*RISE COUNSELLING PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE ETHICAL BOUNDARY OF CONFIDENTIALITY AND TO ENHANCE THIS WE ENSURE THAT YOU WILL NOT BE PLACED WITH A COUNSELLOR YOU KNOW. WE ALSO STAGGER OUR APPOINTMENT TIMES IN SUCH A WAY THAT YOU ARE UNLIKELY TO MEET OTHER CLIENTS AT THE PRACTICE.

Wayne Hamilton BA (Hons), Dip MIACP

Counsellor & Psychotherapist, Practice Manager

Founder and practice manager at RISE, Wayne is an accredited, experienced psychotherapist holding a 1 st Class Honours Degree in Counselling & Psychotherapy from DBS, a Practitioners Cert in CBT and CORST (College of Relationship & Sex Therapists) accredited training in couples therapy. Wayne is a fully accredited member of the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and works within their codes of ethics and practice. Previously Wayne has volunteered with ISPCC ChildLine and also has a background in social care settings having worked with service users who are marginalized or disadvantaged in some way within the community such as those with serious illness and children on the autism spectrum. He has also practiced as a psychotherapist at Living Life Counselling in Bray, a charitable organization and is an affiliate of both OPTUM and Health Assured Employee Assistance Schemes. Wayne coordinates counselling relationships for several local organisations, including cancer societies and womens aid.

Wayne creates a warm, safe, non-judgmental space for individual counselling and his practice is humanistic, integrative and psychodynamic in nature. Wayne believes that each of us at our unique core, have the capacity to heal and learn from our wounding, to have a better relationship with ourselves and to live fully, always moving towards wholeness. He has particular interest and skill in the areas of abandonment and isolation, trauma and PTSD, anxiety and major depressive episodes.

Moya Nulty BSc. PGCert, Counsellor & Psychotherapist

Moya graduated from UCD with a degree in Psychology and History. Having worked as a teacher for many years she studied at PCI college and obtained a Diploma in Psychotherapy/Counselling and went on to receive a BSc. (1 st class Honours) in Psychotherapy/Counselling from Middlesex University. Later she completed a Postgraduate Cert in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy with IICP Institute.

Working from an integrative humanistic perspective, Moya draws on different therapeutic approaches but the work is always grounded in a person centred approach tailored to the suitability of the client. Moya is particularly interested in working with children and young adults. Through play therapy she has worked with young people who are struggling with issues like anxiety, depression, low self- esteem, bereavement and loss, panic attacks, self-harm, eating disorders, stress, trauma and school related issues.

Moya is a fully accredited member of IACP.

Louise Doran Bsc, PGDip, Cert Therapeutic Play, Counsellor & Psychotherapist

Louise Doran trained with P.C.I. College Dublin and obtained a degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy. Louise has a special interest in Eating Disorders and went on obtained a Diploma in Practitioner’s Skills for Eating Disorders with The National Centre for Eating Disorders U.K. She also completed further training in C.B.T (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) with Zestlife College.

Louise works with adults and adolescents one to one. Louise has worked in the Loretto counselling Center for 5 years before starting her private practice in Wicklow and Wexford. Louise finds C.B.T. to be extremely helpful in overcoming anxiety/panic attacks, low self-esteem, depression, anger and many other problems. Louise is fully accredited with the I.A.C.P. (Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) and works under their code of ethics. she has worked for many years treating people from all walks of life with many different issues and problems. She is currently training in Therapeutic Play Skills and intends to continue my professional training, well in to the future.

Louise believes that every person is unique and so deserves a therapist who is professional and expertly trained. She is motivated by a genuine desire to help people reclaim their lives. Healing from past hurts, dealing with present issues and making change all require a safe and accepting place to do so. Louise believes that the client/counsellor relationship is of the utmost importance. Her strengths lie in creating a non-judgmental environment where clients can feel comfortable without the fear of blame or stigma, and to know that she will do her very best to support and help you.

Louise is a fully accredited member of IACP.

