Fiona Walsh

As a body therapist, the work I do is trauma sensitive and non-invasive. I feel passionately about our capacity to change and grow, through the connection and integration of the body and mind. Body therapy is an approach which works with each person as a whole being, so we focus not only on your mind and your thinking, but also your body, your feelings and your intuition. In short, all of you, including your conscious and unconscious mind. In turn, this may draw your own attention to the way you are, rather than getting lost in a limited idea of how you think you are or should be. It enables us to access what has been repressed and what wants to be expressed, to gain an understanding of the negative impact of certain life events and develop an awareness of how they may be influencing your body, thoughts, behaviour and choices in life.

There may be painful feelings of anger, shame, fear and grief but equally feelings o f love, joy, pleasure, expansion and spontaneity that are buried under numbness, disconnection, tension or ‘body armouring’. By burying all of this we learned to adapt and navigate life with the best strategies available to us, but we may have cut off our true ‘aliveness’ and carry patterns of behaviour that no longer serve us.

Themes I work with include:

Bereavement Counselling, Separation/Divorce, Suicide Ideation, Self-Harm, Trauma, Abuse, Sexuality, Depression, Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Stress Management, LGBTQI+, Anger Management, Expat Life- Overcoming fear of moving abroad, Culture shock, Lonliness, Homesickness.

As a member of the European Association of Body Psychotherapists (EABP) my practice is underpinned by appropriate training, supervision and ethics.

2009- present Body therapist in private practice (Germany)
2021 - 2022 Crisis counsellor PIETA
suicide & self harm intervention/prevention network
(www.pieta.ie)
2013 - 2017 Honours BA in Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy,
Tracht Psychotherapy Foundation, Kinvara Ireland
2009 - 2017 Psychological counsellor in private practice (Germany)
2006 - 2008 Certificate in Biodynamic Body Therapy
Centre for Biodynamic Body Psychotherapy, London
2001 - 2003 Specialist Certificate in Crisis Counselling
Rape Crisis Network of Ireland
2001 - 2003 Diploma in Health Promotion
National University College, Galway
1999 - 2001 Diploma in the Psychology of Counselling
National University College, Galway
1996 - 1997 Certificate in Palliative Care
Galway Hospice Foundation

2013 - present European accredited Body Psychotherapist in private practice, Berlin
2021 - 2022 Suicide & self harm intervention/prevention training, Pieta Ireland
2013 - 2017 Honours BA in Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy,
Tracht Psychotherapy Foundation, Kinvara Ireland
2009 - 2013 Psychological counsellor in private practice (Germany)
2006 - 2008 Certificate in Biodynamic Body Therapy
Centre for Biodynamic Body Psychotherapy, London
2001 - 2003 Specialist Certificate in Crisis Counselling
Rape Crisis Network of Ireland
2001 - 2003 Specialist Certificate in Health Promotion
National University College, Galway
1999 - 2001 Diploma in the Psychology of Counselling
National University College, Galway
1996 - 1997 Certificate in Palliative Care
Galway Hospice Foundation

FURTHER TRAINING & EDUCATION
2024 Polyvagal Theory and the Modern Family- Finding Safety and Connection
Polyvagal Institute
July 2021 Suicide and Self Harm intervention and prevention
Supporting people affected by suicide PIETA, Ireland
June 2021 Suicide Awareness Training, Zero Suicide Alliance (ZSA)
Dec 2020 Communicating Effectively through Open Disclosure,
(Health Service Executive) Ireland
Dec 2020 The Fundamentals of GDPR, (Health Service Executive) Ireland
Nov 2020 Safe guarding Adults at Risk of Abuse, (Health Service Executive) Ireland
Nov 2020 Infection Prevention and Control, (Health Service Executive) Ireland
Nov 2020 Children First Training, National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children