I am a Senior Lecturer in the School of Applied Psychology at University College Cork (UCC) and Director of the MA in Applied Psychology (Positive and Coaching Psychology), a programme I established and have led for over a decade. I have over 20 years of experience in higher education and am passionate about bridging psychological research with real-world application.

I hold a PhD in Health Psychology and am internationally recognised for my research on the placebo effect and treatment processes, with publications in leading journals including The Lancet and the British Medical Journal. I have published 34+ peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, with approximately 3,379+ citations and an h-index of 19.

My research has attracted funding of approximately €900,000 from national and international sources, including the Irish Research Council, Health Research Board, Medical Research Council, National Institutes of Health, and Erasmus+.

My research focuses on understanding the psychological processes that support wellbeing, behaviour change, and human flourishing across health, educational, and organisational contexts. My work spans positive psychology, coaching psychology, health psychology, and integrative medicine, with a particular interest in how communication, mindset, and experiential methodologies shape wellbeing and performance.

I have a growing focus on outdoor and walking coaching, positive affect processes such as savouring, and nature-based interventions. I am also interested in the cultural adaptation of wellbeing interventions and the use of experiential methodologies, including LEGO® Serious Play®, in learning and development contexts.

I also contribute to placebo research, examining expectancy effects, open-label placebo, communication processes, and treatment debriefing in clinical trials, using experimental, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches.

Recent PhD Students

I am Director of the MA in Applied Psychology (Positive and Coaching Psychology) and teach across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the School of Applied Psychology.

My teaching focuses on positive psychology, coaching psychology, health psychology, and applied research methods, and is characterised by experiential, reflective, and student-centred approaches. I integrate methods such as LEGO® Serious Play®, strengths-based interventions, and group-based experiential learning to support deep engagement and practical skill development.

Current modules taught include:

AP6129 Health Psychology
AP6164 Positive Psychology in Group Settings
AP6181 Evidence-Based Coaching Practice
AP6182 Positive Psychology and Human Flourishing
AP6183 Advanced Coaching Skills
AP3123 Positive Psychology
AP3126 Health Psychology