Deirdre Devlin, BA, Dip Psychotherapy, Cert. Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy, MIAHIP.

Deirdre has a Post Graduate Professional Diploma in Counselling & Psychotherapy from Tivoli Institute , Dun Laoghaire, a Certificate in Child & Adolescent Counselling & Psychotherapy from the Irish Institute of Counselling & Psychotherapy. Deirdre is currently studying for a Masters qualification in Integrative Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy in the Irish Institute of Counselling and Psychotherapy.

Deirdre is a humanistic and integrative psychotherapist with extensive experience providing counselling and therapeutic services for adults, adolescents, and children. She has a particular interest in working with teenagers and the issues that typically present for them including anxiety, depression, panic attacks ,anger, exam stress, self-harm, body image issues , bullying and self-esteem issues. Deirdre believes that each person has the capacity for growth and change, and she helps clients find greater balance, personal insight, and resilience. Her approach is empathic and collaborative, and she uses a blend of different therapeutic approaches. Deirdre also spends time each week volunteering in Living Life, a non-profit agency that provides counselling.

Deirdre is a fully accredited member of IAHIP.

Dympna Nolan BA, MSc CAP, PMCAP, Child & Adolescent Art Psychotherapist

Dympna is a fully qualified Child and Adolescent Art Psychotherapist obtaining her Masters of Science in UCD School of Medicine and a Post Masters in St Vincent’s School of Psychotherapy. Child and Adolescent Art Psychotherapy is deeply embedded in the Psychoanalytic approach. Child and Adolescent Art Psychotherapy also recognises the humanistic and integrative approach in which all young people have the human capacity to achieve a balanced life.

Dympna has an art background and a keen interest in how the unconscious connects with the conscious thought processing through drawing and painting. She was trained on a CAMHS teams in the Lucena Clinic Services, a Child and Adolescent Mental Health service of St. John of God Community in Wicklow. Presently Dympna is also working as an Art psychotherapist with Tusla, the Children and Family Agency within a Social Care Team. Dympna has extensive knowledge of children aged 4 to 18 years and specifically works with young people who have encountered trauma and attachment difficulties.

Dympna has vast experience in relationship building, both with her child and adolescent clients and with their parents or guardians. She has been working in this area for the last 20 years. Showing a particular interest in the exploration of communication through image making and in emotional expression.

Dympna is an accredited member of the ACAP, and works under their Code of Ethics.

Therese Reddan Adv Dip, MSc. Counsellor & Psychotherapist

An accredited member of IAHIP, Therese graduated from the Tivoli Institute in 2016 with an Advanced Diploma in Psychotherapy. Therese then went on to study at Carlow IT and obtained a Master of Arts in Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy (Clinical) Level 9 on NVQ.

Therese has particular interest in the area of grief and loss having completed her master’s Dissertation in the subject. Therese also trained as a drama teacher with the London college of Music and media and she also has over 30 years of experience of working in the health care field with people who have intellectual disabilities, dual diagnosis, autism and mental health problems. Therese is a hardworking, conscientious and caring person, with extensive knowledge of offering support and guidance to clients. She has a proven ability to empathise with individuals whilst retaining an objective and realistic approach to their treatment and therapy.  Throughout her career she has had the opportunity to work with a wide cross section of clients with a wide variety of presenting issues, including but not limited to: grief, relationship and attachment issues, abandonment, eating disorders, depression, stress, anxiety, trauma, abuse, sexuality and gender issues, individuals impacted by disability and age related issues.

Therese is optimistic and non-judgmental and works from a humanistic, psychodynamic and integrative model. Working collaboratively with her clients and with a spirit of compassion and expanding awareness. She supports her clients to enter into gentle experiential practices, to expand their own capacities and to discover new insight about themselves, to become more aware of their own strengths and resources and of how the past may be influencing their current thoughts and behaviours. 

