Linda Balfe
Linda Balfe has worked as a psychotherapist since 1997. In 2001 Linda opened Aspen Counselling. She works as a Psychotherapist and Director of this service. Linda has B.Sc. in Counselling and Psychotherapy, Certified as a Reality Therapist and a Certificate in Supervision.
The areas that she specialise in are Attachment, Family Systems, Loss and Grief, Addictions, Anxiety, Depression, Phobias. OCD, Stress management, Sexual Addiction/Dysfunction, sexual identity and Suicidal ideation. She is an Accredited Psychotherapist and Qualified Supervisor with the Irish Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy ( I.A.C.P)
Paula Richards
Paula Richards is an accredited Therapist with IACP and is also a Certified Reality Therapist with The William Glasser Institute Ireland (WGII).
Paula has a Bsc Hons in Counselling and Psychotherapy. She also has a Diploma in Criminology and Criminal Psychology.
She works in the area of general counselling including depression, stress/anxiety, self-esteem/confidence/assertiveness/bereavement/loss, anger management, addiction, work related stress/bullying, emotional crisis/coping.
She specialises in the area of sexual abuse/trauma and eating disorders. Paula also has training is suicide prevention and intervention, having studied Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (Asist) in order to help provide an awareness in the community around suicide Ideation
Paula is based in the Lucan Centre.
Anita Courtney
While Anita’s style is primarily ‘person centred’ she has the innate ability to adapt and tailor her counselling style to each individual client’s needs depending on their situation.
Mary Kelly
Mary C Kelly is a qualified psychotherapist, her particular interest lies in attachment issues mindfulness and addiction and how they relate to our mental physical and social wellbeing.
Mary has a Graduate Diploma in Integrative Psychotherapy from DCU. Mary trained as a Group Facilitator in the Rutland Centre; she is an accredited member of the Irish Association of Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy (IAHIP). Mary is a nurse and works in the HSE, she has a BNS in Nursing from DCU and is on the active register of An Bord Altranais.
Laura Kilbride
Jean Butler
Jean is an accredited therapist with I.A.C.P. She studied at the IICP Education and Training Ltd, which specialises in Choice Theory, Reality Therapy and Person Centred Therapy. From there Jean began working in general counselling, in a voluntary capacity with people of all ages and worked with a wide range of issues.
Jean holds a certificate in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Jean also works in the field of the prevention of suicide and self- harm, having studied Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST).
Jean is based at our Lucan Centre
Karl Melvin
Karl Melvin is a pre-accredited Therapist with the I.A.C.P and has worked as a Psychotherapist in Aspen counselling for over 2 years. Working in general counselling, Karl specialising is helping adults of all ages break free from dysfunctional families and lead healthy/happy lives.
He currently runs the blog toxicescape.com where he provides advice on mental health and personal development and contributes articles to TheJournal.ie, the Irish Independent and the Irish Examiner.
He received a Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy from PCI College in 2014 and is about to start a Masters in Counselling. He also has a BSc in Computing and Information Technology from IT Tallaght
Patricia Moran
Patricia Moran is an Associated Member of IACP and is a Certified couples, teen and personal counsellor with accreditations from The Irish Institute of Couple Counselling, Relate UK and a Diploma from the National University of Ireland, Maynooth. Patricia has over 20 years experience working as a counsellor and believes that confidentiality, trust and a non-judgemental positive regard is the essence of a successful client/counsellor relationship.
Patricia specialises in couple counselling including Marriage Preparation, Relationship Therapy and Separation Counselling. She also specialises in teen counselling including Teen Between, (supporting young people through parental separation and coping with the additional struggles of entering young adulthood).
Patricia also works in many other areas of couples, teen and personal counselling including:
- Pre Marriage Courses
- Unplanned pregnancy and post termination counselling.
- Domestic violence, (incorporating mental, physical and sexual abuse).
- Addiction counselling.
- Bereavement counselling.
- Issues relating to unresolved anger.
- Self development, (nurturing self esteem, dealing with depression and empowering oneself to develop the confidence and strength to set realistic goals and to enhance one’s own natural potential).
Patricia is based in the Lucan centre.
Carmel Ryan
Carmel Ryan is a pre-accredited psychotherapist currently working on a voluntary basis in Aspen, Lucan. She completed an Honours Degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy in Dublin Business School in 2013. Carmel works with people of all ages and with a wide range of issues.
Her main area of practice is with anxiety and humanistic psychotherapy.
Mary Quirke
Mary is a Psychotherapist, Child Psychotherapist and Play Therapist with over 13 years experience working in the field of human relationships. Mary works individually with children and adolescents. She has a particular interest in attachment, Developmental trauma and supporting children with a history of loss and separation. Mary also specialises in therapy to address issues relating to attachment and parenting.
Mary holds a Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy. She has a post graduate Diploma in Child Psychotherapy and Play Therapy. She also has additional training in sand play therapy.
Mary is an accredited member of NAPCP (National Association of Pastoral Counselling & Psychotherapy). She is also an accredited member of IAPTP (The Irish Association of Play Therapy & Psychotherapy).
Keith Manning
Keith has been with Aspen since 2015. />Keith is a pre-accredited psychotherapist with the IACP (Irish association of counselling and psychotherapy) and abides by their code of ethics.
Keith’s approach is integrative and humanistic, meaning that he combines learning from different schools of psychotherapy to best meet the needs of each client. Keith works with a broad range of issues from depression and anxiety to self-esteem and relationship difficulties.
Keith holds a BSc (Hons)Degree in counselling and psychotherapy.
Don Mc Laughlin
Don is a pre-accredited counsellor with APCP and began working with Aspen in 2017 as a volunteer counsellor.He is currently completing a Master’s Degree in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy with ICHAS (The Irish College of Humanities and Applied Sciences).
Dons evidence based cognitive behavioral approach is very much based in the “here and now” and very effective for a wide range of problems.
His approach includes very active components that promote change, with an emphasis on putting what has been learned into practice between sessions.He also uses mindfulness meditation techniques to build a more secure space for the client to engage with the world around them.
Don’s philosophy is a simple one….
“Our response to what life brings our way defines who we are.Problems arise when our power to respond is taken from us.”
Don has also worked as a facilitator for the Strenthening Families Program in Dublin 12 and works part ime as a counsellor with The Walkingstown Greenhills Resource Centre.Before choosing to follow a path into psychotherapy as a mature student, his background was originally in engineering and then consumer behaviour.
Don holds a BA (Hons)Degree in Psychology and a Post Grad Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.