Clinical Credentials at a Glance
Learning to Meet People Where They Are
I was born and grew up in Ireland, working in our family business — a shop, a pub, and, when the seasons called for it, the family farm. From a young age I was serving customers, lending a hand, and getting to know all kinds of people from all walks of life. Looking back, that was my first real education: learning to read a room, to listen, and to meet people exactly where they are. Those early lessons in connection still shape the way I work today.
I have always been curious about the brain and how it shapes the way we think, feel, and behave. That curiosity led me to study a BA in Psychology (2011–2014), followed by an MSc in Psychological Science in 2015, and a year in the Irish Health Service as a clinical psychology trainee — my first hands-on experience of supporting people through their mental health challenges.
A Career Across the Spectrum of Mental Health
In 2017 I moved to Australia and began building my career here, across private practice, public health and community services.
Mission Australia — Recovery Support Worker
Walking alongside people facing homelessness and significant life challenges — learning the value of meeting people without judgement and supporting them through difficult times.
Wesley Mission — Mum & Kids Matter Program
Family-focused psychological care for mothers managing significant mental health challenges. I provided individual and group therapies within a Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT), grounded in evidence-based therapies and attachment support — for example applying the Circle of Security model to help parents connect with their children.
Thrive Psychology, Sydney — three years
A busy caseload of 20–30 client hours each week with adults from many backgrounds, including Army personnel, WorkCover and GP-referred clients, and private clients — supporting people through mood disorders, PTSD, anxiety, and workplace stress. Here I honed my skills across CBT, DBT, ACT, EMDR and Schema Therapy, and strengthened clinical assessment, case formulation and risk management. I also designed and delivered mental health training and psychoeducation programs.
Waratah Private Hospital — group therapy
Facilitating group therapy supporting people in their recovery from mood and substance use difficulties.
PhD clinical placements — across the lifespan
Child and adolescent mental health, adult mental health, disability services, and a specialist placement with the Western Australia Police Force in Perth — delivering therapy, cognitive, neuropsychological and dementia assessments, risk assessments, psychoeducation and family support within multidisciplinary teams.
PhD, Research and Complex PTSD
In 2022 I earned a place on the highly competitive Clinical Psychology PhD program at the University of Limerick, completing my PhD in August 2025. Each stage paired university study with an extended clinical placement, taking me right across the lifespan.
My research focused on Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) and how clinicians were adapting to using this relatively new diagnosis in everyday practice. This work resulted in two publications in peer-reviewed trauma journals: a scoping review and an empirical qualitative study. This research directly informs my clinical interest in trauma and Complex PTSD, and how trauma-related difficulties are understood in practice.
EMDR Training and Trauma-Focused Therapy
I have a particular clinical focus on EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) as a treatment for trauma. I have completed Levels 1 and 2 of my EMDR training through Psychology Training Australia, along with training in EMDR 2.0 in 2025 with trauma researchers Professor Ad De Jongh and Dr Suzy Matthijssen, PhD. I am a full member of EMDRAA (the EMDR Association of Australia).
Looking for EMDR therapy in Sydney? I provide EMDR therapy at Insight Psychology in Newtown and via telehealth, where clinically appropriate. Learn more about EMDR therapy in Sydney, or read the guide explaining what EMDR therapy is.
Therapeutic Approaches
I draw on a range of evidence-based therapies, matched to your goals:
EMDR
A trauma-focused therapy that helps the brain reprocess distressing memories so they feel less overwhelming.
CBT
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy — a practical, present-focused approach to unhelpful patterns of thinking and behaviour.
DBT
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy — skills for managing intense emotions, distress and relationships.
ACT
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy — building psychological flexibility and acting in line with your values.
Schema Therapy
Working with long-standing patterns that develop early in life and shape how we relate to ourselves and others.
Beyond these, I have completed further training in the Gottman Method, Brief Solution-Focused Therapy, Emotion-Focused Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and psychometric assessment (including PAI, MMPI and Wechsler scales).
Practising in Newtown, Sydney
Insight Psychology is based in Newtown, in Sydney's Inner West, at 6/134–140 King Street, Newtown, NSW 2042. I support adults from Newtown, the Inner West and wider Sydney, and offer telehealth appointments for clients elsewhere in NSW and across Australia.
If you're looking for a psychologist in Sydney, you're welcome to start with a free 15-minute intro call to see whether we're the right fit.