Nicole Coutlangus BA, Dip. Counselling & Psychotherapy, MIACP

Nicole completed her Diploma of Counselling & Psychotherapy at PCI College in Dublin, and gained her initial clinical experience at Living Life Counselling in Bray. She is a humanistic, person-centred and integrative therapist who utilises existential concepts, basic CBT techniques and psychoeducation where appropriate to the work. Her primary focus with every client is creating a safe space for them to explore, and she never takes this for granted. Her approach is relationship-driven, with the objective of empowering the client to trust their inner voice always at the fore. The past is explored, but the work is very much grounded in the present moment. More than anything, she believes it is the relationship between client and therapist that promotes the greatest healing. Nicole has a particular interest in the areas of sexuality, career-related crises and crises of meaning and purpose, as well as anxiety disorders. She equally has a niche in helping millenials and Gen Z clients maintain their mental health while managing adulthood in the age of social media and infinite opportunity. Coming from America, she also has a keen understanding of what it feels like to start over in a new country, and realises that this may be a common, yet difficult experience for many in an increasingly-diverse Ireland.
Nicole is an accredited member of the IACP, and works under their Code of Ethics. She is qualified to work one-on-one with clients over the age of 18.

Soraya Ahmid, MA Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy, BA, Dip. Integrative Psychotherapy, Professional Cert. Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy, MIACP

Soraya has a Masters in Child and Adolescent Counselling and Psychotherapy, a B.A. (Hons) degree in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy, a Diploma in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy, a Professional Certificate in Child and Adolescent Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy, all from the Irish Institute of Counselling and Psychotherapy. Soraya believes that every client has a story – every story matters – every client matters. Soraya has extensive experience working with adults, children and adolescents and she provides a safe, warm environment that enables clients to feel comfortable to start sharing their story. Soraya’s primary way of working is person-centred, however, being trained integratively, she focuses on the individual as a whole and therapy can therefore be tailor made to suit each individual client’s needs. Soraya has a particular interest working with children and adolescents and the various issues that they present with, which include but are not limited to, anxiety, anger, body-image issues, grief, self-harm issues, bullying, dealing with separation within the home, and self-worth issues. Her work also focuses on enabling children to access their feelings through creative means. As well as working with RISE, Soraya also works in the Wicklow Child and Family Project Centre in Wicklow Town. Soraya is a fully accredited member of IACP.

JULIE HOGAN Adv. Dip Psychotherapy

Julie is a fully qualified and experienced Psychotherapist/Counsellor. Julie is accredited with IAHIP (Irish Association of Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy) and trained with the Tivoli Institute in Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin.  

Psychotherapy is for anyone who may need help in a time of crisis or who feels generally their life or current circumstances are not working for them as they would wish it to.  Psychotherapy is an opportunity to get to know yourself, for personal development and a tool for living in a more conscious and informed way.   Throughout her career Julie has worked with a wide range of presenting issues including but not limited to depression, anxiety, grief, family issues, personal relationship issues, illness, abuse, sexual issues, trauma and compound/complex trauma, childhood issues. 

Julie’s training and orientation is from the psychodynamic, humanistic and integrative model.   Julie works collaboratively with her clients from a client led perspective with non-judgement and unconditional positive regard.  Julie works empathically creating a safe and honest space for her clients.  Julie also holds a certificate in CBT and uses these practical coping skills and tools from this model where appropriate with Clients.

Julie is a qualified Yoga and Pre Natal-Yoga teacher (“Yoga Alliance” certified), which allows her to work with her clients in a way that recognises and integrates the connection between body and mind, mental and emotional. Julie feels that we may hold some of our past traumas, issues and hurts we have experienced in our lives and that these can become “locked” in our bodies. For this reason, Julie integrates her body work knowledge in her approach to assist clients when appropriate and provide them with tools of self- healing techniques. 

Maeve Ferns BA, Pg Cert

Maeve has worked extensively with couples, individuals, children, and teenagers, but has been drawn to focus her work on relationship and couples counselling. Maeve ensures her clients know that judgement has no place in the counselling room and that her clients feel equally heard and understood. The process allows negative communication issues to be identified and new paths to positive outcomes to emerge.

