catherine keers

counselling & psychotherapy centre

The centre and therapists

  • We work in accordance with the code of the ethics from the Irish Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy (IACP) and/or the Irish Association of Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy (IAHIP).
  • We have accredited qualifications and are either accredited or working towards full accreditation with these bodies. We all attend regular supervision with accredited Supervisors.
  • Full confidentiality is guaranteed and we abide by the ethics of the Irish psychotherapy and counselling associations. You can view these charters here:

We have an underlying ethos of ‘person-centeredness’. This means that we see the importance of finding you a therapist that you feel comfortable working with and who can best meet your needs.

Below is a brief introduction to my colleagues:

Kevin Murphy - psychoanalytic psychotherapist

I work with the entire spectrum of issues that tend to hold people back from reaching their full potential and living the lives they want to live. These include stress, depression/post natal depression, anxiety, addictions, phobias, compulsive disorders and negative thinking. My approach is Psychoanalytical which means the therapy takes place in the form of a one-to-one dialogue that focuses on the client’s spoken interpretation of their lived experience. It does so in a confidential, non-directive and non-judgemental way.

Speaking out the story helps reveal the troublesome aspects of a client's life that are due to repeated patterns of behaviour which, on the face of it, appear to have little or no connection with their day-to-day thinking. In this way, clients are brought to a fuller understanding of the "ideas" surrounding the unconscious motivations at work in their lives. It is of particular relevance for those working in the corporate world where individual performance is continually assessed and where issues of competition, reward, self-worth, motivation and realisable ambition add an extra layer of pressure. It involves one session per week lasting 60 minutes and it takes place at the same time and at the same venue. For some, treatment is relatively short-lived and is completed in a matter of months. Others choose to remain in psychoanalysis for longer than this.

Carolyn Sinnott - Psychotherapist MIACP

I work as a humanistic and integrative therapist, providing one-to-one psychotherapy and counselling to adults. I draw from a number of different therapeutic approaches such as Person Centered, Hakomi and Gestalt, working with each client in a way that is best suited to their individual needs.

I am very passionate about my work because I believe that every crisis provides us with an opportunity for growth and development.  Whereas therapy can sometimes be a challenging process, it can also be a hugely supportive, empowering, and life changing experience. It is not uncommon to feel hesitant or unsure about seeking therapeutic help. In our initial session there is an opportunity for us to meet each other and explore whether therapy may be helpful to you. Many of the individuals I have worked with have come to me thinking that their problems aren’t important enough to warrant therapy or they are being ‘self-indulgent’; if this is you, I would particularly encourage you to come for an initial session.

I graduated from The Institute of Integrative Psychotherapy Studies (Dublin City University) with an MSc in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy. I am committed to continuous ongoing additional training and development, and I am currently undergoing level 2 training in Hakomi, a mindfulness-based body-centred psychotherapy. I am a fully accredited member of the Irish Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (IACP). In ‘a previous life’, I worked in business management in the Financial Services sector.

Diana Erskine-Hill

The aim is to develop a mutually trusting relationship to facilitate and support you, the client, to find more satisfactory ways of dealing with difficulties. Clients are encouraged to gently explore their own experiences specifically and to discover within themselves their own potential to enjoy living their lives in a more fulfilling way. Working as a therapist in a humanistic and integrative way I move between different approaches integrating person centred, gestalt, psychodynamic, bodywork and artwork. Areas of particular interest: Loss, Transition & Progression.

I am a fully accredited Member & Approved Supervisor with the Irish Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy. Qualified with Diploma in Counselling from Dept of Social Studies, Trinity College, Dublin with post graduate Diploma in Gestalt Therapy. I am a trained Bereavement Counsellor and certified in Choice Theory and Reality Therapy. Completed IACP & IAHIP recognised training in the Gestalt Model of supervision.

I come from a business administration background and started my own private practise ten years ago. Over twenty years experience working with groups and individuals in different organisations and colleges in Dublin. Established training courses in Self Esteem & Assertiveness Skills, Bereavement Counselling Skills, Counselling Process & Skills as well as Stress Management. Founder member and ex-president of the Irish Hard of Hearing Association.

Carly Doyle

I am a qualified & accredited psychotherapist and have additional training in addiction counselling, bereavement counselling, stress management, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). My professional accreditations are with IAHIP, IACP, IAAAC and I'm a registered member of the ICP.

I have been working in private practice since 2001 and work with general counselling & psychotherapy, addictions, bereavement & loss, relationships, abuse, self-esteem, bullying, crisis, separation/divorce and stress management.

My work is person-centered, eclectic and integrative.

