‘Owning the Shadow’

A Seven-Day Residential Experiential Workshop

with

The Fool’s Dance Gestalt Company – Paul Rebillot Group in Ireland.
Slí an Chroí, Kiltegan, Co. Wicklow

14th February– 20th February 2026

We’re delighted to offer our first residential workshop of 2026 on the theme of The Shadow.

Of this work, Paul Rebillot wrote:

“I have come to recognise in my work that one of the most important and frequently unrecognized or avoided themes in people’s lives and in their work is the ability to own the part of themselves that they don’t like, the part Jung called ‘the Shadow’.

The more we limit ourselves by not experiencing, not owning, whatever we determine to be negative features, the more these energies are suppressed, repressed, and finally go out of consciousness. We become projectors of our own disowned energy … It seems to me that most of the destruction, racism, and terrorism in the world is the work of the disowned shadow.”

How can we reclaim that part of ourselves we have been busy projecting out onto other people whom we call 'different, 'not one of us', 'evil' or 'enemy'? How can we rediscover the fullness of ourselves and bring into our awareness that denied shadow aspect, that troubling shadow energy, so that it can be dealt with where it belongs - in ourselves and in the here and now?

In this workshop we will work with respect and humour to get to know, and to own our shadow self in a variety of creative ways using drama, movement, music, mask-making, Gestalt process, and ritual.

This workshop, then, has a double purpose. The first is to help us to own our own Shadow, the negative, dark, and often violent energies within our being.

The second is to learn to talk to those onto whom we have projected these negative aspects of ourselves, to discover how to communicate with them - not as enemies, but as human beings like ourselves - a significant move towards healing the divisions in ourselves and also in society at large.

“We have met the enemy and they is us.” (Walt Kelly, Pogo, 1971)

What previous participants said:

“Absolutely amazing. Got so much out of it on so many levels. I feel I’ve really expanded my sense of myself over the week. Facilitation delightful – gentle and human”.

“I have learned a lot which will benefit my relationships and my way of being in the world.”

“Excellent, well-structured, well held. I will come back for more.”

We invite you to meet yourself in a new way and to experience the joy of connection in the beautiful surrounds of Slí an Chroí.

To find out more visit

http://foolsdancegestaltcompany.ie/workshops/owning-the-shadow/

To apply for a place, visit

http://foolsdancegestaltcompany.ie/next-workshop/

Places are limited – book early to avoid disappointment.

The Crucial Role of Couple Dynamics in Perinatal Mental Health with Karen Murphy, Couples Therapist and Founder of The Institute of Couples Therapy

Monday January 19th - 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM Irish Time - Takes Place Via Zoom and hosted by The Perinatal Mental Health Institute

Includes Certificate of Attendance, Access to Recorded Version and All Resources Mentioned in the Training - €20

The transition from partners to parents is often clunkier than expected, whether you support your clients individually or as a couple, you are likely hearing about these changes in your office. Understanding the couple dynamics during this tender transition will help you support your clients more confidently and effectively.

Whether navigating infertility, pregnancy, or the transition to parenthood, the way couples relate to each other profoundly shapes their journey and mental health outcomes. This 90-minute training explores the unconscious forces that shape emotions and behaviours in intimate relationships, and how these dynamics influence perinatal mental health.

You'll gain practical, compassion-focused approaches and interventions you can integrate into your work—whether you come from a psychotherapeutic background or another support profession.

What You'll Learn:

• Understanding how couple dynamics influence perinatal mental health outcomes

• The unconscious forces that shape emotions and behaviours in intimate relationships

• Why similar interventions work for some couples but not others

• Recognizing when couple dynamics are impacting individual client presentation

• Practical, compassion-focused approaches for various professional backgrounds

• Interventions you can integrate regardless of your professional training

• Strategies for staying steady and present when relationships become turbulent

• Tools for navigating conflict in couples work with greater confidence and clarity

Karen Murphy, Couples Therapist & Supervisor

Karen Murphy is the founder of the Institute of Couples Therapy and an IACP-accredited psychotherapist and supervisor. With over a decade of clinical experience, she has supported hundreds of therapists in navigating conflict in couples therapy with greater confidence, clarity, and presence. Her teaching style is warm, real, and grounded in clinical experience. She's passionate about helping therapists feel less alone and more equipped to stay steady when the room gets stormy.

