Peter is a Systemic Psychotherapist.  Systemic Psychotherapy, or Family Therapy, as it is more commonly called, views people and the problems which distress them within the context of the many relationships they have in their lives.  These problems are often experienced within the family, or within close personal relationships, or between friends or colleagues.  Family therapy has been found to be effective not just with families, but with individuals of all ages and with couples.  It has a large evidence base behind it.  Peter uses the Family Therapy approach to help people to look at their concerns in the context of patterns of behaviour in their lives, and in the context of ideas and personal beliefs which may help to underpin these patterns of behaviour, and in their historical and generational context.

Prior to studying Family Therapy, Peter’s primary degree was in Psychology with follow-up postgraduate work in the area of Youth and Community Work.  He has almost 30 years’ experience of working with young people and their families in an effort to find solutions to emotional and behavioural difficulties which arise at home and at school and which may inhibit or prevent the young person in participating fully, or at all, in mainstream education.  As well as working with the school-based issues, Peter also works to alleviate some of the difficulties that fallout from school-based problems can create within the family and in relationships within the family.

Peter also has a personal interest in the area of philosophy, spirituality and the search for meaning in life, which can emerge as a question during the course of life, at or after a time of crisis, or in the context of grieving and loss.

Professional Memberships:

• Irish Council for Psychotherapy (ICP)
• Family Therapy Association of Ireland (FTAI)