As exam season begins, there’s a particular kind of pressure that settles in the air — unspoken but heavy. The Leaving Cert, A-levels, finals… whatever the name, the message often feels the same: This is it. Your future starts (or ends) here. But I want to offer another truth, one that might sit more gentlyContinue reading “The Different Pathways to a Life Well Lived”
Tag Archives: Counselling and Therapy
“Never Quite enough”: The Trauma of Mediocrity
As a psychologist, I have often worked with teenagers and adults who can’t point to a single traumatic event in their past, but who carry a quiet heaviness — a sense that they were never particularly good at anything. These are often the clients who say things like: “I was never the top of theContinue reading ““Never Quite enough”: The Trauma of Mediocrity”
“The Quiet Echoes of Childhood: Understanding and Managing the Long Shadow of Trauma”
I often sit across from adults who are struggling—not just with present stress, but with the lingering echoes of pain that began decades ago. These are echoes from classrooms, hospital corridors, foster homes, playgrounds, and sometimes even battlefields. They come in many forms: the child who lost a parent too soon, the one who feltContinue reading ““The Quiet Echoes of Childhood: Understanding and Managing the Long Shadow of Trauma””
Should I Suffer On in Silence?
A Reflection from the Therapy Room She sits in the chair across from me, clutching a tissue, her eyes weary with the kind of tiredness that goes beyond sleep. Her voice is barely audible, but every word is soaked in pain. “I don’t know how much longer I can do this… I love my childrenContinue reading “Should I Suffer On in Silence?”
Nurturing Healing: The Role of Nature and Social Connections in Trauma-Informed Practice
Trauma-informed practice is gaining recognition as a crucial framework in supporting individuals who have experienced adversity, emphasising the importance of understanding trauma’s far-reaching impacts on mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Integrating nature-based interventions and building supportive social connections offers a holistic pathway toward healing for both children and adults. This article explores how these elementsContinue reading “Nurturing Healing: The Role of Nature and Social Connections in Trauma-Informed Practice”
Breaking the Cycle: Understanding Intergenerational Trauma and Its Impact on the Next Generation
Trauma does not exist in isolation. It passes through families, communities, and cultures, shaping the experiences of generations to come. Intergenerational trauma—also known as transgenerational or historical trauma—refers to the ways in which the effects of deeply distressing experiences are transferred from one generation to the next. This phenomenon is evident across many populations, fromContinue reading “Breaking the Cycle: Understanding Intergenerational Trauma and Its Impact on the Next Generation”
Counselling and Childhood Anxieties
As a parent you will know your child better than anyone else. So when you think there is something up, you are probably right. Perhaps your child is withdrawn, worrying more than usual. Perhaps you feel they worry a lot more than other children their age, or that they become anxious over things which shouldContinue reading “Counselling and Childhood Anxieties”
Dr M’s thoughts 