ABOUT ME
I am an accredited Irish psychotherapist from Dublin (Ireland) and have been living in the Netherlands since 2001. I work in Den Haag, Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Utrecht with mainly expat clients. I also provide online sessions through Skype for clients further afield. My qualifications include a Graduate Diploma in Humanistic & Integrative Counselling & Psychotherapy (Dublin City University), and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) with Centrum voor Mindfulness (Amsterdam). I am a registered therapist with Algemene Beroepsvereniging van Counselling (ABvC) and the Irish Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy (IACP). I am committed to my professional development to support my clients with the latest research/approaches through trainings in cultural diversity, the benefits of art therapy and most recently completed a certified diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
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I have been in practice since 2011 and work mainly with individuals from 16+ and also couples. I am passionate about Mindfulness and followed the training of Jon Kabat-Zinns Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). I believe that Mindfulness is a very effective tool in supporting clients with various mental health issues through creating space to be more in the here & now rather than the pain of the past or the worry of the future.
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​My core approach is to see each client in a person centred way (Rogerian). This means providing a place of acceptance and to be free of judgement, seeing them as a whole rather that only an issue to be resolved. I support all aspects of what the client needs from self care to developing self compassion and expanding awareness.
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Travelling extensively has raised my awareness of the impact of cultural differences in the counselling room and how important it is to be sensitive to each client's unique background and experience.
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I mainly work clients on various mental health issues some of which include anxiety, depression, grief & loss, trauma, low self esteem and sexuality issues.
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I believe strongly that therapy should be available to all regardless of your situation, as we all at times need support to overcome difficult life obstacles (sliding scale fees are possible).
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I also volunteer for the local LGBT organization (COC Haaglanden) to help embrace and support and educate the LGBT international communities. I advocate for good sexual health and being well informed of the support services that are available.
Therapy Services
My Approach:
Based on my core training, I work in an integrative and humanistic way. Based on the needs of each client, I will use different psychological therapy to inform the work. For example using psychodynamic theory to work with long held defences or attachment theory when working with childhood parental issues. The goal of therapy for me is to support my clients to process their feelings and build a better sense of self through self compassion.
I provide a confidential and safe space to allow my clients to open up and share their inner concerns. I follow the Rogerian approach (person-centred therapy) of being congruent (genuine), showing unconditional positive regard and being empathetic (standing in their shoes) towards my clients.
Individuals:
Individual therapy (also called “psychotherapy” or “counselling”) is a process through which clients work one-on-one with me in a safe, caring, and confidential environment to explore their feelings, beliefs, or behaviors, work through challenging or influential memories, identify aspects of their lives that they would like to change, better understand themselves and others, set personal goals, and work toward desired change.
People seek therapy for a wide variety of reasons, from coping with major life challenges or childhood trauma, to dealing with depression or anxiety, to simply desiring personal growth and greater self-knowledge. A client and I may work together for as few as five or six sessions or as long as several years, depending on the client’s unique needs and personal goals for therapy.
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