Barbara Pastorino

I am a humanistic and integrative psychotherapist working with adult clients on a wide range of issues such as depression, anxiety and panic attacks, stress, negative thinking, post-traumatic stress disorder, anger management, etc.

I believe we are all on a journey of self-discovery and search for meaning and that the difficulties we encounter in life are means that help us become more self-aware, self-acceptant and realise our full potential.


I see therapy as the time and space dedicated to you as the client, where you are free to explore whatever is more pressing for you at this time in your life. This can be at times difficult or even painful and my role as a therapist is to facilitate your exploration by providing a safe, confidential and non-judgmental environment and applying a non-directive method.

I graduated from The Institute of Integrative Psychotherapy Studies (Dublin City University) with a Diploma in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy. Although my main approach is person-centred, I also draw from other approaches such as existential therapy, Gestalt, Transactional Analysis, depending on the needs of the client and/or the stages of the therapeutic relationship.

I graduated as a Life and Business Coach at the Centre for Personal and Professional Development and I also work in this area. Coaching is not therapy: it deals with limited issues in a very action-based and future-oriented way using specific tools to facilitate change in career, relationships, etc.

Linda Whittaker

I have been working in counselling and psychotherapy with individuals for the past six years. I hold a Professional Diploma in Counselling having graduated from the Institute of Creative Counselling and Psychotherapy. The type of training which I have offers a humanistic and integrative approach which is experiential and non-directive and is based on related theoretical models such as Person-Centered, Gestalt and Psychodynamic. I am a fully credited member of the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP) since October 2005 and I have ongoing regular supervision.

In this process, I meet with clients on a one-to-one basis where they have a confidential opportunity in a safe and accepting environment to talk about, explore and understand their thoughts, feelings and behaviours relating to issues which are troubling them. Clients are also helped to improve their communication skills, identify available choices, develop new strategies, set appropriate goals and manage change in their lives.

In my practice to date I have worked with a wide range of issues including depression, stress, anxiety, trauma, grief, low self-esteem, abuse, changes and difficulties in family and other relationships, difficulties and pressures encountered at work and in daily living.

I am also currently training in Group Analytical Psychotherapy (MSc programme) with St. Vincent's Hospital Centre for Psychotherapy in conjunction with the UCD Graduate School of Medicine and Medical Science. Group Analysis recognises that we are essentially social beings and that we spend most of our lives in groups from the moment of birth into a family (of origin), school, work, friends, partnerships, family and social gatherings. This approach and theoretical framework lends support and enhances my way of working with individuals particularly in the area of relationship difficulties in the many groups in which they find themselves. Particular issues such as shyness, feelings of loneliness and isolation, the desire for more satisfying and intimate relationships and marital or relationship breakdown are addressed.

Katherine Norris - Psychotherapist MIATP

I was a senior IT professional for over 20 years. I began my professional training in Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy at the Irish Institute of Counselling & Psychotherapy Studies (IICPS) at Turning Point in 2000. I graduated from DCU with my Graduate Diploma in Integrative Counselling & Psychotherapy in 2006. My training was primarily person-centred, whilst integrating psychosynthesis, psychodynamic and gestalt theories into my overall approach. I am a professional member of the Irish Association of Transpersonal Psychology (IATP) and a pre-accredited member of IAHIP. I practiced for several years in the Living Life Centre in Dun Laoghaire. I am now in private practice in this centre and in Monkstown.

If you are considering therapy, the initial session is a consultation where you and I can get a sense of each other and see if we might be able to work together. It is an opportunity for you to tell me your story of what has brought you to therapy at this time. It can be helpful to discover what you hope to achieve by making use of therapy. You can ask me any questions you may have about my training and how I work.

The most important aspect of my work involves building up a good therapeutic relationship with my clients and creating a safe space for them to explore their issues. Enabling clients to gain insights into their past can allow them to move forward with greater compassion and understanding for themselves. I have discovered a great patience within myself, which I always had as a child. It means I have the patience to wait for clients to get to wherever they need to go.

The issues I have encountered whilst working with clients include bereavement, chronic illness, childhood trauma, stress, bullying, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, post traumatic stress disorder, fear, work and career issues, grief and loss, low self esteem.

I am totally committed to my continuing professional development. I began my level I Hakomi training with a 2-day Intensive with Ron Kurtz in 2005. I will complete my level I training in 2008 and start my level II training with a 6-day Intensive with Ron Kurtz in Oregon in January 2009. In 1996 I began to regularly attend Holotropic Breathwork workshops which were facilitated by TPG in Dowdstown House. In 1999 I was accepted on the practitioner track of the Grof Transpersonal Training. I did three 6-day residential modules with Stan Grof and the GTT team between 1999 and 2001. I intend completing this training to become a certified Holotropic Breathwork practitioner in the near future.