Executive Council
The Executive Council and its working groups focus on: Administration & Finance, Statutory Recognition, Accreditation & Professional Standards, Membership, the IACAT Journal and PR & Media Relations. The council ensures that the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics is maintained and adheres to legislation, protocols and guidelines, ensuring safe practice for both clients and members. The Executive Council also liaises with regional groups.
Carmel O’ Doherty, Council Chairperson
Carmel O' Doherty holds an MA in Dramatherapy from NUI Maynooth, a BBs (UCD), Dip. Theatre Studies (TCD) & a Certificate in Life Coaching. Carmel works therapeutically with children, teenagers and adults presenting with a broad range of mental health issues. Focus areas include: intellectual disability, attachment disorder, socialisation, self-esteem, grief and challenging behaviour due to difficult socio-economic backgrounds. Carmel has also worked therapeutically within the Irish Penal system. Carmel's practice is based in Dublin. Contact carmelodoherty1@gmail.com
Aimee O’Neill - Council Administration & Finance
Aimee qualified with a MA in Art Therapy from the Crawford College of Art and Design, Cork in 2011 and has a background in Fine Art from the National College of Art and Design, Dublin. Aimee holds the position of Art Therapist for the National Children’s Hospital (NCH), Dublin, where she has established a medical art therapy service and coordinates the children's arts and health programme. She has experience working with both children and adults in a variety of settings. In addition to her work at the NCH she works within education, the social services and private practice. Contact aimeeon@gmail.com
Alison Sweeney - Council & IACAT Journal Committee
Alison Sweeney qualified with a Masters in Music Therapy from the University of Limerick and also holds a Bachelor of Music degree from University College Cork. Alison specialises in paediatric rehabilitation and care of older adults. She set up and runs the music therapy service in The Children's University Hospital, Temple Street where she works as part of the neurosurgery and neurology teams. More recently she has taken up the position of Music Therapist at the National Children's Hospital in Tallaght. Alison's research interests lie in the areas of stress and coping, interdisciplinary team work and augmentative and alternative communication systems. Alison can be contacted on alisonsweeneymt@gmail.com
Eoin Nash - Council
Corinna Henry - Council
Deirdre Ronan - Council
Deirdre Ronan qualified with an MSc in Art Psychotherapy from Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh. Deirdre works clinically as both a Psychotherapist and Art Therapist in private practice and also lectures at PCI College. Deirdre has worked both with the CARI Foundation, engaging with children and families who were impacted by child sexual abuse and One in Four, where she was engaged in all aspects of the Clinical Programme. Deirdre's areas of interest centre on the primary and vicarious impacts of trauma on individuals and systems. Contact: arttherapyireland@gmail.com
Louise Gartland - Council & Standards and Accreditation Committee
Louise Gartland, BA (hons) Art&Design, MSc. Art Psychotherapy. Louise has worked with arts in mental health for over 13 years and as an Art Psychotherapist for 8 years. She has worked with adults and children individually and in groups in community settings, residential and outreach addiction centres, forensic settings and in her private practice. She is co-founder of ARTonomy, a Creative Arts Therapy organisation trying to champion for more CATs in the workplace in a wider variety of settings on a national scale.
IACAT Staff
Rosemary McGarry, Administrator
Contact 087 992 1746 or info@iacat.ie
Maggie O'Neill, Journal Co-editor
Contact iacatjournal@gmail.com
