Key qualifications and trainings?
– Diploma & BSc (Hons) Counselling & Psychotherapy (PCI College/Middlesex University – 1st class honours)
– Practitioner Certificate Creative Writing for Therapeutic Purposes (Metanoia Institute London)
– Journal to the Self Instructor training (Center for Journal Therapy)
– Therapeutic & Reflective Writing + Running Writing Workshops trainings (Professional Writing Academy)
– Introductory and Advanced Creativity Coaching trainings (Eric Maisel)
From a past life, I also have an MA in ‘Advanced Japanese Studies.’ Though my affection for Japanese culture remains, my language ability would no longer be proficient enough to offer therapy in Japanese.
Years in practice? Accreditation?
I qualified as a therapist in 2014 and have been practicing professionally since then. I am a fully accredited member of the Irish Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (IACP) and engage in regular professional supervision.
Your therapeutic approach/influences?
I’m an integrative therapist, which means I adapt how I work to fit the needs of each client, but the modalities I would generally lean on most are humanistic, existential, Jungian and intersectional feminist therapy. I work from a place of anti-shaming that affirms uniqueness and difference. I often incorporate ideas from approaches like Internal Family Systems, that acknowledge and embrace the concept of people as being made up of many different parts. And where there is scope for creativity and visualisation, say through the use of writing/journaling, imagination, metaphor, quotes and song lyrics, I’m all for it.
This said, many of my influences for working as a therapist come from beyond the world of therapy itself. I’ve been shaped and constantly inspired and re-inspired by musicians like David Bowie, Björk and Missy Elliott, writer-activists like Audre Lorde and James Baldwin, movements like punk, the wonders of nature, and one-of-a-kinds from across eras and industries, from Virginia Woolf to Iris van Herpen, Hayao Miyazaki to Divine.
My practice is proudly trans-inclusive, neuro-affirming, anti-racist and anti-oppressive.
How many sessions will I need?
The kind of therapy I offer is not like an advice service – I won’t be directly telling you how I think you should improve your situation or acting like an expert on your life. Instead, we will work together as a team to flesh out what you are going through, bringing you to a deeper awareness and understanding of your thoughts, feelings, actions and plans for change. I can’t say how long you’ll need me and our space, but I’ll be there for you as long as you do.
Other work you do?
In addition to my work with individual clients, I am an experienced educator and freelance workshop/group facilitator, specialising in the areas of therapeutic writing/journaling and gender, sexual and relationship diversity. I lecture and provide training workshops for PCI College, and co-facilitated a personal development course for gay, bi and queer men at Outhouse for several years. I am proud to be a mentee of queer therapeutic writer and creative mentor Meg-John Barker.
Why ‘Nozomi’?
‘Nozomi’ is Japanese for ‘Hope.’ Before becoming a counsellor, I taught Japanese language and culture at Dublin City University, and the spirit of support, respect and creativity that underpinned my teaching approach then continues to inform my therapy and group work today. ‘Nozomi’ is also a Japanese girl’s name. A tutor with this name gave me encouragement and hope at a time when I was really floundering as a student, and I’ve never forgotten this.
Nozomi Counselling & Psychotherapy 