Supporting your journey

About

Integrative Counsellor and Psychotherapist supporting whole-person healing with compassion, clarity, and understanding.

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Meet Joanne

Integrative Counsellor and Psychotherapist supporting whole-person healing with compassion, clarity, and understanding.

Hi, my name is Joanne . I’m an integrative counsellor and psychotherapist, and I also come from a farming background. My own experiences have given me an understanding of the unique pressures and challenges that can come with balancing family, work, and tradition. This perspective shapes the way I support people in finding balance and direction in their lives.
In my practice, I draw on humanistic, psychodynamic, and cognitive behavioural approaches, adapting to the needs of each person I work with. I aim to create a safe and supportive space where you can feel heard, explore what’s going on for you, and begin to make positive changes.
Whether you’re struggling with anxiety, grief, family conflict, or simply feeling stuck, I work alongside you to help uncover strengths, restore clarity, and build resilience.
iacpIrish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy Membership No. 11598
Qualifications & Professional Memberships:
BA (Hons) in Integrative Counselling & Psychotherapy (Level 8)
Professional Certificate in Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy (Therapeutic Play Specialist)
Adolescent Integrative SPICC Model
Diploma in Life & Personal Coaching
Professional Certificate in Addiction Studies
Degree in Design Communications
Additional training in:
Mediation Skills for Farm Succession
Trauma-Informed Play
Holistic Therapies (Crystal Healing, Meditation, Self-Healing by Design)
Youth Mental Health (MindOut Programme, CPD etc)
Fully accredited member of the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP)
Areas of Focus

Over the years, I have supported people from many walks of life, facing challenges both big and small. My work often focuses on helping clients with:

Anxiety and depression — finding calm and building resilience in daily life
Trauma and PTSD — working gently to heal past experiences and restore safety
Grief and loss — creating space to process, honour, and move through loss
Relationship and family issues — navigating conflict, communication, and connection
Childhood experiences and inner child work — exploring how the past shapes the present
Identity, purpose, and self-worth — rediscovering meaning, confidence, and direction
Burnout, stress, and overwhelm — finding balance and restoring energy

Professional Experience & Expertise

A Comprehensive Overview of My Professional Experience, Expertise, and Contributions Across Counselling, Community Work, and the Financial Sector

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Private Practice

Providing one-to-one counselling for adults, adolescents, and families, supporting a wide range of emotional and psychological needs.

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Schools & Youth Projects

Offering counselling and therapeutic play to children and teenagers, helping them build resilience, process emotions, and develop coping skills.

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Community Projects

Supporting adults, couples, and families with issues such as grief, addiction, relationship conflict, stress, and personal growth.

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Organisations

Worked with Pieta House, Embrace Farm, and Laois Domestic Abuse Services, offering trauma support, crisis intervention, and family counselling.

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Crisis & Trauma Work

Specialist experience in supporting individuals impacted by trauma, suicide, and domestic abuse, creating safe and compassionate pathways for healing.

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Mediation, Conflict Resolution & Professional Insight

With 15 years in the financial services sector and formal training in Mediation Skills for Farm Succession, I help families navigate sensitive conversations around inheritance, roles, and responsibility. My experience equips me to bring clarity, empathy, and practical problem-solving to complex personal and family challenges.

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My Professional Journey

My professional journey began in 2009, when I trained as a Life and Personal Coach. At the time, my son had just turned five, and as a lone parent, he grew up alongside me as I continuously trained and invested in my own education over the following 17 years. This period reignited my deep passion for understanding human behavior — a passion that continues to this day, as I remain committed to evolving and expanding in this specialized field.

After completing my coaching training, I went on to earn a Professional Certificate in Addiction Studies. These qualifications, combined with my primary degree in Design Communications and the invaluable insights gained through lived experience, created a strong foundation for my entry into the IICP in Tallaght in 2013.

