Research Profile

Biography

Dr James O Mahony is a Lecturer and Programme Lead for the MSc/ Pg Diploma in Cognitive & Behavioural Psychotherapy. 
Dr O Mahony has worked in the area of mental health for over 20 years. He has worked as a CNS in Primary Care Mental Health, ANP in Psychiatry & Psychotherapy, Assistant Director of Mental Health Nursing and Area Director of Nursing, Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services. He was the Director of Operations for State of Mind Ireland, a mental health charity. He is an accredited Cognitive & Behavioural Psychotherapist and is a committee member on the Irish Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies. He is also trained in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) which is a specialised form of psychotherapy used to work with individuals experiencing severe emotional dysregulation or those experiencing self-harm and suicidal behaviours. His PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) in Medicine & Health with University College Cork examined how social discourses impact on how individuals’ conceptualise depression. He teaches on the undergraduate and postgraduate courses in mental health nursing, on the Doctor of Clinical Psychology programme and is the programme lead for the MSc in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy. Dr O Mahony supervises a number of research students undertaking the MSc in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy, and doctoral degrees. Dr O Mahony's research interests are underpinned by his clinical, management and research experience that espouses exploration of phenomenon though a lens of compassion, understanding and aims to inform meaningful change for individuals/ families accessing mental health services. The research interests  include the phenomenological experience of depression; suicide and self harm research; child and adolescent mental health services research; HIV self stigma and compassion focused therapy and Self Practice/ Self Reflection in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy.
Dr O Mahony was a member of the National Working Group for CBT for Psychosis as part of the National Clinical Programme, Early Intervention in Psychosis https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/cspd/ncps/mental-health/psychosis/resources/ncp-eip-cbtp-standard-o.... He was also part of the National Clinical Programme for Self Harm & Suicide Related Ideation https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/cspd/ncps/self-harm-suicide-related-ideation/moc/mhncp-self-harm-mo... Dr O Mahony was an investigation team member on the Maskey Report (2022). https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/news/newsfeatures/south-kerry-camhs-review/report-on-the-look-back-r...


Research Grants

 ProjectFunding
Body
Start DateEnd DateAward
“Understanding the mental health challenges, service needs and potential interventions for women from the Traveller community presenting to Emergency Departments with suicidal ideation in Ireland”.08-JAN-2301-APR-24€26,000.00
Safe4ChildERASMUS01-FEB-2201-FEB-25€358,000.00
Evaluation of Peer Group Clinical Supervision23-SEP-1930-SEP-21€18,339.00
Exploration of service users experiences of child and adolescent mental health services in Ireland12-DEC-2210-DEC-23€92,587.00
The Martha McMenamin Research Grant: “Therapeutic groups in acute psychiatric admission units: the views of service users”01-JAN-0901-SEP-09€5,000.00

Publications

Book Chapters

 YearPublication
(2016)'O’ Mahony (2016). Eating Disorders. Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Practice – An Interpersonal Approach'
O Mahony J (2016) 'O’ Mahony (2016). Eating Disorders. Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Practice – An Interpersonal Approach' In: Jones JS, Fitzpatrick, J, Rogers V (eds). Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Practice – An Interpersonal Approach. New York: Springer Publishing.   [DOI] [Details]
(2012)'Eating Disorders. Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Practice – An Interpersonal Approach'
O’ Mahony, J (2012) 'Eating Disorders. Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Practice – An Interpersonal Approach' In: Jones JS, Fitzpatrick, J, Rogers V (eds). Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Practice – An Interpersonal Approach. New York: Springer Publishing.   [DOI] [Details]

