Our Blog
Thoughts, stories, and resources to support your journey.
Occupational Therapy Occupational Therapy for ADHD, autism, anxiety- adults and teens. what do we do?
12 November 2025
Ailis is explaining what OT from her new office space in Cork. Support for ADHD, Teens adults
Anchor Therapy is expanding to Cork!
4 September 2025
🌟 Exciting news! 🌟AilĂs is now offering face-to-face Occupational Therapy sessions in Cork for young people (from age 13) right through to adults. She specialises in supporting neurodivergent individuals and those experiencing anxiety, low mood, stress and #trauma. She brings a wealth of expertise, experience, and her warm, caring nature to every session. What’s new:AilĂs will also be starting a Young Adult Social Group in Cork — free of charge! She played a huge role in establishing the Dubli
New podcast alert!
1 September 2025
adhd podcast discussion Cork
Talking all about Occupational Therapy, ADHD, ASD and mental health
9 December 2024
I was delighted to be a guest on the Maura Rath podcast. Check out the link to have a listen!https://www.yogawithmaura.ie/podcasts/the-maura-rath-podcast/episodes/2148917644
Free OT for workplace support
26 November 2024
Are you neurodivergent? Do you have a mental health diagnosis? Are you struggling at work?The Work and Access Grant is new funding being provided by the government. It provides FREE workplace assessments and interventions by an Occupational Therapist, ensuring your work place is equipped to meet your needs.Whether it’s adjustments to your workspace or tailored support, this initiative is all about empowering individuals to thrive at work. It’s a brilliant initiative but unfortunately not very we
What is Sensory Processing and why is it associated with OT?
14 August 2024
Sensory processing is how our brain interprets and responds to the information we get through our senses—sight, sound, touch, taste, smell, movement, and body position. Everyone processes sensory input differently. Some may be more sensitive, while others need stronger input to feel things. For example, do you ever feel overwhelmed by loud noises or uncomfortable in certain fabrics? This might be related to how your brain processes sensory input.Sensory challenges can affect daily life, like get
Executive functioning & OT
11 July 2024
How does knowing the neuroscience help? • You can understand WHY your body and your mind might be responding a certain way in different places or around different people. • When stressed, anxious etc you can now make sense of why it's so difficult to focus, remember something, to be on time, to be present in conversation, to be organised and so on. • If you have ADHD, Autism or dyspraxia your PFC might be less active or less developed and therefore executive functioning can be harder.Understandi
Therapy spaces
4 July 2024
Where you meet with your OT is an important part of your therapy journey. Some people choose to meet with their OT online. That's perfect if you think it will work for you.If you're someone who feels that you need a face to face experience to connect with your OT, we would recommend going with that intuition. Our therapy spaces on 13 Fade street are peaceful and calming and allow for clients to feel safe. We also have sensory tools in our offices that you can use to fidget with/ explore to help
Goal Setting and ADHD- Top Tips from an OT
4 July 2023
1. Set realistic and specific goals: Break larger goals into smaller, manageable tasks, and ensure they are attainable and clearly defined.2. Establish a structured routine: Create a consistent daily routine with designated times for different goals.3. Use organisational tools to help you achieve your goal: wall planners/ diaries/ daily lists/ apps/ phone reminders. Find 1 tool that works for you and commit to using it. Celebrate achievements and track progress to stay motivated and recognise ac
Is OT the right fit for me?
28 June 2023
If you're wondering whether OT is the right fit for you check out this video. I explore routines, habits and goal setting and how OT can help you in a practical way to make sustainable changes to your life.
