For families · Dublin · Wexford · Online
Taking the pressure off any one person being “the problem.”
Family therapy with Rosemary Chaney — a fair, respectful, non-judgemental space where every voice can be heard and small shifts free everyone up. In-person in Dublin and Gorey (Co. Wexford), and secure video sessions anywhere in Ireland.
- ✓ IACP-accredited since 2005
- ✓ Practising since 1997
- ✓ Blended families welcome
- ✓ Evening appointments available
What family therapy can help with
You don't have to know exactly what's wrong.
Most families arrive knowing something is stuck, not necessarily what to call it. Any of these might sound familiar:
Persistent conflict
When normal disagreements turn into regular shouting matches, cold silence, or people hurting each other.
Blended families
Step-parenting, step-siblings, loyalties, and the practical work of building a new household.
Separation & divorce
Co-parenting through the change and protecting the relationships that matter.
Teenagers & adolescents
Challenging behaviour, withdrawal, and the wider family pattern around it.
Bereavement
A loss that has knocked the whole family off balance, with members grieving at different speeds.
Adult children & parents
A parent and adult child who can't seem to meet without arguing — finding a different way.
Children leaving home
The empty-nest reshuffle, and the relationships that need re-negotiating.
Parenting styles
Two adults pulling in different directions — finding a shared line the children can rely on.
Cultural & family differences
Different backgrounds, faiths or expectations inside the same household.
Mental health in the family
Living alongside anxiety, depression, addiction or other difficulties without losing each other.
How it works
A first session, without pressure.
- 01
You get in touch
One family member sends the enquiry — that's enough to start. Rosemary replies personally, usually within one working day.
- 02
We agree who comes
A short conversation to work out who should be in the first session: the whole family, a smaller group, or the parents on their own.
- 03
Ongoing work
Usually six to twelve sessions, weekly or fortnightly, in Dublin, at the Gorey practice, or by secure video across Ireland.
The work itself
Reducing conflict, restoring communication.
All families have conflict as the children, teens and adults within them evolve and change. A certain amount of conflict is natural when people live in close proximity with each other — however, when normal conflict turns into regular shouting matches or persistent silence, and family members start hurting each other emotionally, it's time to get help. Family therapy can be a very effective way of revealing the sources of conflict and stress, and learning how to deal with them.
Sometimes family conflict is driven by unacceptable behaviour from just one family member, but their behaviour affects everyone. In this case, as well as working with the person in question, I also work with the whole family — so the family can provide support both for that individual and for each other, as they learn to deal with the behaviour and reduce conflict at home.
Family therapy provides a safe space to reduce conflict by encouraging open communication between all family members. It allows individuals to voice their thoughts and be heard, while genuinely listening to other people's perspective. Members can develop new strategies to reduce conflict, and learn coping skills for major changes like separation, divorce, or forming a new relationship. The aim is real, permanent and positive change — not a one-off ceasefire.
Blended families come about when one or both parents have children from previous relationships. The behaviour of individuals in any family is shaped by the other members, and this is often even more pronounced in a blended family. It can take time for children to adapt to a new family structure, and it often helps to speak with a therapist before the transition begins — not only after.
“Change in one part of the family tends to change the whole.”
Family therapy in Dublin
In-person sessions in Dublin for families across the city and greater Dublin area. Evening slots so working parents and older teens can attend.
Family counselling in Wexford
At the Gorey practice — serving Gorey, Enniscorthy, Wexford town, Ferns, Courtown, Arklow and the south-east. Online sessions cover the rest of Ireland.
Common questions
Frequently asked
The questions families in Dublin, Wexford and across Ireland most commonly ask before booking.
How much does family therapy cost in Dublin and Wexford?+
A family therapy session runs to 60–90 minutes depending on who's in the room; fees start at €100 and are agreed in advance based on the size and length of the session. Payment is at the end of each session — no long contracts. Full details are on the fees page or by phone/email.
Where can I find a family therapist in Dublin?+
Rosemary Chaney offers family therapy in Dublin, at her Gorey (Co. Wexford) practice, and by secure video across Ireland. Evening slots are usually available so working parents and older teens can attend.
Do you offer family counselling in Wexford?+
Yes. Families come to the Gorey practice from Gorey, Enniscorthy, Wexford town, Ferns, Courtown, Arklow and the wider south-east — a short drive from most of Co. Wexford and north Wicklow. Online sessions cover the rest of Ireland.
What is family therapy?+
Family therapy is a shared space where members of a family meet with a therapist to understand the patterns between them and to change the ones causing pain. It takes the pressure off any one person being 'the problem' and looks at how the whole system is working.
What can family therapy help with?+
Anger; bereavement; blended families and step-parenting; challenging behaviours in children and adolescents; children leaving home; cultural differences within the family; different parenting styles; separation and divorce; the impact of drug or alcohol use; financial pressures; and living alongside a family member with anxiety, depression or other mental-health difficulties.
Who should come to the first session?+
It depends on the issue. Sometimes the whole family; sometimes parents plus one child; sometimes siblings alone; sometimes the two of you as parents before the children join. We'll decide together at the first meeting.
Do you work with blended families?+
Yes. Blended families face a particular set of challenges around loyalty, boundaries, step-siblings and belonging, and are very welcome. It often helps to speak with a therapist before the transition begins, not only afterwards.
Can family therapy help after a separation or divorce?+
Yes — for parents co-parenting through separation, for children navigating the change, and for newly-blended households finding their feet. The focus is on protecting the relationships that matter, not re-litigating the split.
Can family therapy help with a teenager whose behaviour has changed?+
Yes. Often what looks like one person's difficulty is a pattern the whole family is caught in. We work with the young person and, in parallel, with the family — so support builds on all sides, not just one.
How is family therapy different from individual therapy?+
Family therapy looks at the family as a system rather than any one person as the problem. Change in one part of the system tends to change the whole, which is why small shifts in how a family communicates can free everyone up.
How long does family therapy take?+
Families typically come for a shorter block of work — often six to twelve sessions — with follow-up if useful. The pace is agreed together and you're free to pause or finish at any point.
Will the therapist take sides?+
No. Rosemary's role is to hold a fair, respectful, non-judgemental space so each family member can be heard properly — often for the first time in a long time.
Is family therapy confidential?+
Yes, within the standard IACP ethical limits (risk of serious harm, or a legal requirement to disclose). In family work Rosemary doesn't hold secrets between members — the limits are explained fully at the first session.
Can we do family therapy online?+
Yes. Secure video sessions work well for families whose members live in different places, whose adult children are abroad, or who find it hard to be in the same room together at first.
Can family therapy help with bereavement?+
Yes — grief can knock the whole family off balance, and members often grieve at different speeds and in different ways. Sessions create a shared space to speak about the loss and about each other.
How do we book a first family session?+
Use the Book a session button on this page, call 087 458 0150, or email info@rcpsychotherapy.ie. Rosemary replies personally, usually within one working day, and will help work out who should come to the first meeting.
Ready when your family is.
One person's enquiry is enough to start. Rosemary will reply personally, help work out who should come to the first meeting, and offer a time that suits.