REGISTRATION: Opens 8:45 am and closes 9:15 am

DURATION: The conference will commence once all attendees have registered at 9:15 am and will come to a close at 5:30 pm. Tea/coffee breaks and lunches will take place throughout the day.

Benefits of attending

• Gain expert insights from leaders in the fields of counselling & psychotherapy!
• Enjoy the complimentary tea, coffee, and lunch provided while also expanding your network with like-minded people in our industry.
• Stay up to date with the latest findings in the fields of Counselling & Psychotherapy. While increasing your depth of knowledge on the topic of Reflective Practice Frameworks.
• Earn CPD points for attending.

Early bird discount

This promotion is only available for a limited time and will end before January 31st 2025.

Brian Pennie

Brian Pennie is a former heroin addict turned doctor who's on a mission to show people that change is possible. Since embracing his second chance at life in 2013, he has become a doctor of neuroscience and psychology, a lecturer at the top two universities in Ireland, an executive coach to some of Ireland's most senior leaders, and a consultant to some of the world's largest organisations. He is also a keynote speaker, author, and founder of Change is Possible, where he has reached millions of people with his online content at www.brianpennie.com

Joanne Hanrahan

Joanne Hanrahan is a highly regarded Speaker, Workshop Facilitator and Practitioner. Her interest in the body, trauma, and the natural world is evident in her research, study, clinical, and training work.  Joanne’s work is influenced by body-oriented and regulation-focused approaches to shock trauma, developmental trauma and stress resolution.  She is a certified Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, and a Transforming Touch Practitioner and also has done considerable training with the Polyvagal Institute. These modalities bring a non-pathologising and relational focus to her practice and are informed by neuroscience and attachment theory.

Joanne completed a DCU MSc thesis in the area of Nature and Psychotherapy in 2015.  This research and the subsequent growth of her Ecotherapy clinical and training practice has gained much attention amongst the psychotherapy and research communities both in Ireland and internationally. Joanne has addressed audiences at conferences and training events for CONFER, IAHIP, IACP, Essential Therapy Training, and the Therapy Academy and has been consulted as an expert practitioner for both European and Irish Research Consortia.  The combination of Joanne’s ecological and trauma-informed lens and knowledge base brings a unique perspective to her work.

Beyond her speaking engagements, Joanne is dedicated to making a difference in the field of mental health. She runs her private practice for Psychotherapy and Supervision in Co. Clare, and she is the founder of 'Training, The Wild Atlantic Way', a leading training provider focused on bringing an ecological lens to therapeutic practice. Since 2016, Joanne has been developing and facilitating workshops which empower practitioners to embrace the therapeutic potential of nature, to help their clients heal with the Earth.  She has had articles published in the IAHIP journal ‘Inside Out’ on the topics of Outdoor Psychotherapy and Eco Supervision.  Additionally, her training practice provides wellbeing and sustainability training to various Irish and Multinational organisations, companies, educational establishments, and public bodies. 

Having dedicated her early career to the development and delivery of school counselling services Joanne’s career spans almost 30 years in Counselling and Psychotherapy.  More details can be found at www.joannehanrahan.ie

Steve Taylor

Steve Taylor PhD is the author of many best-selling books on psychology and spirituality, including Time Expansion Experiences, The Adventure and Extraordinary Awakenings. 

His books have been published in more than 20 languages, and he regularly presents Prayer for the Day on BBC Radio 4. He also writes the popular 'Out of the Darkness' blog for Psychology Today. Eckhart Tolle has described his work as ‘an important contribution to the shift in consciousness which is happening on our planet at present.’ Steve lives in Manchester, England and his website is www.stevenmtaylor.com

Gus Murray

Gus Murray M.SC., M.HRD is an EMDR Europe Accredited Senior Trainer and Consultant with over 25 years’ experience in the use of EMDR therapy. Gus is a highly experienced Counselling and Psychotherapy trainer having been Programme Director and Lead Trainer at the Cork Institute of Technology for over 25 years. He is widely recognised for his capable, dynamic and interactive training style which is endorsed by repeated feedback from participants. He holds a master’s degree (M.HRD) in Training and Development.

Having completed his master’s degree in Integrative Psychotherapy at the Metanoia Institute in London, Gus has practised as an Integrative Psychotherapist for over 30 years. He is accredited as a Psychotherapist and Supervisor with the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.

Gus has also completed basic and advanced level training in Somatic Experiencing (SE) and is an accredited SE practitioner. Additionally, he has completed basic and advanced level training in Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy and has extensive experience in the teaching and practice of IFS and other ego-state therapies.

Gus was the recipient of the Carl Berkeley Memorial Award (2017) from the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the development of the counselling and psychotherapy profession.

Gus was the founding president of the EMDR All-Ireland Association. He has presented at EMDR conferences and events throughout Ireland, the United Kingdom and Europe.

Gus has over 30 years of experience as a mental health clinician and trainer.

Kathryn Ledden

Kathryn is a medical doctor with a background in Psychology, Social Care, and research (MB, BCh, BAO; BSc Psychology), working as a Clinical Research Fellow in the Psychedelic Research Group at Trinity College Dublin. Here, Kathryn has served as a Sub-Investigator on psychedelic-assisted therapy trials for depression, anorexia nervosa, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Kathryn is also a Co-Founding Director of PsyCare Ireland, Welfare & Harm Reduction CLG, which provides support to people in distress at music festivals, and a Director of Irish Doctors for Psychedelic Assisted Therapy. 

Ray Tonge

Ray is a humanistic and integrative psychotherapist with over 19 years of experience and has been a faculty lecturer at PCI College for the past 7 years. Throughout his career, he has developed a keen focus on exploring the body and the unconscious within the therapeutic space. He is particularly interested in recognising ingrained holding patterns within the body and how these patterns can be shifted through observation and movement.

Based in  Dublin, Ray works with individuals and facilitates groups, workshops, and experiential personal development courses, drawing from Humanistic, Gestalt, Psychodynamic, and Integrative Body Work approaches, including bioenergetics. His work aims to help clients cultivate greater physical awareness and develop tools to enhance their freedom and control over psychological, emotional, and physical responses to life’s challenges. Fully accredited member with IACP, IAHIP and ICP.

Christine Moran

IACP, NAPCP, EAC Accredited Counsellor/Psychotherapist/Supervisor/Tutor/ Workshop facilitator/Mindfulness Instructor.
Author of "Dear Precious Being" published in 2009.

The timetable will be confirmed closer to the event.

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We are excited to share that the National Counselling & Psychotherapy Conference 2025 will be held at The Gibson Hotel, Point Square, Dublin City Centre!

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Parking:

As an attendee of the conference, you will be able to enjoy discounted parking on our venue's hotel grounds for just €12 per day.

If the venue's car park reaches its capacity, we recommend you use the nearby street or multi-storey parking. Please note that parking outside the hotel grounds is at your own risk and will not qualify for the discounted rate mentioned above.