My initial background was in the business sector and I worked in sales and marketing in various roles. I returned to learning following a period of personal development and completed a certificate in counselling skills in NUI Maynooth. I went on to train in Psychotherapy for four years in the Dublin Counselling & Therapy Centre. There, I studied various types of theoretical and therapeutic approaches, experiential work (where we as students became clients ourselves, both one to one and group therapy and attended weekend breathwork workshops), and supervised clinical practice. I had the opportunity to work in SOSAD with individuals who were suicidal, self harming and bereaved by suicide.
Part of my psychotherapy training was also to complete a dissertation, and my area of interest is dreams. It is titled: The Quest for Soul at Midlife; A Jungian Perspective.
Once qualified, I established my private practice working with individuals with a broad range of issues and as a sessional psychotherapist in Pieta, providing therapy to people who are in suicidal distress, those who engage in self harm, and those bereaved by suicide. It was during this time that I developed my experience in working with young people age 16+ and individuals as well as parents and caregivers of loved ones in crisis. This work has been incredibly rewarding for me and has offered me many training and learning opportunities which have proved invaluable and I am currently providing online consultancy for Pieta. I have trained in child protection, crisis intervention, choice theory, parental involvement in adolescent psychotherapy and bereavement by suicide workshops.
In addition to this, I provide Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) short-term solution focused counselling service to employees and their families for organisations who are based in Ireland. People perform better at work, and in life, when they are well supported. This can lead to increased satisfaction and loyalty, improved productivity, a stronger workforce and a healthier bottom line.
I work in Longwood, Co. Meath in full time private practice. I’m accredited with the IAHIP (Irish Association of Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy, which is a member of ICP) and with the IACP (Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy). This means I fulfil the criteria of training and standards of practice necessary to be a member of these organisations and that I abide by their Code of Ethics. Psychotherapists are required to reapply for accreditation annually for the IACP and every five years for the IAHIP; this is a way of keeping standards high and thereby keeping clients safe.
I am attending regular individual and group supervision. Every therapist has to work under supervision even after they qualify. It is imperative that whatever therapist you choose that they work with a supervisor. This means that the therapist meets another therapist regularly to discuss any themes in their work that they may find personally or professionally difficult or challenging. It is a form of quality control really, ensuring that both the therapist and his/her clients are safe.