Sara Kelleher

Biography

Sara Kelleher is a Lecturer in Social Work at University College Cork and has been with the School of Applied Social Studies since 2021. Prior to coming to UCC, Sara received her MSW from New York University and was a psychotherapist and clinical social worker in the United States. She worked with diverse groups in a broad range of settings including hospitals, outpatient clinics, employee assistance programmes, and public administration, participating in interdisciplinary programmes such as dual diagnosis pain management, pre-hospice intervention, and women's trauma treatment in addiction recovery. Sara has trained in patient safety and engaged in communication improvement projects around technology in healthcare and government. She is a doctoral student in Social Sciences at UCC researching mental health and the menopause transition and is a member of the IASW.

Research Interests

Interprofessional learning and education; innovations in social work education (including simulation); creative research methods; mental health; healthcare; women’s health; and the menopause transition.

Teaching Activities

Social work theory; direct social work practice skills; fieldwork education; research supervision; and supporting practice teachers, tutors, and students on social work placement.