I have worked in the areas of Intellectual Disability, Addiction Counselling, Lecturing/Training, and Private Practice for over 30 years, specialising in a Pragmatic, Person-Centred approach to CBT, informed by Evolutionary Theory (see Irish Centre for Evolutionary Psychology & Therapy).
I’ve worked particularly with behavioural addictions and anxiety problems, and I'm currently focusing my attention on understanding how therapists can best address the specific therapeutic needs of autistic adults (see autisminformedtherapy.com). I'm autistic myself, having made the discovery over 10 years ago.
Being pluralistically- &pragmatically-minded, my work is influenced by a variety of evidence-based approaches, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Person-Centred Therapy, Compassion-Focused Therapy, and Schema Therapy.
Being autistic and philosophically-minded, I am a lifelong learner, with a special focus on the question "What is it to be human?" Philosophically I would see myself as an Pluralist and a Pragmatist, and constantly inform my work from multiple perspectives including Psychology, Cognitive Science, Evolutionary Theory, Pragmatist Philosophy, Philosophy of Mind, Buddhism, Twelve-Step Programmes, Social Constructionism, Anthropology, Linguistics, Literature, and the History of Ideas.
Click here to see some of my favourite books.
I'm an accredited member of the Irish Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy, and of Addiction Counsellors of Ireland, and have served as Vice-Chair of both organisations. From 2004 to 2016 I held the position of College President at PCI College (www.pcicollege.ie), and was Programme Leader of the Middlesex University-awarded BSc in Counselling & Psychotherapy and MSc Addiction Counselling & Psychotherapy. I served as Chair of the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity (www.atsac.co.uk), and was a co-founder of Dual Diagnosis Ireland (www.dualdiagnosis.ie). In 2010 I was awarded the IACP Carl Berkeley Memorial Award for contributions to the field of Counselling & Psychotherapy in Ireland.
Podcast episodes and short videos of me and Vauna Beauvais on the Vanguard Neurodiversity Training YouTube page.
I talk about CBT on this Insight Matters podcast.
YouTube video interview with Evaleen Whelton of AUsome Training.
Polar Bear Project podcast episode on Low Self-Esteem.
Other thoughts can be found on my blogs Autistically Minded, Integrative CBT and Psychotherapeutic Naturalism.
