal information is used for purposes including administration of courses, communication with students, assessment and certification, and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
11.2 The College implements appropriate security measures to protect personal information and will not disclose student information to third parties except where required by law or necessary for course administration such as sharing information with accrediting bodies.
11.3 Students have rights under data protection legislation including the right to access their personal information, to request correction of inaccurate information, and to request deletion of information in certain circumstances. Requests regarding personal information should be directed to the College administration.
12. Intellectual Property
12.1 All course materials including handouts, presentations, recordings, online content, and other resources provided by the College remain the intellectual property of the College and/or the individual instructors who created them. Students may use these materials for their personal study and professional development but may not reproduce, distribute, or publish them without express written permission.
12.2 Students retain intellectual property rights in their own original work created during their studies, including assignments, projects, and research. However, by submitting work for assessment, students grant the College a non-exclusive license to use that work for educational purposes including as exemplars for future students, subject to appropriate anonymization.
13. Health and Safety
13.1 The College is committed to providing a safe learning environment for all students and staff. Students are required to comply with all health and safety policies and procedures, to report any hazards or incidents, and to take reasonable care for their own safety and the safety of others.
13.2 Students undertaking practical placements or clinical work must adhere to the health and safety requirements of the placement setting in addition to College requirements.
14. Insurance and Liability
14.1 Students are strongly advised to maintain appropriate insurance coverage including professional indemnity insurance if undertaking any client work as part of their training. The College’s insurance does not extend to cover students’ personal property or liability arising from their actions outside of College-supervised activities.
14.2 The College accepts no liability for loss or damage to students’ personal property brought onto College premises or to training venues. Students are responsible for the security of their own belongings.
14.3 To the maximum extent permitted by law, the College’s liability for any breach of these Terms or negligence is limited to the amount of fees paid by the affected student for the relevant course. The College accepts no liability for indirect or consequential losses.
15. Contact Information and Communication
15.1 The College’s primary means of communication with students is via email. Students must ensure that the College has their current email address and must check their email regularly for important information regarding their course. The College accepts no responsibility for students missing information due to failure to check email or maintain current contact details.
​
15.2 Students should direct general enquiries to the main email address and use the support email for technical or administrative issues. The College aims to respond to all enquiries within two working days during term time.
16. Governing Law and Jurisdiction
16.1 These Terms and Conditions are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Ireland. Any disputes arising from or relating to these Terms or to a student’s enrollment at the College shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Irish courts.
16.2 If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.
17. Final Provisions
17.1 These Terms constitute the entire agreement between the Student and the College regarding enrollment and participation in courses and supersede all prior agreements, representations, or understandings whether written or oral.
17.2 No waiver of any provision of these Terms shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provision, nor shall any waiver constitute a continuing waiver unless otherwise expressly provided in writing.
17.3 Students acknowledge that they have read, understood, and agreed to be bound by these Terms in their entirety and that their enrollment constitutes acceptance of all provisions contained herein.
By enrolling in any course offered by The Institute for Counselling & Psychotherapy Studies, you confirm your understanding and acceptance of these Terms and Conditions.