Cost is one of the main barriers faced by those who could benefit from counselling, a research report published by the Women's Health Council says.
More than three-quarters of women who had received counselling said it had helped them - but the same proportion cited cost, averaging €31.75 to €38 an hour for private counsellors, as a deterrent to seeking counselling.
The report, Perspectives on the Provision of Counselling for Women in Ireland, says counselling should be given the same status as conventional medicine.
"From a clinical and moral standpoint, it seems more appropriate to help people with life problems through counselling than by prescribing medication while the original cause of distress remains unchanged," it says.
The most frequently mentioned reasons for seeking counselling were depression, anxiety, problems with relationships, bereavement and physical illness or disability.
Apart from cost, the most common barriers to seeking counselling were fear of facing problems, stigma and lack of knowledge of services.
There was a strong preference among those surveyed for counselling to be provided by health boards.
The report recommends that counselling be provided on the medical card scheme and that the feasibility of providing counselling in doctors' surgeries and health board centres should be examined.
It also says that "statutory and voluntary agencies must be responsible for ensuring staff are appropriately qualified for the services they provide".
The Women's Health Council (http:// www.whc.ie) is a statutory body which advises the Minister for Health and Children on all aspects of women's health. Its mission statement says it exists to "influence the development of health policy at regional, national and international levels in order to ensure the maximum health and social gain for women."