At IICP, I began to focus more closely on specialized and recognized therapeutic qualifications. Alongside achieving my honors degree, I also completed a Therapeutic Play Specialist and Adolescent Integrative SPICC model of professional Certificate, equipping me to work effectively with young people under the age of 18.

I qualified fully in 2018, and the following seven years were spent developing and refining a bespoke professional approach that integrates the more subtle, etheric aspects of my work. During this time, I expanded into the holistic dimensions of wellbeing and mental health, with my professional development reflecting this evolution.

This expansion has brought me full circle, reconnecting me with the roots of my journey. Alongside my therapeutic training, I have explored and incorporated practices such as Crystal Healing, Bio Energy, Meditation, and Self-Healing by Design, as well as Mediation Skills Training for Farm Succession. These elements bridge the worlds of personal transformation, spiritual awareness, and practical conflict resolution.

In many ways, this path has led me back to where it all began: as a farmer’s daughter, observing the flow of neighbours, families, and communities, and developing a lifelong curiosity about human behavior, resilience, and adversity — a curiosity also shaped by my own story. Today, my work is an integration of these strands: grounded therapeutic practice, holistic healing, and a deep respect for the human capacity to evolve and heal.

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Skills & Approach

Compassionate, integrative counselling that considers the whole person – mind, body, emotions, and spirit.
Expertise in supporting clients with trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, burnout, and family/relationship issues.
Skilled in therapeutic play, making therapy accessible for children and young people.
Strong background in crisis intervention and mediation.
Commitment to lifelong learning, ethical practice, and professional development.

Roots & Inspiration

In many ways, my journey has brought me full circle. Growing up as a farmer’s daughter, I saw first-hand the resilience, challenges, and community ties that shaped families. Combined with my own lived experiences, this gave me a lifelong curiosity about human behaviour, resilience, and healing.

Today, my work is an integration of these strands:

Grounded therapeutic practice

I take a grounded approach to therapy, using evidence-based methods to ensure my work is practical, effective, and tailored to each person’s unique needs. I create a safe, structured space where you can explore, grow, and heal step by step.

Holistic healing traditions

I draw on holistic practices alongside conventional therapeutic techniques, addressing the mind, body, and emotional well-being. This allows me to support clients in finding balance, resilience, and deeper healing.

Deep respect for the human capacity to grow and transform

I have a deep respect for every person’s ability to grow and change. I support clients in discovering their strengths, embracing transformation, and navigating life’s challenges with self-compassion and empowerment.

Healing the Whole Person

Whole-Person Healing

Healing the whole person

I believe that healing works best when it honours the whole person — mind, body, emotions, and spirit. In my practice, I draw on humanistic, psychodynamic, and cognitive-behavioural approaches, adapting each session to meet your individual needs. My goal is to create a supportive, non-judgmental space where you can explore your experiences, gain clarity, and uncover your own strengths

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What Clients Can Expect

50-minute sessions
Available in-person or online
Supportive, confidential and tailored to client needs
Collaborative and compassionate guidance
If you’d like to explore whether this approach feels right for you, I invite you to book a free 15-minute intro call.

“Life saving. I first met Joanne as a teen in 2019 and followed her into private practice—I refused to see anyone else. Her authenticity and wisdom brought me from a bed-ridden, non-functional state to thriving, living abroad, and facing my fears. After four years of Joanne giving 110%, I can truthfully say she sewed my heart back together through challenging but deeply rewarding therapy. I’ll never be able to repay her for giving me a second chance at life, but she has inspired me to pursue a career in psychotherapy.”

– anonymous

Abbeywell House

Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP)
iacpMembership No. 11598
Cullahill Co. Laois R32YK29, Cullahill, Ireland
+353 87 410 6047
josaunders79@yahoo.co.uk
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Abbeywellhouse
DIsclaimer:

Integrative Psychotherapy is a professional mental health service and is not a substitute for medical or psychiatric treatment.

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