Occupational Therapy and ADHD
8 December 2022
Occupational Therapy is a mental health profession concerned with all of the things that you need and want to be doing in your life.1. What areas of your life are impacted upon because of your ADHD diagnosis- OTs love routine and we will explore yours in great details from the moment you get up in the morning until when you go to bed. You might notice that perhaps you delaying certain aspects of your routine, procrastinating things that you need or want to do. You also may notice that you ge
Social Anxiety and young people: More than just a little awkwardness
15 October 2020
My hands shake. I feel really sick in my tummy. I can't breathe properly. I'm sweating. I think everyone is staring and laughing at me. I'm terrified and lost for words. No one understands.This is a real snippet of what it’s like for young person I support who experiences anxiety in social situations. Social anxiety is a debilitating and isolating condition that is growing in our society today particularly among our younger generations. Social Anxiety Ireland released data stating that social a
Trouble Sleeping?
29 July 2020
Check out my latest article printed on the journal.ie to learn more! Click here to access the article.
Facing Alcohol Addiction and finding Hope
29 June 2020
Is it possible to find hope when you live with an addiction? I’m focusing today on addiction and hope. The powerful disease of addictions...
Managing an Addiction During Lockdown
23 June 2020
What does addiction mean to you and how are you managing it? Addiction during lockdown...thejournal.ie to read more!
Eliminating the Shame of Sex Addiction
11 June 2020
Sex addiction and shame in Ireland. What are the myths and how can we change our society to show more compassion...
The Emotions Matter Bus: Helping parents during Covid19
7 May 2020
Support for parents to chat about emotions and help relieve anxiety and stress for themselves and their children
A lust For Life: Leaving Cert Students support
7 May 2020
in this article I offer support to struggling LC 2020 students. I chat about anxiety and worry, planning effective study sessions and having a balance in your routine. There's links throughout the article to practical videos also.
Thejournal.ie Anxiety and the Body
17 April 2020
Check out my article about anxiety and the body that was featured on thejournal.ie! The Body Keeps the Score...
A Lust for Life: Routines
17 April 2020
Discussing how to help your routine and motivation during Covid19 lockdown.
Covid 19-Are you a parent of teenagers?
10 April 2020
Parenting teens during lockdown is tricky. Check out my latest video for some helpful tips and tricks on how to communicate with your teens and support their routine.
Maintaining a routine during Covid19
7 April 2020
Whatever way you choose to spend your time during this pandemic..that is you choice and that is okay.
Covid 19 Storing fear in your body- A Lust For Life
3 April 2020
Check out my article featured on a A Lust For Life's Mental Health and Well being page about how we're storing fear in our bodies during this uncertain time. Link to the article here.
Covid-19: How to keep your relationships happy during cohabitation
31 March 2020
Living with an anxious partner? Covid19 help
Anxiety about the Corona Virus
27 March 2020
Listen to your body-It doesn't lie. Learn more about online counselling and how anchor therapy can support you with anxiety about Covid-19.
Living with Worry and Anxiety amidst Coronavirus Outbreak
20 March 2020
Worrying about Covid-19 is normal. Learn about how this kind of anxiety might be affecting you. Online counselling Support offered.
Anxiety and Teenagers: What helps?
2 March 2020
Learn about the role of counselling and occupational Therapy to help teens with worry and anxiety. Helpful tools for parents...
Feeling safe- Occupational Therapy and Trauma Sensitive Yoga
10 December 2019
Trauma sensitive yoga. Bikram yoga and physical assisting. Creating safety in a yoga class
What is Occupational Therapy?
