Dr. Eoin Gorman is a CORU-registered occupational therapist (OT022614) with a distinguished academic and clinical background. He holds a PhD in Occupational Science, a Master’s in Occupational Therapy, a Master’s in Anthropology, and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. His doctoral research offered a groundbreaking exploration of the lived experiences of transgender individuals, employing multimodal and multimethod research strategies to advance inclusive understandings within occupational science.

Dr. Gorman has cultivated a dynamic career that bridges clinical excellence with academic innovation. He held academic roles within the Department of Clinical Therapies at the University of Limerick, where he co-designed and implemented Activate II—a pioneering 10-week mental health programme for unemployed individuals. Grounded in occupational science principles constituting Lifestyle Redesign©, this initiative was shortlisted for the prestigious Anne Beckett Award in 2013, reflecting its impact and originality.  

Clinically, Dr. Gorman has delivered occupational therapy services across a wide spectrum of psychosocial settings, including inpatient and community mental health services for adults, older adults, and youth. His career pathway is deeply informed by a human rights-based approach to health and wellbeing, with a strong emphasis on psychosocial and sociocultural determinants of occupational participation.  

As an educator, Dr. Gorman is recognised for his innovative and student-centered teaching philosophy. He completed a Certificate in Teaching and Learning at University College Cork in 2017 and received advanced pedagogical training from the Centre for Occupational Therapy Education (COTE) at Colorado State University, specialising in the Subject-Centred, Integrative Learning Model for Occupational Therapy (SCIL-OT). He also holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Occupational Science: Conceptual Development and Application to Research, completed with instruction from the renowned Karolinska Institute in Sweden, further deepening his expertise in the theoretical foundations of occupation and its application to research and teaching and learning.His commitment to transformative education was honoured with the UCC President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and Learning in 2018 for his creation of Death Week, a bold and multifaceted teaching initiative that challenged students to critically engage with themes of mortality, meaning, and occupation.  

From 2017 to 2024, Dr. Gorman served as Programme Director for the BSc in Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, where he led curriculum development and strategic programme delivery. He continues to lecture in Years 3 and 4, where his modules focus on complex psychosocial dimensions of occupation, critical engagement with legislation, and the exploration of emerging and non-traditional areas of practice. As module leader for Integrated Professional Practice, he guides students in synthesising their academic and clinical learning to address contemporary sociocultural and societal challenges through innovative, evidence-informed solutions.   

Dr. Gorman’s scholarly work interrogates themes of “otherness,” with a particular focus on LGBTQ+ communities, marginalised populations, mental health, and service-user-led movements. His research program is interdisciplinary, drawing from anthropology, psychology, and occupational science to challenge dominant narratives and promote equity in health and social care.
He is a dedicated research supervisor at undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels, and welcomes inquiries from prospective graduate students interested in socially engaged, critically informed, and inclusive research

Teaching Interests and Philosophy
Dr. Gorman brings a rich interdisciplinary foundation to his teaching, drawing on academic qualifications in psychology, anthropology, occupational therapy, and occupational science. His teaching is deeply informed by a commitment to exploring the intersectional dynamics between individuals as occupational beings, socio-historically constructed concepts, and participation across diverse environments. His key areas of expertise include gender and sexuality, mental health and counter-cultural movements, death and dying, spirituality, human rights-based healthcare, and social justice.

Dr. Gorman’s pedagogical approach is grounded in evidence-based practice, critical inquiry, and civic engagement. His clinical background as a research-informed practitioner ensures that his teaching is both theoretically robust and practically relevant. He integrates lived experience, clinical insight, and academic scholarship to foster a holistic and transformative learning environment. 

At University College Cork (UCC), Dr. Gorman delivers educational experiences centred on inclusive, anti-oppressive tenents. His teaching is shaped by a strong commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion alongside universal design for learning. He employs subject-centred, integrative, and task-based learning strategies to cultivate critical thinking, self-reflection, and advanced clinical reasoning among students. His goal is to inspire future occupational scientists and occupational therapists to engage ethically, creatively, and courageously with the complexities of everyday living and contemporary professional practice.

Dr. Gorman has also completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Occupational Science: Conceptual Development and Application to Research, delivered in collaboration with the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, further enhancing his capacity to integrate conceptual and empirical knowledge in his teaching.

Teaching Responsibilities at UCC
Dr. Gorman lectures in Years 3 and 4 of the BSc in Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy. His Year 3 teaching focuses on the psychosocial dimensions of occupation in adult and older adult populations. In Year 4, he leads the Integrated Professional Practice module, guiding students in synthesising prior learning to address complex, real-world challenges. This includes critical engagement with legislation, exploration of emerging practice areas, and the development of innovative, socially responsive solutions.

