I gained my BA Degree in English and Philosophy from UCC in 1976.
After graduation I spent 18 months working in a L'Arche community in France. I was drawn to this International Community by its attitude of respect towards each individual, Resident and Assistant alike, no matter their intellectual or physical ability.
On my return to Ireland I took a Post Graduate Diploma in Montessori Teaching in Dublin. I was attracted by its educational philosophy of allowing the child work at his or her own developmental pace. I worked as a Montessori Directress with children with a profound intellectual disability in an Institution in Cork for one year. The following year I worked with privileged children in a private Montessori School on Long Island, NY State. On my return to Ireland I spent the next 12 years working with intellectually disabled adults in Residential Care in Bray, County Wicklow.
Parallel to this I began my own path of personal exploration in New York,USA. On my return to Ireland I looked for support with the psychological and spiritual questions that were challenging me and discovered Psychosynthesis. Having completed its Foundation Year I began my first Psychotherapeutic Training with the Institute of Psychosynthesis, Eckhart House in Dublin.
After a number of years of Part-Time Practice I began to feel the need for more grounding in psychological theory. I was drawn to Psychoanalysis because of its depth and breath of human understanding. I gained my M.Sc. in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy from the Department of Mental Health, Trinity College, Dublin. I was now qualified to work with both Children and Adolescents as well as Adults.
Feeling the need to ponder the shape of my ensuing full-time work I took a Sabbatical. During this period I travelled in the East (India, Thailand and Nepal.) Weighing up all my experience I realised that I wanted to work Full-time as a Psychotherapist with both Adults and Adolescents.
On my return to Ireland in 1990 I opened my first Full-Time Private Practice in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy in Dublin.
In 1998 I was finally free from teaching commitments in Dublin to full-fill my long-held dream of moving to the West of Ireland. I eventually settled just outside Kinvara, County Galway at the edge of The Burren in County Clare. The combination of living by the sea and in close proximity to the limestone landscape of the soft, grey, feminine hills continues to nourish my spirit and creativity.
It is here that I now have my Private Practice in both Individual Psychotherapy and Clinical Supervision.
With the approach of mid-life, and its attendant challenges, I was lucky enough to be introduced to the BodySoul work of Marion Woodman, Canadian Jungian Analyst. BodySoul Work is rooted in the Psychology of Carl Gustav June, as developed by Marion Woodman together with Dance Educator, Mary Hamilton and Voice Coach, Ann Skinner. BodySoul work believes that the psyche and soma, mind and body are inseparable and must be worked on together in the service of health and growth. In this work our body's symptoms are listened to and where we are stuck in our lives is observed. In particular great attention is paid to our unfolding dreams. Space is provided for what is in our unconscious to emerge through movement, voice-work, painting, journaling,mask-making and other means of 'Active Imagination'. This embodied creativity helps to open new neural pathways, allowing us to heal old wounds and to discover our previously un-lived potential in a vital and empowering way. Over a period of seven years I completed The Leadership Training of BodySoul with the Marion Woodman Foundation. The voice-work of Ann Skinner was of fundamental importance as it was with her that I began to find the true tones and depth of my own voice.
On moving to Kinvara and The Burren I found The Lismorahaun Singers, a very special community choir, which I joined in 2002. In doing so I met its gifted and inspiring Founding Conductor, and Voice Teacher, Archie Simpson. I became his student when I was 50 and attended regular lessons for ten years. With him I developed my singing voice and am currently working on a solo CD.
As you can read my approach to work and life is eclectic. At present I am intrigued and stimulated by the current findings in Neuroscience and Neurobiology as they apply to Psychotherapy. I am captivated by the innovative research in relation to Trauma and The Body in particular. These findings are creating a new era in my profession and it is very exciting to be at it's cutting edge. That edge where we can take nothing for granted yet where we may all be enlivened anew!
Acting on the impulse of this intrigue I have completed a Three Year, Post Graduate Training in SE (Somatic Experiencing) in the North of Ireland run by Somatic Experiencing Ireland (ISE). SE works with the Trauma held in the body's Nervous System incrementally, at the individual's own pace, so as not to overwhelm (re-traumatise) their system. I experience SE akin to, and at the depths of, a 'mother tongue', reinvigorating my work from its very roots up. Each day now a delight of curiosity. A wonderful thing to be able to say after more than twenty eights years of Private Practice!
I see my work with clients as that of a Sherpa. The Sherpa knows which paths may be travelled and which are either unsafe or reserved for the Gods alone. The Sherpa carries our bags if we can not, especially on our initial climbs. He knows where it is safe to build a fire for both warmth and nourishment. He knows where it is safe to rest, even where to sleep, which might bring dreams. He keeps vigil for seen and unseen dangers. He knows when it is time to hand our bags back, already lighter and containing now only the essential assets for the journey. Most importantly he knows when it is time for us to 'go it alone' our own wisdom recognised and claimed.