To learn more and register for this event: https://learn.perinatalmentalhealthinstitute.com/2601kmurphyregistration

Check out other PMHI Trainings: https://perinatalmentalhealthinstitute.com/livewebinars

For more information about The Perinatal Mental Health Institute: https://perinatalmentalhealthinstitute.com

Have questions? Contact@perinatalmentalhealthinstitute.com

 

Body Psychotherapy Course February 2026

5-day training in how to read and work with the body in psychotherapy:

Day 1: (am) The Body and Attachment; (pm) The Body and Character Structures.

Day 2: The Body and Trauma.

Day 3: (am) Reading the Body; (pm) The Body and Awareness - Focusing.

Day 4: (am) The Body and Expression – Gestalt; (pm) The Body and Shame.

Day 5: The Body as Archetype – Object Relations.

Dates: Saturdays: (2026) February 7, March 7, April 18, May 16, June 13.

Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm.                    Cost: €600.

Venue: Avila Carmelite Centre, Bloomfield Avenue, Morehampton Road, Donnybrook, Dublin 4.

For enquiries or bookings, call Thomas Larkin MA, MIAHIP

085 7283697
Email: info@thomaslarkin.ie
Details at www.thomaslarkin.ie

Booking information:

kindmindireland@gmail.com

https://www.kindmindireland.com/

Research Participants Required

Are you a practising psychotherapist who has experience working with adult clients (18+) with Personality Disorder’s (PD’s) in Ireland?

Your experience is important to us and we invite you to participate in a research study. We want to better understand your professional experiences, challenges, opportunities and strategies in delivering psychotherapy to this group of clients in Ireland. We hope to learn what the current situation is for psychotherapists so that we learn how to improve training and supports of psychotherapists working with PD clients in Ireland.

We are looking for participants: right now & into early 2026 with the following criteria:

• Accredited psychotherapists practicing in Ireland with a minimum of two years’ experience who work with adult clients (18+) who in their judgement present in a way that is consistent with having a personality disorder (Example: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM), International Classification of Disease (ICD).

• Willing to participate in an interview, either online or in person, lasting 50 mins – 60mins. (Semistructured interview as part of a qualitative IPA study).

For further information please contact: Donal Kavanagh (IACP Student Membership), fourth year student in the MSc in Psychotherapy programme at Dublin City University (DCU) at: donal.kavanagh7@mail.dcu.ie to discuss possible participation.

The research study received ethical approval from the DCU Ethical Review Committee (ERC) on Nov 12th 2025.

Available Now
Secure Your Professional Sanctuary
Bright, Central & Exclusively Yours

20% Discount with Code 25AFLY4

Psychological Support for Refugee Adolescents

An Expressive Arts Approach to Wellbeing and Trauma Recovery

Rachel Hoare
Psychological Support for Refugee Adolescents demonstrates the therapeutic powers of the expressive arts to address the specic needs of adolescent refugees in a trauma-informed and culturally sensitive way.
An essential read for any professional involved in support for adolescent refugees, this book will also be of interest to arts and expressive therapists and mental health practitioners more broadly

To order you book, visit: www.routledge.com/9781032553054

For further details, please [click here>>>].

Advanced Perinatal Mental Health Specialist Training

February 2026 Cohort is Now Open For Enrolment!

Are you working with mothers, partners and parents in the transition to parenthood? Or would you like to? There is such a desperate need for specially trained providers who can support individuals and couples within the perinatal period (including fertility, pregnancy, loss, birth trauma, postnatal challenges and becoming a parent). No previous perinatal experience needed.

