Eileen Ní Shuilleabháin (MSoc Sc and MA Psychotherapy) is a Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapist and Supervisor. She lives and works in Galway city where she has a private practice for the past ten years. Eileen has over 17 years experience working with individuals and families in Adult Mental Health Services, in both acute and continuing care settings as a Mental Health Social Worker and as a Psychotherapist. She was a Manager of a Mental Health Social Work Department in the Health Services in Galway City for six years. She now works full time in private practice as a Psychotherapist.

Her background includes a Masters in Social Science (Social Work); Masters in Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy specialising in Psychodynamic, Existential and Gestalt Psychotherapies. She has a diploma in Advanced Reflexive Supervision and a Diploma in Jungian Psychology. Eileen is a fully accredited member of the Irish Council of Psychotherapy (ICP), the Irish Association of Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy (IAHIP) and the Irish Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP).

Her work also reflects her additional training and experience in facilitating group work, Gestalt Body Work, Somatic Trauma Therapy, Attachment and Emotion Focused Therapy as well as her interest in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, Jungian Psychology and Marion Woodman’s BodySoul rhythms work.

Eileen has completed Jungian training intensives in both London and the Jungian Institute in Zurich. Eileen lectured in the National University of Ireland Galway in the School of Social Work on Mental Health and Health Promotion for six years. She was chair of the National Special Interest Group in Mental Health Social Work for the Irish Association of Social Work from 2018 – 2020. She also provided consultation on national service development in the HSE in areas such as Specialist Peri-Natal Mental Health Services, Talk Therapies and Self Harm presentations in Emergency Departments. She was involved in the oversight and development of a specialist Mental Health Homeless Service in Galway City between 2017 – 2022.

Eileen commenced facilitating her Deepening the Senses Day, Residential and online workshops and retreats in 2016. These were especially created by Eileen to encompass her own interests in embodied psychotherapy approaches, mythology, poetry, celtic studies and the power of landscape and Jungian psychology.

Eileen grew up in the Connemara Gaeltacht. She is a native Irish speaker. This has influenced her particular interest in exploring the deeper memory world of archetypes and how they resonate in the body and senses and the ancient landscape around us. Eileen is a poet with her work published in a number of literary journals both nationally and internationally. Eileen has been invited to read at various literary events and her poetry reflects her interest in Celtic mythology, our sense of place in the living history of the land and the tribes we belong to.

Why Teallach?

Teallach is the Gaelic word for hearth. The hearth was of central importance in Celtic society. The cottage was built around the family hearth. Turf burned continuously there day and night. This was a symbol of family continuity. It provided warmth and nourishment and was a gathering place for story-telling and music. It symbolised an open place for hospitality to all. If the fire went out, it was said that the soul  went  out of the people of that house.  The fire was only extinguished therefore on the first of November – the traditional day of Samhain. People would  then gather together to light large fires on sacred hill tops in honour of and to make offerings to the gods. In both Pagan and Christian cosmologies ,fire is representative of the illumination of mind and spirit and of divinity.

 Loch Con Aortha – South Connemara (Photographer – Pierre LeClerc)