I was born in Dublin, Ireland, to a working class family of musicians, poets, and rogues. Received an education from the Sisters of Mercy (who said I had “brains to burn, but would not use them.”) I went on to work in the hospitality industry until starting a family. Once my children were grown with lives of their own, my focus turned to counselling.
Counselling has always been a part of my life; my maternal grandmother was a natural therapist who delivered babies, laid out the deceased, and dispensed good common-sense advice to her tight-knit community. Her gift of listening without judgement was influential in my returning to studies after raising my children.
My learning journey began with an Introduction to Psychotherapy foundation course in Dublin, followed by a hypnotherapy accreditation. I then studied in Perth for two years to finally obtain my Diploma of Counselling CHC51015, and complimented it with four stand-alone Majors of abuse counselling, grief & loss counselling, relationship & conflict resolution, and counselling clients with addictions.
I work from a person-centred model of therapy, whereby the counselling is client-led, in the belief that the person seeking support receives just that support, not directive!
The majority of people presenting for counselling have usually received copious amounts of advice from family and friends telling them what they need to do to “fix” themselves or elements of their lives. I believe that every person is the expert on their own lives, and through non-judgemental support and space, may hear their own stories with open ears and a fresh perspective.