The Perinatal Mental Health Institute is delighted to offer a 10 month, 30 CPD, online training provides comprehensive learning around the entire transition to parenthood. Following completion of the course learners will be able to demonstrate a clear and confident understanding of:

• Healthy Matrescence (transition to motherhood)
• Scope of the perinatal period, its distinct stages and their challenges
• Prevalence, risk factors, symptoms and common presentations of Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs)
• Mental health challenges associated with fertility and the impact of these challenges on mental health outcomes.
• Grief and loss within the perinatal period and its impact during and after the loss, as well as on subsequent pregnancies.
• Mental health challenges associated with experiencing perinatal trauma such as traumatic birth, loss, NICU stays or infant/maternal physical health complications.
• Impact of PMADs on the parental relationship and family dynamic within the early development years and beyond.
• Identification of Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders and their symptoms.
• Utilizing evidence-based screening tools and assessments
• Ability to conduct differential diagnosis between distinct Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders
• Skills and techniques to provide empathetic and evidence-based support for challenges specific to the perinatal period.
• Ability to identify crisis situations and to respond appropriately to support the health and safety of mother and baby; including reporting requirements.
• Application of learned skills through peer consultation and case studies.

This course has been internationally recognized for 30 internationally recognized CPD credits through the CPD Standards Office.

The course has also been approved as a foundational/step one training for the internationally recognized PMH-C certification through Postpartum Support International. More information about this certification can be found here: https://postpartum.net/professionals/certification/

Course Structure

• Monthly 3 Hour Live learning sessions for 10 months. Each monthly session covers a specific topic within the perinatal period and includes time for case consultation
• Training takes place on the 1^st Wednesday of every month from 2pm to 12pm of every month on the following dates: February 4^th, March 4^th, April 1^st, May 6^th, June 3^rd, July 1^st, August 5^th, Sept 2^nd, October 7^th, November 4^th
• Recordings available if you are unable to attend a particular session.
• Learners receive access to a virtual learning platform where they can access:
• • Recommended readings on the topic of the month
  • Tools discussed in session for download
  • List of resources for provider as well as a list for clients associated with the topic of the month
  • Access to a peer support discussion board between sessions for questions
• Students will also receive access to the PMHI Community Hub for the duration of the course. Included in the hub membership is continuing education, speakers and shared resources around the perinatal population

This course is limited to 15 participants to promote an intimate learning environment that ensures community building and deep understanding. Cost is €1,350 with payment plans available.

For more in-depth enrolment information: https://www.perinatalmentalhealthinstitute.com/APMHT

About the Instructor:

Rebecca Reddin is the Founder of The Perinatal Mental Health Institute. As a PSI Chartered Psychologist and Certified Perinatal Mental Health Specialist with Postpartum Support International, she is passionate about the creating in-depth, powerful, and evidence based trainings that explored the complexities of the transition to parenthood; including everything from the expected clunkiness of Matrescence, to the intense impact of PMADs and everything in between. Rebecca has been working with the perinatal population since 2010 in both impatient and private practice settings and has a wealth of knowledge on how to care for this population. Rebecca received similar training in the US and is excited to bring this depth of training here. Rebecca has provided digital and in person trainings for small groups, families, mental health professionals and Fortune 500 companies through her role as a Psychology Specialist and Trainer throughout her career.

For more information about The Perinatal Mental Health Institute:

https://www.perinatalmentalhealthinstitute.com/home

Contact Rebecca: Rebecca@perinatalmentalhealthinstitute.com

MIND | Contemplative Neuroscience Training for Psychotherapists and Mental Health Professionals

Overview
Monthly online and in-person training

Commences: Tuesday, 20 January 2026, from 9am to 10am (online)

Course Trainer: Gerry Cunningham

In-person training:
Saturdays, Dunboyne Castle Hotel, 7 March and 10 October, 9.30am to 4.30pm

Training includes:
24 hours CPD, certificate, notes, resources, refreshments

Cost: €250

As more and more therapists and mental health professionals learn about interpersonal neurobiology and contemplative practices, there is an increasing desire to translate theoretical and philosophical principles into practical applications for use with clients. Yet many therapists struggle to incorporate mindfulness interventions effectively into their practice.

MIND is a 12-month training programme designed to enhance your practice as a mental health professional by integrating the latest findings from neurobiology, contemplative science, and evidence-based psychotherapy.

A wide range of psychological and interpersonal issues will be addressed, including attachment, emotion, trauma, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, anxiety, and depression. The creative and experiential interventions offer a uniquely holistic, compassionate, and integrative approach to mental health and wellbeing.

