Services

Here you will find information about my services

Individual Counselling

Individual counselling is one-to-one with a professional counsellor or psychotherapist who is trained in specialised techniques to help explore, understand and resolve the problems and difficulties that cause emotional stress. Those who succeed in therapy are open-minded to new strategies, willing to try new methods and dedicated to their scheduled treatment. Therapy is client-led, meaning the therapists’ role is to walk alongside you, at your pace, with guidance and support.

In the first face-to-face session, the focus is to get to know you, gain a clear understanding of what you’re looking to change and learn more about why you’re looking for help now. The therapist’s role is to guide you through the expectations of therapy: both what is expected of you and vice-versa. We will discuss confidentiality, different policies and answer any other questions you have about the process. Once you’re happy to proceed with me as your therapist, I’ll help you in determining your goals and put the steps in place to achieve these together.

Phone or Online Counselling

Online therapy may be the preferred option for some, as it offers flexibility and ease of access. Availing of therapeutic services either as an entry point to therapy or as a valuable add-on to traditional face-to-face therapy has been highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Digital technology has become an intrinsic part of our daily lives and continues to have an increasingly important role to play in the care of our mental health and wellbeing.

Mobile phones, tablets and laptops allow us to readily access therapeutic services from the comfort and convenience of home. This can be useful for those who live in rural areas where a wide range of therapy services may not be available locally or where an individual has mobility or transportation challenges.

Phone or Online Counselling

Online therapy may be the preferred option for some, as it offers flexibility and ease of access. Availing of therapeutic services either as an entry point to therapy or as a valuable add-on to traditional face-to-face therapy has been highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Digital technology has become an intrinsic part of our daily lives and continues to have an increasingly important role to play in the care of our mental health and wellbeing.

Mobile phones, tablets and laptops allow us to readily access therapeutic services from the comfort and convenience of home. This can be useful for those who live in rural areas where a wide range of therapy services may not be available locally or where an individual has mobility or transportation challenges.

Walk & Talk Counselling

Walk & talk counselling is not an entirely new phenomenon. The benefits of walking are commonly known and when combined with the healing and therapeutic potential of nature, provides you with the platform for therapeutic exploration, interventions and growth.

A walk & talk therapy session begins with the co-construction of an agreement around confidentiality, highlighting what to do if we chance upon somebody we might know. You are then invited to consider a pre-walk reflection and later a post-walk one too. Once on the path, you are encouraged to focus on your breathing, exploring the sensory experience, processing issues and problems or aspects of personal development.

In a walk & talk session we may stop, to sit and reflect on the walking or the discussion we have had. Taking the opportunities presented to observe the sky, the sea or the trees around us, alive in the sense of presence.

Let's connect, I get it!

It can be difficult to talk about yourself. The idea of opening up to a stranger about your most difficult life experiences and the associated feelings and emotions may appear unnatural. For those who are new to therapy, it is important to highlight things may not improve straight after starting therapy. This is completely normal and something many people experience when they attended therapy the first time.

Therapy is a process of discovery where you play the leading role. In learning more about yourself and building a better understanding of your needs, feelings and desires, self-regulation can become second nature. Well Dunne offers a suite of therapeutic approaches and I would be delighted to chat with you about what approach may work best for you. The offer of a free 20-minute phone consultation for potential clients is available now, with no obligation to begin if it does not feel like the right fit.

Person-Centred Therapy

Person-centred therapy derives from the school of humanistic counselling and focuses on the clients' experience of themselves, meaning it's client-led. The success of this approach is dependent upon the quality of the relationship between therapist and client, with the therapist demonstrating a set of three core conditions.

The three conditions of person-centred therapy; empathic understanding, congruence and unconditional positive regard are fundamental in the development of the therapeutic relationship. Assisting the client to interpret their unconscious thoughts and ideas. This can lead them to gain a stronger sense of their identity, build self-confidence and improve the quality of interpersonal relationships.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

The goal of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is to help you identify the irrational thoughts and beliefs that are hurting you and replace them with positive ones. You will learn how to feel in control of your thoughts and how you can make better choices. Your concentration, motivation, relationships, sleep and health will be explored and any negative patterns of behaviour will be challenged.

CBT is considered to be a short form of therapy, where the focus is on examining specific parts of your self-structure, the parts that leave you feeling drained from excessive worry or depression.

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

Psychodynamic therapy focuses on the manifestation of unconscious processes in the client's present behaviour. A key feature being the belief that our behaviour and feelings as adults are rooted in our childhood experiences. The psychodynamic or psychoanalytic approach, as it is also known, explores the innate drives that motivate our behaviour. The main goal of psychodynamic therapy is for the client to attain greater awareness and understanding of the influence of past on present behaviour.

In psychodynamic therapy, various techniques can be used to encourage the client in developing insights into their behaviour, these include; free association, Freudian slips, Rorschach test, dream analysis and transference analysis.

Art & Play Therapy

Art therapy is a therapeutic approach using art-making to express hidden parts of the unconscious, that which may be referred to as non-verbal. For art therapy to be a success there is absolutely no requirement to have any flair for art or even an interest in art, as this process is concerned with client's inner experience of the creative process and in no way based on the quality of the art produced.

Whilst, play therapy is primarily used with younger children, it may also be used to attend to a variety of health challenges experienced by adults, especially when incorporated with other treatment modalities. As is the case with art therapy, where these creative approaches are provided in a safe environment, they have proven highly effective in supporting adults to approach more serious psychological issues.

Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness is simply being present in the moment. So for you (the reader), mindfulness or being mindful would relate to your intentions towards yourself and your senses, how you feel right now as you read this! Mindfulness meditation is a mental practise that can be easily learned. It is about being conscious of your breath, slowing your thought processes right down and letting go of negativity. The expected result is that you can calm both your mind and body.

Being kind towards yourself is the ultimate goal of meditation! In doing this there is an opportunity for emotional growth, where you gain more control over your emotions and intentions towards others. Think of it as the ultimate gift that you can give to yourself.

Choose What Works For You

Come to my Office

Convenient Location in Skerries (R127/M1 Motorway) For In-Person Visits

Book a Video Call

Wherever You Are in Ireland, Therapy via Secure Online Video

Talk on the Phone

Have Your Therapy Session By Phone

Do a Nature Walk

Walk & Talk, Your Therapy Session On The Go

I am happy to answer any and all questions about my services

Some Useful Resources

Rape Crisis Centre

Tel: 1800 778 888

Drink Aware

Tel: 01 443 1151

Sonas

Tel: 01 671 8092

Aware

Tel: 1800 80 48 48

Womens Aid

Tel: 1800 341 900

Citizens Information

Tel: 0761 074000

One in Four

Tel: 01 66 24070

Shine

Tel: 086 014 2112

Mens Aid

Tel: 01 554 3811

Money Advice

Tel:  0761 07 2000

Body Whys

Tel: 01 210 7906

LGBT

Tel: 1890 929 539

Emergency Services 

Irish Tourist Assistance Services

Tel: 01 666 9354 or 1890 365 700

Victim Support Northern Ireland

Tel: +44 (0) 28 90 244039

Samaritans

Tel: 01 671 0071

Pieta (suicide prevention)

Tel: 1800 247 247

Text: 51444