IAHIP vs IACP vs APCP vs ICP: CPD Requirements Compared 2026

Side-by-side comparison of every Irish psychotherapy association's CPD requirements

Are you a member of multiple Irish psychotherapy associations, or choosing which to join? Understanding how CPD requirements differ is essential. Here's everything in one place.

⚠️ Figures may have changed

The hours, categories, and bye law details in this article were accurate at time of writing but association requirements are updated regularly. Always confirm current requirements with your association before applying or reaccrediting. See full disclaimer.

Quick Comparison Table

Feature	IAHIP	IACP	APCP	ICP
Total CPD Hours	250 / 5 yrs	30 / yr	30 / yr	50 / yr or 250 / 5 yrs
Compulsory Category	Cat A (50 hrs min)	Cat A Supervision (10 hrs)	APCP event (1–2/yr)	Varies by section
Supervision Required	Recommended (Cat F)	Yes – 10 hrs min	Yes (Cat C)	Yes (Cat B)
Number of Categories	9 (A–I)	5 (A–E)	5 (A–E)	5 (A–E)
Renewal Cycle	5 years	Annual	Annual (Jan 31)	Annual or 5 years
Personal Therapy Counts	✅ Cat H	✅ Cat E	✅ Cat D	✅ Cat C
Online CPD Accepted	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Annual CPD Fee	No	No	€200/yr	No

IAHIP — The 5-Year Flexible Approach

IAHIP is Ireland's largest humanistic and integrative psychotherapy association. Its 5-year cycle gives members the most flexibility. You can front-load hours in early years and ease off later.

Key IAHIP Facts:

✅ 250 hours over 5 years (50/year average)
✅ Only Category A (Training) has a minimum: 50 hours over 5 years
✅ No mandatory supervision hours (but strongly recommended)
✅ 9 categories including Self-Care, Writing, Association Activities

Best for: Therapists who prefer flexibility and have irregular annual schedules.

IACP — The Supervision-First Model

IACP is Ireland's largest counselling and psychotherapy association. It places clinical supervision at the centre of CPD — it's compulsory, not optional.

Key IACP Facts:

✅ 30 hours total CPD per year
🔴 10 hours supervision COMPULSORY (Category A)
✅ 20 hours from any other approved categories
✅ 5 categories with clear definitions
✅ Annual renewal — maintain records year-by-year

Best for: Therapists who prioritize supervision and want clear annual targets.

APCP — The Annual Event Model

APCP (Association for Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy in Ireland) requires at least one APCP-run event per year as part of your 30 hours.

Key APCP Facts:

✅ 30 hours per year
🔴 Must attend 1–2 APCP events/workshops per year
✅ Renewal deadline: January 31st each year
💰 Annual CPD levy of €200 payable to APCP
✅ Supervision and personal therapy both count

Best for: Psychoanalytically-oriented therapists who engage regularly with the APCP community.

ICP — The Sectional Model

ICP (Irish Council for Psychotherapy) operates through sectional bodies representing different psychotherapy modalities (humanistic, CBT, psychoanalytic, systemic, etc.). Requirements are set at both ICP and section level.

Key ICP Facts:

✅ 50 hours/year OR 250 hours over 5 years (your choice)
✅ Supervised by your specific ICP sectional body
✅ 5 standard categories plus section-specific requirements
✅ Supervision Category B is core
⚠️ Check with your section for additional requirements

Best for: Therapists working within a specific modality community.

Can the Same CPD Count for Multiple Associations?

Yes! If you're a member of more than one association, the same CPD activity can count towards all of them as long as it fits their category criteria. For example:

A supervision session → IAHIP Cat F + IACP Cat A + APCP Cat C + ICP Cat B
A workshop → IAHIP Cat A + IACP Cat B + APCP Cat B + ICP Cat A
Personal therapy → IAHIP Cat H + IACP Cat E + APCP Cat D + ICP Cat C

MyCPDLog lets you link one CPD entry to multiple goals simultaneously, saving you the hassle of double-entry.

Which Association is Right for Me?

You can (and many do) belong to multiple associations. Your choice often depends on your training background and which modality you practice:

Humanistic/Integrative? → IAHIP is your primary home
General counselling/psychotherapy? → IACP is Ireland's largest and most widely recognised
Psychoanalytic/psychodynamic? → APCP or ICP (psychoanalytic section)
CBT/Systemic? → ICP (CBT or systemic section)

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