27 October 2018
WORLD OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY DAY is on the 27th Oct so I thought it would be appropriate to explain a little bit about what we do again. • OT is a profession concerned with helping people to do the things they want to do in their life despite illness or disability. • We teach skills. • We provide support. • We help people to set realistic goals for themselves. • We engage with people to build their purpose and meaning in life. • We are concerned with the doing part of life, the occupatio
Choices in a Trauma-Informed Yoga Group
18 September 2018
Sharing a mindful yoga experience with others in a safe environment can be an opportunity to relate to others, while not having the pressure to socialise and engage in conversation. It can provide you with an opportunity to connect with yourself and others. Lots of wonderful choices can arise from a group yoga experience; the choice to follow others in the moves or do them at your own pace. The choice to chat or not to chat. The choice to watch others or close your eyes. The choice to move or n
Yoga: choice, control and recovery
7 September 2018
YOGA is not about achieving the perfect headstand or being the most flexible person in the room. It’s about connection between your mind, body and breath. It’s about noticing your body and giving it control. It’s about choice. Choose a style of yoga that allows you to feel empowered and provides you with moments of mindfulness. I was very privileged to be invited to share a mindful yoga class at the Recovery festival in St. Patrick's Mental Health Services last week and it hopefully highlights
How to say "no" for your self-care
16 August 2018
This is something that I've personally struggled with over the years and have noticed that by saying yes to every opportunity that came my way, I began to feel overwhelmed and tired overtime. Saying "no" is an important part of our self-care routine. Sometimes all we want to do is say yes to everything to avoid disappointing others. We might feel guilty saying no and believe that we're hurting others by doing so.Saying yes on an ongoing basis can have a negative impact on our own self-care and
Psycho, schizo, freak, weirdo...definitely MAD
12 June 2018
Have you ever found yourself wondering after hearing about a shooting or a mass murder that the person who committed the crime "MUST be a psycho", "a schizo" or "at least have mental health issues"? How do you think this kind of thinking shapes the way we perceive people who are struggling with their mental health? Studies are showing that we often perceive these people as "uncontrollable", "dangerous" and "angry". Not surprising really, is it?We're all guilty. We all fall victim to holding
The Body Keeps the Score
29 May 2018
More and more research is showing that we hold onto experiences of stress, anxiety and trauma in the body. What happens in the body when faced with a stressful situation?During a stressful event, the nervous system goes into survival mode: this means that it starts preparing the body to be able to fight or flight the perceived "danger". Stress hormones such as cortisol are released, causing an increase in blood pressure and blood sugar. Our heart starts to beat faster. We may feel sweaty and pum
Floating adrift lately?
10 May 2018
It's very normal to feel up and down and to go through choppy times in life. Recently, I've been chatting a lot to people about what helps them to feel grounded and present during these choppy times. It's not easy to figure it out, especially when big storms are looming and this is okay. Sometimes it's about just taking a moment to breathe, connect with your body and notice your senses. Become aware and the storms might just ease of a little. These conversations remind me of why I choose the na
The brain of a teenager: what's really happening!
22 April 2018
The adolescent brain is often compared to a high-performance sports car – fast, powerful, and keen to go hard on the bends- but without the brakes. Most of our teen's behaviour can actually be explained by the changes that are occurring in their brains and their bodies and once this is understood more clearly, we as a society can learn how to better support our teens. Think about the kinds of words you typically associate with teenagers? Most of us will most likely think about words such as "dif
The link between vitamin D levels and psychological well-being
16 April 2018
Getting some much needed rays and vitamin D today after a grey few days In Dublin! It made me think about de-motivated i feel to be outside when the sky is grey but also about how important this is for my self-care and well-being. Did you know that there's a link between increased levels of Vitamin D and psychological well-being?Vitamin D is produced when bare skin is exposed to sunlight. Check out this article for some really useful information about this topic. Some tips:Try get outside for
Self- Reflection and Growth
12 April 2018
Self reflection is like looking into a mirror and describing what you see. Reflecting is an important part of learning and helps us to question the way we think, behave and react in different situations. It helps us to question why we do certain things and identify positive changes that we may need to make. Read more about how self-reflecting can help you here. Some reflective questions to ask yourself today: • Strengths – What are my strengths? For example, am I well organised? Do I remember
Is Mindfulness a fad?