International Teaching Engagements
Dr. Gorman’s expertise is internationally recognised, and he has been invited to teach at several international institutions:

1. University of Malta – BSc Occupational Therapy
   Visiting lecturer for Advanced Psychosocial Skills, covering topics such as critical mental health perspectives, emotional intelligence, stigma, sanism, anti-oppressive practice, and sexuality.
   
   
2. Queen Margaret University (QMU), UK – Mad People’s History & Identity Course
   Guest lecturer on a collaborative community mental health initiative, exploring the intersections of Queer and Mad Studies with occupational therapy.
   
   
3. QMU, UK – MSc Occupational Therapy
   Invited lecturer on Critical Perspectives in Occupational Therapy and Mental Health.
   
   
4. Dominican University, California, USA – Global Education Office
   Co-designed and co-delivered an international course on Critical Perspectives in Mental Health, facilitating cross-cultural learning between Irish and American OT students, clinicians, and organisations.
   
   
5. Dominican University, California, USA – MSc Occupational Therapy
   Guest lecturer for Psychosocial Aspects of Occupation II, delivering a session titled Mad in the Classroom: Brave, Safe, and Critical Spaces in Higher Education.

Research Teaching Responsibilities
Dr. Gorman contributed to interprofessional education, previously teaching the Advanced Research Methods module to third-year students in occupational science and occupational therapy and speech and hearing sciences. His teaching emphasises methodological rigor, critical engagement with evidence, and the integration of research into practice.

Research Supervision
Eoin supervises undergraduate and postgraduate research:

1. PhD Research Projects
   2020 (ongoing)
   Exploring the Occupations of Individuals living in Ireland who Hear Voices
   
   
2. Masters' Research Projects
   2015-2016
   Participants Perspectives of a "Lifestyle Management for Arthritis Programme": Experiences and Implications for Practice.
   
   
3. Undergraduate Research - Final Year Projects
   
   2025-2026
   (a) Dungeons & Dragons: potential for an occupational therapeutic intervention
   (b) Exploring the meaningful qualities of virtual environments for LGBT individuals
   (c) Scoping review of sex as an occupation in occupational science and occupational therapy literature
   
   2024-2025
   (a) Coming Out as Trans: An Occupational Perspective
   (b) Exploring the Concept of "Passing" among Trans Adults in Ireland
   (c) Exploring Safe Spaces among Older Gay Men in Ireland
   
   2023-2024
   (a) Male Occupational Therapists Reflections on Being a Student in Ireland: Implications for Recruitment to OT programmes
   (b) Doing Gym: Exploring Female Students' Menaing, Belonging and Identity
   
   2022-2023
   (a) Exporing the Occupation of Sea Swimming among Young Adults in Ireland
   (b) Exploring the Experiences of Lesbian Adults engaging in Team Sports in Ireland
   (c) Occupational Therapists Experiences of Providing Interventions for Adults with Dementia in Ireland
   
   2021-2022
   (a) Doing Dating: Experiences of Dating for Transgender Adults in Ireland.
   (b) Immigrant Women's Experience of Dating as an Occupation in Ireland
   
   2020-2021
   (a) Irish Farmer’s Experience of Facilitating Social Farming
   (b) Spirituality in Mental Health Occupational Therapy Practice in Ireland
   (c) Occupational therapists’ experiences of facilitating physical activity in mental health settings
   
   2019-2020
   (a) Community Mental Health Occupational Therapists Perspectives and Engagement in Self-Care to Combat Burnout in the Workplace: A Qualitative Study
   (b) Celebrating Hanukkah from an Occupational Perspective
   (c) Recruiting from Minority Populations in Ireland
   
   2018-2019
   (a) Doing ‘Dying Well’: A Qualitative Study Exploring the Narratives of Palliative Care Occupational Therapists in Ireland
   (b) Exploring how gender is understood in children through the form, function and meaning of play occupations within the Irish context.
   
   2017-2018
   (a) Exploring Occupational Perspectives on Death and Dying Among Undergraduate Occupational Science and Therapy Students
   (b) Exploring Occupational Therapy Lecturers’ Understanding of Gender & How Gender is considered in Occupational Therapy Curricula in Ireland.
   
   2016-2017
   (a) Exploring the influence of spirituality on the lived experience of transgender people.
   (b) Looking back: a Transgender person reflects on their experience of play in childhood.
   (c) The Transgender Community: Identifying the Challenges of Recruitment with this Hard-to-Reach Population
   
   2015-2016
   (a) Life after care: experiences of caregivers when their loved ones with dementia move into long term care