Christine Keegan, BSc (Hons), Graduate Dip, Prof Dip, MIACP

Christine trained as an Integrative Counsellor and Psychotherapist with Turning Point, Dun Laoghaire. She then trained as an Integrative Supervisor with IICP, Killinarden. Christine has many years of experience in both roles. She works from a Person Centred Approach and places great importance on building a safe and supportive relationship with her clients.
Within her Supervisory Role Christine works with both Qualified Therapists and Trainee Therapists. Christine’s Supervisory qualification allows her to work across the healthcare sector. For Christine Supervision is about collaboration, in which the supervisor works with the supervisee to explore their work reflectively, promoting the opportunity for growth and development. The same core conditions would be present in supervision as in therapy: openness, respect, honesty and genuineness.
Within her Psychotherapy role Christine works with adult clients presenting with issues such as anxiety, self esteem, relationship issues, grief and loss.
Christine also has extensive experience in the area of Family Support
Christine provides both face to face and on line therapy/supervision
Christine is an Accredited member of the IACP and works within their code of ethics.

Ciara Duignan Msc

Ciara trained with the Children’s Therapy Centre where she qualified as a play therapist and received her Masters in Creative Psychotherapy (Humanistic and Integrative Modality). Ciara is a pre-accredited member of IAPTP and follows their code of ethics and practice. Ciara has extensive experience working with children in an educational setting for over 14 years. Ciara’s work as a therapist utilizes creative interventions and approaches through therapeutic play, child psychotherapy and counselling. Ciara has worked with children and adolescents who have experienced trauma, anxiety, bullying, low self-esteem, grief and loss, separation, mental health related issues. Ciara is passionate about using a child centered approach to therapy as a way of supporting children’s growth, healing and expression. Play therapy offers children a safe space to express themselves and resolve any painful experiences through the medium of play. Therapeutic activities and interventions are tailored to suit the developmental and personal needs of each individual child. Play activities and creative arts, such as, music, art, sensory play, movement are used to enrich the therapeutic experience.Ciara works in a humanistic and integrative manner to support children to achieve their optimal growth and master developmental milestones. Ciara incorporates non-directive and focused approaches to respond to needs of the child. Ciara adopts a family approach to therapy. Although the primary client is that of the child, Ciara values the important role of the parents/carer as a supportive ally to the child in the therapeutic process. Ciara believes that nurturing relationships promote children’s emotional wellbeing and resiliency. Ciara is a qualified Yoga teacher (Yoga Alliance certified) and is a certified Kids and Teens yoga instructor. Ciara uses yoga and breathwork as a complementary tool, where appropriate, to support the client’s capacity to regulate emotions and manage anxieties and develop greater awareness of their bodies.

Melanie Doyle BA, BA (Hons)

Melanie joined Rise counselling and psychotherapy service in the role of Adult and Adolescence counsellor having worked previously with Genesis Family Therapeutic Service. Prior to becoming a therapist Melanie was involved in training and development in the corporate sector and also in community focussed projects with organisations such CDP Northwall and Empower Coolmine. Part of this work was to enable adults and young people to complete their education and realise their full potential. Melanie completed both a BA degree in youth counselling and an honours BA degree in counselling and psychotherapy. She has experience in providing one to one-person centred counselling interventions with adolescences and adults in a safe and non-judgemental therapeutic environment. Working from an integrative therapeutic approach utilizing a range of modalities in CBT and Humanistic therapy , she has supported people experiencing mental health distress , trauma, stress and anxiety , low self-esteem, bullying , School exam anxiety , loss and grief and diagnosed mental health disorders. Melanie is passionate about supporting people to reach their full potential to achieve their goals and become an agent of change.

Maeve Burke BA (Hons), MA

Maeve holds a BA Hons in Psychology and a Masters in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy from Dublin Business School. She has also completed further clinical training on the Specific Modality Training in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy in St. Vincent’s Hospital, through the School of Psychotherapy. Maeve is a qualified Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist and holds full accreditation with the Association of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy in Ireland (APPI) under the umbrella of the Irish Council of Psychotherapy (ICP). She is bound and abides by its Code of Ethics and Practice.

