Psychotherapeutic Counsellor, Writer and Author

I am Collette O’Mahony, a psychotherapeutic counsellor, writer and author. My work is centred around a simple but enduring interest: understanding how our experiences shape who we become, and how greater awareness can help us live with more authenticity, freedom and self-understanding.

As a psychotherapeutic counsellor, I work with people experiencing relationship difficulties, life changes, bereavement, emotional uncertainty and patterns of behaviour or relating that have become difficult to understand or change. I offer one-to-one online counselling, providing a supportive and confidential space in which people can explore their experiences and develop a deeper understanding of themselves. My approach is pluralistic, drawing on Humanistic (Person-Centred), Psychodynamic and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). I believe that there is no single approach that suits everyone. Therapy is a collaborative process, shaped around the individual, their experiences and what they hope to understand or change.

Much of my work is concerned with the relationship between our past experiences and our present lives. The ways we learned to adapt, seek connection, protect ourselves or make sense of the world can continue to influence our relationships, choices and emotional responses long after the original circumstances have changed. Through counselling and psychological exploration, it can become possible to recognise these patterns with greater awareness and compassion. From there, we can begin to develop more choice in how we respond to ourselves, to others and to the changes life brings.

At a Crossroads in Life

I have a particular interest in working with people who find themselves at a crossroads. Sometimes this follows a significant loss, the end or beginning of a relationship, a change in circumstances, or a growing sense that the life we have been living no longer feels entirely our own. At other times, there may be no single event, only a feeling of uncertainty, restlessness or the sense that something needs to change. These periods can be unsettling, but they can also become important opportunities for self-discovery.

My work often explores themes of relationships and attachment, identity, self-trust, emotional patterns, life transitions and bereavement. I am particularly interested in helping people understand the patterns they have developed and supporting them as they move towards a stronger and more authentic relationship with themselves.

Bereavement and Loss

I also have experience supporting people through bereavement and loss and volunteer with Cruse Bereavement Support in the UK. Grief is deeply individual and cannot be hurried. Loss can affect not only how we feel about the person or situation we have lost, but also our identity, relationships and sense of the future. Counselling can provide a space to explore these experiences at your own pace and to make sense of the emotional changes that can accompany significant loss.

Writing and Psychological Exploration

Alongside my counselling work, I have written extensively about emotional wellbeing, relationships, self-discovery and personal change. I am the author of several books, including writing that explores the relationship between our inner lives and the ways we experience the world around us. Across both my writing and counselling work, a common thread runs through much of what I do: the belief that greater self-awareness can help us move from living according to old patterns and external expectations towards a life that feels more consciously chosen.

Writing allows me to explore psychological ideas in a different way. Through essays, articles and books, I examine the patterns that shape our relationships, the beliefs we develop about ourselves, and the possibility of change. My aim is not to offer simple answers to complex human experiences. Instead, I hope to create spaces for reflection, helping people recognise something of themselves in the questions being explored.

My Journey

I originate from Ireland and now live in the UK. My life and work have also taken me beyond the familiar environments in which I grew up. From 2015 to 2018, I lived in the foothills of the Himalayas, an experience that exposed me to different cultures, perspectives and ways of understanding human life. These experiences have contributed to my development as both a writer and counsellor. They have reinforced my interest in the ways our beliefs, environments and relationships shape our understanding of ourselves and the world. Today, my work brings together my experience as a psychotherapeutic counsellor with my longstanding commitment to writing and psychological exploration.

Working With Me

I offer online one-to-one counselling for people experiencing relationship difficulties, life changes, bereavement and emotional challenges. If you are considering counselling, you do not need to have everything worked out before you begin. Sometimes the first step is simply having a space in which to talk, reflect and begin making sense of what is happening. I offer a free 15-minute introductory consultation, providing an opportunity to discuss what brings you to counselling and whether working together feels appropriate.

I welcome enquiries for online consultation and one-to-one sessions at: info@colletteomahony.com