Peer Reviewed Journals

 YearPublication
(2023)'Trauma Informed Interventions to Reduce Seclusion, Restraint and Restrictive Practices Amongst Staff Caring for Children and Adolescents with Challenging Behaviours: A Systematic Review'
Peter Kelly, Mohamad M. Saab, Emma J. Hurley, Sinéad Heffernan, John Goodwin, Zamzaliza A. Mulud, Maria O Malley, James O Mahony, Margaret Curtin, Gunter Groen, Svetla Ivanova, Astrid Jörns-Presentati, Joonas Korhonen, Kostadin Kostadinov, Mari Lahti, Valentina Lalova, Gergana Petrova & Aine O Donovan (2023) 'Trauma Informed Interventions to Reduce Seclusion, Restraint and Restrictive Practices Amongst Staff Caring for Children and Adolescents with Challenging Behaviours: A Systematic Review'. Journal Of Child & Adolescent Trauma, 0 (0):1-6   [DOI] [Details]
(2022)'A Phenomenological Understanding of Mental Health Nurses’ Experiences of Self-Care: A Review of the Empirical Literature'
Maris O’Malley, Brenda Happell & James O’Mahony (2022) 'A Phenomenological Understanding of Mental Health Nurses’ Experiences of Self-Care: A Review of the Empirical Literature'. Issues In Mental Health Nursing, 43 (12):1121-1129   [DOI] [Details]
(2023)'Mental health nurses’ self-care at work, searching for equilibrium : An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis'
Maria O’Malley, Brenda Happell & James O’Mahony (2023) 'Mental health nurses’ self-care at work, searching for equilibrium : An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis'. Issues In Mental Health Nursing, 0 (0):1-6   [DOI] [Details]
(2022)'Exploring individuals’ experiences of hope in mental health recovery: An interpretative phenomenological analysis'
Murphy, J., Mulcahy, H., O Mahony, J., Bradley, S. (2022) 'Exploring individuals’ experiences of hope in mental health recovery: An interpretative phenomenological analysis'. Journal of Psychiatric & Mental Health Nursing, 0 (0):1-9   [DOI] [Details]
(2021)'Peer group clinical supervision: Qualitative perspectives from nurse supervisees, managers, and supervisors'
Saab, M., Kilty, C., Meehan, E., Goodwin, J., Connaire, S., Buckley, C., Walsh, A., O Mahony, J., McCarthy, V., Horgan, A (2021) 'Peer group clinical supervision: Qualitative perspectives from nurse supervisees, managers, and supervisors'. Collegian, 28 (4):359-368   [DOI] [Details]
(2021)'Exploring CBT therapists’ experience of feeling of safety within self-practice/self-reflection: An interpretative phenomenological analysis'
Mackenzie, M., & O’Mahony, J (2021) 'Exploring CBT therapists’ experience of feeling of safety within self-practice/self-reflection: An interpretative phenomenological analysis'. Cognitive Behaviour Therapist, 14 (0):0-0   [DOI] [Details]
(2021)'Nurses and midwives' experiences with peer-group clinical supervision intervention: A pilot study'
Mc Carthy, V., Goodwin, J., Saab, M.M., Kilty, C., Meehan, E., Connaire, S., Buckley, C., Walsh, A., O'Mahony, J. & O'Donovan, A. (2021) 'Nurses and midwives' experiences with peer-group clinical supervision intervention: A pilot study'. Journal of Nursing Management,   [Details]
(2020)'An Audit of assessment rooms for mental health assessments in Ireland’s Emergency Departments'
Jeffers, A; Jennings, R.; O’Mahony, J (2020) 'An Audit of assessment rooms for mental health assessments in Ireland’s Emergency Departments'. Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine, 0 (0):1-6   [DOI] [Details]
(2009)'Therapeutic groups in acute psychiatric admission units: the views of service users'
O’Donovan, A, & O’Mahony, J. (2009) 'Therapeutic groups in acute psychiatric admission units: the views of service users'. Journal of Psychiatric & Mental Health Nursing, 16 (6):523-530   [DOI] [Details]

Published Reports

 YearPublication
(2020)Report on the Evaluation of the Implementation of Peer Group Clinical Supervision for Nurses in the HSE South.
Horgan, A., Meehan, E., Goodwin, J., Connaire, S., Buckley, C., Walsh, A., O Mahony, J., McCarthy, McAuliffe, K., V. Saab, M., (2020) Report on the Evaluation of the Implementation of Peer Group Clinical Supervision for Nurses in the HSE South. HSE, Lenus Dublin.   [DOI] [Details]

Professional Activities

Committees

 CommitteeFunctionFrom / To
Irish Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies Member2022 / 2023
Graduate Studies Committee Member2022 / 2024

Education

 YearInstitutionQualificationSubject
2015University College Cork PhD Medicine & HealthIPA Depression
2006Trinity College Dublin MScNClinical Practice
2017School of Business & Law University College Cork MBABusiness Administration
2008School of Medicine Trinity College Dublin Pg Diploma Cognitive PsychotherapyCognitive Psychotherapy
2022University College Cork Pg Cert T&L in Higher EducationTeaching & Learning in Higher Education

Other Activities

 Description

External Examiner for the Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, School of Psychology, University of Newcastle

HSE Committee member - Research group and Implementary Advisory Group, National Clinical Programme for Self Harm & Suicide Related Ideation

HSE - National Working Group for CBT for Psychosis as part of the National Clinical Programme, Early Intervention in Psychosis

Advisory Steering group member - HSE - National Clinical Programme for Self Harm & Suicide Related Ideation.

Advisory Steering group member - 2020 – August 2023: National Suicide Research foundation. Health Research Board. PRISM Project (Providing Improved Care for Self-harm: A mixed-methods study of intervention, implementation and economic outcomes from a national clinical programme).

Advisory Steering group member - Dr Troya, School of Public Health and Epidemiology. Irish Research Council 2-Year Postdoctoral Fellowship on 'Examining individual and psychosocial determinants of self-harm and suicidality in older adults: improving risk assessment and management',

Search profiles by name

Search profiles by topic

University College Cork

Coláiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh

College Road, Cork T12 K8AF

Top