Maeve has clinical experience spanning a wide variety of settings including the National Maternity Hospital, the Dolphin Homework Club, the Tower Probation Programme, Kilbarrack Coast Community Programme, Naas Child and Family Programme, Living Life Counselling and student counselling services in third level institutions. Maeve has a particular interest working with young people, along with their parents as they try and negotiate this challenging phase of life.

Psychotherapy offers a safe and confidential space for an individual to explore various aspects of their life and be listened to in a way that is rarely possible with family or friends. Maeve offers a space which facilitates you to hear the things you may not be aware of but influence your actions, decisions and feelings. This provides an opportunity for new insights, to re-shape how you approach challenges and to identify what you really want to do with the issues or difficulties you face in your life. Maeve welcomes individuals with a wide range of issues and symptoms which include anxiety, stress, depression, chronic illness, life transition difficulties, confidence, identity, difficulties in the social bond, self-esteem, bereavement, addiction, relationship issues, anger, questions of gender and sexuality.

Elizabeth Garvey, BA (Hons)

Courage lies at the core of the therapeutic journey. I admire the clients I have worked with for having stepped beyond where they were and in coming to therapy, exploring for themselves, another way of being in the world. Jung wrote that there is something that lies deep in our nature that we understand, and I believe that Carl Rogers addressed this when he said, “It is the client who knows what hurts, what directions to go, what problems are crucial, what experiences have been deeply buried.”

I use a humanistic, psychodynamic and integrative approach. Providing a counselling and therapeutic service by inviting people to develop their awareness as to what prevents them from unfolding their true nature. Thus, enabling a person to take responsibility for what is happening in their life now by overcoming fear, in order to imagine what is possible.

My experiences have led to developing the strong belief that each person has the capacity to be kind, that we each act out of either a place of love or a place of fear, and I also believe that each person can consciously choose to act for good in their own lives and in the lives of others.

I hold a B.A. Hons in Degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy from DBS, Diploma in Psychology, Diploma in Spirituality and a Montessori Diploma in Education. I have practiced as a psychotherapist at Living Life Counselling in Bray. I am a member of IACP (Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) and work under their code of ethics.

Alison Keenan, BA (Hons)

Alison holds a B.A. Honours Degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy from the University of Warwick. She is a registered member of the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) working under their code of ethics.

She has practiced as a psychotherapist with a UK based LGTBQ+ charity and also within NHS settings, focusing on anxiety and depression. More recently, Alison has held a dual role practicing as a psychotherapist and clinical associate at Living Life Counselling. She has a particular interest in gender diversity, low self esteem and trauma.

She works in a person-centred way and believes in the power of a non-judgemental environment to facilitate change and deepen personal awareness.

Margit Stiebitzhofer BA Hons, PG Dip, MIAPTP

Prior to joining Rise, Margit had a career background in special needs education and Montessori management before becoming a Play Therapist in 2016.

Her practice is non-directive, child-centered, Jungian play therapy. This approach is understood as receiving every child into the therapeutic world as a unique individual who has and is processing their life in a unique and personally meaningful way. The psyche has a self-healing potential, that the archetypes assist in organizing the child’s behavior, and that the creative processes of play intervene, and transform the child, into the direction of healing. When the child feels and copes better everyone benefits.

Margit utilizes evidence-based tools, emotional learning style assessment and hopes and expectations for qualitative measure.

She focuses on building and developing the therapeutic relationship supported by the Axline guiding principles of interaction and the ethical work principles of Play Therapy Ireland (governing body). The process is integrative; e.g. a wide range of play and creative arts
techniques are provided that often responding to the child’s wishes and reflect on their needs. Margit has experience with alleviating mild to moderate psychological and emotional challenges in the child that are causing behavioral problems and/or are preventing the child from realizing their potential.

Margit advocates a growth mind-set and is committed to best practice and professional development which includes regular supervision.