10 April 2018
There are a lot of misconceptions around mindfulness, including that it’s a fad with no evidence base. However, there is plenty of emerging evidence to say that mindfulness is proving to be helpful for people who are experiencing mental health concerns, along with those who consider themselves to be mentally well. In general mindfulness is being proven to help us to: - Make the most of our potential- Cope a little better with life's ups and downs- Feel more connected to the people in our lives-
Anxiety management and self-care
6 April 2018
https://www.heysigmund.com/anxiety-in-teens/ So many insightful points in this article! It's relevant to anyone at all who experiences anxiety from time to time...which is probably just about all of us! "Mindfulness changes the brain the way exercise changes our body – but without the sweating and panting" Michelle Murray can help you to manage symptoms of anxiety and develop more effective ways of coping with stress at home, at work and/or in the community. Send Michelle a message to learn m
Supporting survivors of trauma to experience choice, control and empowerment through Yoga
29 March 2018
Trauma Sensitive Yoga is an empirically validated clinical intervention used in conjunction with other therapies to support survivors of complex trauma or treatment resistant PTSD. Yoga helps to calm the mind and body, however trauma sensitive yoga has specific benefits for participants. It's a collaborative process between a specially trained yoga teacher and the student. How does it work?A teacher invites the student to practice a series of poses that provide an opportunity to develop a height
Self-Care Time
2 March 2018
Being stuck inside for a few days can affect us all in different ways: not having work, school or our typical day to day routines can often trigger anxious thoughts or feels of uncertainty. Some of us usually cope with thoughts like these by busying ourselves day in and day out. It can be in these moments that they creep back in. Other people may be bored, under-stimulated and perhaps lonely evoking feelings of sadness and emptiness. Some of us may be feeling burned out and relieved to have some
Is recovery possible and what does it mean to you?
22 February 2018
Is recovery simply about symptom relief? Is it a lottery or a luck of the draw? It is about holding onto a dream and making it happen? or is it about freeing yourself from the stigma of mental health and choosing to moving forward?There are lots of ways we can think about recovery, for ourselves and for others. Since 2012 the Advancing Recovery in Ireland (ARI) initiative is supporting local mental health services to be more recovery focused and person centred. The "recovery principles" are at
Anxiety, Panic and Worry
11 February 2018
Tension headache, trouble sleeping, racing heart and poor concentration- most of us can relate to at least one if not all of the symptoms on this short list. Anxiety has a significant impact on our behaviours and feelings and it's important to become aware of how anxiety affects you. Check out this helpful resource written by the team at reachout.com. Is there anything you can do to feel more calm and comforted on this chilly Sunday? Some tips: • Have a cup of herbal tea • Get some fresh ai
Mindfulness and Being Present
1 February 2018
The focus of mindfulness is turning our attention to the present moment. A regular practice of mindfulness can help us to slow down our racing thoughts which supports us to manage anxiety and stress more effectively.Have a think about how you can cultivate mindfulness in your life...start by making small changes and see how you go. You could try: • Taking a few slow, deep breaths before you get out of bed in the morning. • Spending a moment to look out your window at work or at home and simpl
OT versus Counselling for my Mental Health??
31 January 2018
"What does an Occupational Therapist (OT) even do??"A question an OT is very familiar with! For me, Occupational Therapy intervention is invaluable to a person’s well-being but the reality is not many people in Ireland know what OT’s do and what OT services are available to them. What is Mental Health OT?OT is a healthcare profession concerned with helping people to “engage as independently as possible in the activities (occupations) which enhance their health and wellbeing”’ (BAOT).OTs work wit
Stressed at work?
29 January 2018
It's a new week and a new chance to be kind to yourself. Here are some really helpful tips written by yourmentalhealth.ie about how we can improve our mental health in the workplace. Happy Monday! Have a lunchbreakFind some calmnessStretch at your desk/ get outside!Chat to your teamWork better, not longerAsk for HELP Anchor therapy supports people who are struggling to feel happy in their place of work. We help people who are anxious, depressed and stressed to manage their mental health at work
Normalising Schizophrenia and The Importance of Quality Mental Health Care
28 January 2018
Listening to a TEDTalk on Youtube is an excellent way to learn about Mental Health and recovery. In this TEDtalk Eleanor helps us to understand what it's like to live with schizophrenia and describes some of the most meaningful experiences she had with her healthcare providers: Anchor Therapy supports people who are hearing voices and/or experiencing other unusual sensations e.g. unusual feelings on the skin and in the body.Anchor therapists listen to people, create meaningful human connections