Work Experience:  Trained as an Integrative Psychotherapist, Ciara draws on a range of complementary approaches. Her emphasis is on valuing the person’s experience as they experienced it (known as a person-centred approach), coupled with a psychodynamic approach, including drawing on attachment theory which is concerned with relationships. She keeps an awareness of family and other systemic influences, such as work systems and friend groups, and uses Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) where it might be useful to the client. Each person’s situation and experience is different, and an individualised approach is developed with each client with the goal of reducing their distress.

Underpinning Philosophy:  Ciara has worked as a Psychotherapist at a HSE Primary Care Psychology Service, and at Dublin City University’s Healthy Living Centre. She has also worked with Ireland’s Programme Refugee Community, and on a number of national crisis helplines in both a professional and voluntary capacity. Prior to her change of career to psychology and psychotherapy, Ciara worked at a senior level in a number of national agencies in the general areas of information development and provision, rights and entitlements, and social policy work.