After graduation I spent 18 months working in a L'Arche community in France. I was drawn to this International Community by its attitude of respect towards each individual, Resident and Assistant alike, no matter their intellectual or physical ability.
On my return to Ireland I took a Post Graduate Diploma in Montessori Teaching in Dublin. I was attracted by its educational philosophy of allowing the child work at his or her own developmental pace. I worked as a Montessori Directress with children with a profound intellectual disability in an Institution in Cork for one year. The following year I worked with privileged children in a private Montessori School on Long Island, NY State. On my return to Ireland I spent the next 12 years working with intellectually disabled adults in Residential Care in Bray, County Wicklow.
Parallel to this I began my own path of personal exploration in New York,USA. On my return to Ireland I looked for support with the psychological and spiritual questions that were challenging me and discovered Psychosynthesis. Having completed its Foundation Year I began my first Psychotherapeutic Training with the Institute of Psychosynthesis, Eckhart House in Dublin.
After a number of years of Part-Time Practice I began to feel the need for more grounding in psychological theory. I was drawn to Psychoanalysis because of its depth and breath of human understanding. I gained my M.Sc. in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy from the Department of Mental Health, Trinity College, Dublin. I was now qualified to work with both Children and Adolescents as well as Adults.
Feeling the need to ponder the shape of my ensuing full-time work I took a Sabbatical. During this period I travelled in the East (India, Thailand and Nepal.) Weighing up all my experience I realised that I wanted to work Full-time as a Psychotherapist with both Adults and Adolescents.
On my return to Ireland in 1990 I opened my first Full-Time Private Practice in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy in Dublin.
In 1998 I was finally free from teaching commitments in Dublin to full-fill my long-held dream of moving to the West of Ireland. I eventually settled just outside Kinvara, County Galway at the edge of The Burren in County Clare. The combination of living by the sea and in close proximity to the limestone landscape of the soft, grey, feminine hills continues to nourish my spirit and creativity.
It is here that I now have my Private Practice in both Individual Psychotherapy and Clinical Supervision.
With the approach of mid-life, and its attendant challenges, I was lucky enough to be introduced to the BodySoul work of Marion Woodman, Canadian Jungian Analyst. BodySoul Work is rooted in the Psychology of Carl Gustav June, as developed by Marion Woodman together with Dance Educator, Mary Hamilton and Voice Coach, Ann Skinner. BodySoul work believes that the psyche and soma, mind and body are inseparable and must be worked on together in the service of health and growth. In this work our body's symptoms are listened to and where we are stuck in our lives is observed. In particular great attention is paid to our unfolding dreams. Space is provided for what is in our unconscious to emerge through movement, voice-work, painting, journaling,mask-making and other means of 'Active Imagination'. This embodied creativity helps to open new neural pathways, allowing us to heal old wounds and to discover our previously un-lived potential in a vital and empowering way. Over a period of seven years I completed The Leadership Training of BodySoul with the Marion Woodman Foundation. The voice-work of Ann Skinner was of fundamental importance as it was with her that I began to find the true tones and depth of my own voice.
On moving to Kinvara and The Burren I found The Lismorahaun Singers, a very special community choir, which I joined in 2002. In doing so I met its gifted and inspiring Founding Conductor, and Voice Teacher, Archie Simpson. I became his student when I was 50 and attended regular lessons for ten years. With him I developed my singing voice and am currently working on a solo CD.
As you can read my approach to work and life is eclectic. At present I am intrigued and stimulated by the current findings in Neuroscience and Neurobiology as they apply to Psychotherapy. I am captivated by the innovative research in relation to Trauma and The Body in particular. These findings are creating a new era in my profession and it is very exciting to be at it's cutting edge. That edge where we can take nothing for granted yet where we may all be enlivened anew!
Acting on the impulse of this intrigue I have completed a Three Year, Post Graduate Training in SE (Somatic Experiencing) in the North of Ireland run by Somatic Experiencing Ireland (ISE). SE works with the Trauma held in the body's Nervous System incrementally, at the individual's own pace, so as not to overwhelm (re-traumatise) their system. I experience SE akin to, and at the depths of, a 'mother tongue', reinvigorating my work from its very roots up. Each day now a delight of curiosity. A wonderful thing to be able to say after more than twenty eights years of Private Practice!
I see my work with clients as that of a Sherpa. The Sherpa knows which paths may be travelled and which are either unsafe or reserved for the Gods alone. The Sherpa carries our bags if we can not, especially on our initial climbs. He knows where it is safe to build a fire for both warmth and nourishment. He knows where it is safe to rest, even where to sleep, which might bring dreams. He keeps vigil for seen and unseen dangers. He knows when it is time to hand our bags back, already lighter and containing now only the essential assets for the journey. Most importantly he knows when it is time for us to 'go it alone' our own wisdom recognised and claimed.
