Counselling Psychologist, Somatic Psychotherapist and Facilitator
My work is devoted to the journey of learning to inhabit the felt sense of our bodies: to listen to the wisdom held deep within our bones, attune to the language of intuition and instinct, reclaim parts of ourselves exiled through trauma, sit inside the quietude from where the Soul speaks, and know again the wild beauty of belonging to our own selves.
Ever since I was a child, my life has felt deeply rooted in a love for the journey of the soul. I have always been fascinated by the invisible worlds of psyche and spirit and their continuous dance with the visible world. As a teenager, I immersed myself in reading psychology, spirituality and poetry; my soul was quietly forging my path ahead.
My studies in psychology began in 2003 at University College Cork, where I completed my BA in Applied Psychology. Shortly afterwards, I obtained my Master’s in Health Psychology from the National University of Ireland, Galway. My research explored feminism and female body image and was subsequently published in the American journal Psychology of Women Quarterly. In 2012, having spent several years travelling and working abroad, I returned to Ireland and completed my Doctorate in Counselling Psychology at Trinity College Dublin.
“Learning to inhabit my own body became my medicine”
Alongside my studies in psychology, I explored many different spiritual traditions and body-based practices, spending time in ashrams, sitting many ten-day Vipassana silent meditation retreats, and discovering the power of chanting, yoga and meditation. I began to dance, exploring the worlds of 5Rhythms, Open Floor Movement and Marion Woodman’s BodySoul work. Over time, I wove these teachings into a daily practice in my life. Learning to inhabit my own body became my medicine.
I became deeply interested in how these somatic and spiritual traditions can be woven into the worlds of psychology and healing, and how connecting with the felt sense of our bodies can become a doorway into presence. I trained as a Hatha and Yin Yoga teacher, completed a year-long training in shamanism and trained in Open Floor Movement’s Therapy in Motion. I am also an ongoing student of Sil Read’s Soul-Making School, studying in the lineage of Marion Woodman.
Over the past fourteen years, I have worked as a psychologist and somatic psychotherapist with individuals, families and groups across public healthcare and community-based settings, as well as in a specialised trauma service. For the past ten years, I have worked in private practice. My offerings include individual therapy, supervision, group courses, self-led courses, workshops and retreats. I am also a guest lecturer on the Master’s Programme in Art, Psyche and the Creative Imagination at Limerick School of Art and Design.
I live in a cottage in the West Cork countryside, on the southwest coast of Ireland, where the wild landscape and changing seasons continue to shape both my life and my work.
My Integrative Approach
Weaving together the worlds of psychology and soul, my integrative approach is grounded in my training and experience as a psychologist and deeply rooted in my intuition. I draw on depth psychology, emotion-focused therapy, Internal Family Systems and somatic-based approaches such as Somatic Experiencing, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, meditation, yoga and movement therapy.
My approach is also shaped by my interest in creative and symbolic ways of working, including imagery, active imagination, dream work, art and dance. My deep love for the natural world and earth-based traditions also inspires my work, particularly the wisdom from my ancestry of Celtic traditions and mythology. Many of my offerings are inspired by the Celtic calendar and honour the relationship between the changing seasons and the changing rhythms of our lives.
At the heart of my work is a trust in our innate capacity for healing and the wisdom of the soul. When we are given the space to listen within, this wisdom can help us find our way towards lives that feel more authentic, meaningful and alive. By offering a warm, safe and heartfelt space, my work is an invitation to reconnect with this inner wisdom and return more fully to ourselves. This is the foundation that underlies all of my offerings.
I am deeply committed to my own psychological and spiritual growth and regularly attend workshops, retreats, supervision and psychotherapy. I am a Chartered member of the Psychological Society of Ireland and its Division of Counselling Psychology.
“If you travel far enough, one day you will recognise yourself coming down to meet yourself and you will say -Yes”
— Marion Woodman