MIND draws on a range of psychotherapeutic theories, including psychodynamic, cognitive behavioural, narrative, polyvagal, havening, humanistic, existential, creative, and mindfulness-based approaches. The course focuses on the work of Richard Davidson, Allan Schore, Louis Cozolino, Janina Fisher, Stephen Porges, Sara Lazar, Daniel Siegel, Daniel Stern, Pat Ogden, Babette Rothschild, and Shauna Shapiro.

Topics Include:

• The neuroscience of meditation

• Foundations of Buddhist psychology and wisdom traditions

• Fundamentals of mindfulness

• Practical and clinical applications of mindfulness

• The neurobiology of feeling safe and the nervous system

• Bottom-up processing and affect regulation

• The brain throughout the lifespan

• Attunement, attachment, and the limbic system

• Self-directed neuroplasticity and healing

• Trauma-sensitive mindfulness

• Transpersonal and contemplative practice

• Neural integration and the social brain

• Relationships and regulation

• The neuroscience of compassion and kindness

PRACTICE

Meditation and class practice, including pro-social practices such as meditations on gratitude, generosity, compassion, acceptance, loving-kindness, and equanimity; as well as advanced techniques to help clients reframe, reconsolidate, and integrate new learning through mindfulness, self-compassion, and visualisation.

PROCESS

Inquiry, guided discovery, journaling, interpersonal dynamics, and creative processes using visual media.

REFLECTION

Reflective supervision on personal practice, case work, and discussion.

SEMINAR

Interactive, experiential, group-focused, and collaborative learning.

RESEARCH

Reading, reflection, and discussion on current research and the clinical integration of mindfulness into various practice settings. Monthly research emails provide updates on the latest findings in mindfulness, neuroscience, and contemplative practice.

INTEGRATION

Learn to incorporate simple, step-by-step guidance for practical mindfulness interventions to help your clients develop acceptance, self-regulation, and healing.

MIND | Contemplative Neuroscience Training guides participants in developing a regular mindfulness practice while integrating it into their therapeutic and clinical work. The process of a mindfulness-based approach to psychotherapy is facilitated through mindfulness practice, lectures, and skills within the context of personal, interpersonal, and group inquiry.

The training group learns to cultivate and deepen awareness as a primary psychotherapeutic and transformative tool. This programme explores the theory, research, and essential skills—especially mindfulness and self-compassion—necessary for deliberately cultivating wisdom and compassion in psychotherapy.

In-person training:
Saturdays, Dunboyne Castle Hotel, 7 March and 10 October, 9.30am to 4.30pm

Online training:
Tuesday mornings: 20 January, 24 February, 24 March, 21 April, 19 May, 16 June, 14 July, 18 August, 15 September, 20 October, 24 November, 15 December, from 9am to 10am

Training includes:
24 hours CPD, certificate, notes, resources, refreshments

Cost: €250

Course Trainer:
Gerry Cunningham
Booking: mindfulnessclinic.ie

GDPR Audits – Professional Support for Therapists and Practices by re:GDPR

As a therapist, you collect and hold sensitive personal data every day. Client records, contact details, clinical notes are all sensitive and highly personal information. Under GDPR, you are legally required to protect this information and demonstrate compliance should you be audited or should someone ask to see your GDPR program.

At re:GDPR, we specialise in GDPR audits tailored for counsellors, psychotherapists, psychologists and practices. Our aim is to give you peace of mind by ensuring you meet your legal obligations while educating you on how to maintain a GDPR Programme within your business.

Our GDPR Audit will:

● Assess your current compliance – we review how you collect, store, and manage client data, the data flow in your business and review your policies and procedures.

● Identify risks and gaps – highlighting any areas that could leave you exposed to breaches or complaints and making sure your document retention is compliant.

● Provide clear, practical steps – recommendations written in simple and easy to understand terms, so you know exactly what to do and what your ongoing next steps need to be.

● Ongoing support – with our accountability program you will be contacted quarterly to remain kept up to date with news and changes that affect your business and gdpr program, we also offer a yearly call to go through and make updates if needed.

At reGDPR we aim to “take the fear out of GDPR”, our audit system is designed to do just that and make sure you understand and feel empowered to safeguard the data within your business. With our expertise, you won’t just be ticking boxes, you’ll have a well structured and compliant system that protects both your clients and your professional standing.

Contact:

Eileen Ireland
Email: hello@regdpr.com
Website: www.regdpr.com