5
Years
Supporting Clients
5
Experienced
Therapists
1
Cork,
Ireland
We help children, adults, and families navigate developmental, psychosocial, mental health, academic, and functional self-care challenges with personalised, expert-led therapy.
about
How We Support You
We support clients who are struggling with their mental health to achieve the life they should be living. Through an occupational therapy lens, we take the time to understand each person fully — assessing their environment, their
occupations, and them as an individual. We walk alongside our clients and guide them for however long it takes to reach the goals that are meaningful to them. Our work takes many forms: in clinic, in the community, in person, and through home visits. We support people in workplace settings, and we deliver talks that share our clinical knowledge with wider audiences. Above all, we use our clinical expertise and skill base to sit down with clients and collaboratively write goals, helping people build the life they have always wanted to live — but have somehow felt they couldn't reach.
goals
Our Shared Focus
1. Personalised Assessment
2. Therapy in Real-Life Settings
3. Collaborative Family Support
4. Ongoing Growth & Empowerment
COMMUNITY
Home/Community Sessions
Our Occupational Therapists work with each family on their individual needs. For some young people and adults attending a clinic can bring high levels of stress and dysregulation. There is strong evidence to show the success of building relationships and applying interventions outside of a clinical setting, as this setting is not conducive to their everyday life.
Our Services
training
Workshops and Talks
We offer training, webinars, and keynote speeches and workshops
ADHD and Coaching
The Neurobiology of Trauma
Supporting Adolescent Anxiety & Building Resilience
Creating Meaningful Change
Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria
Harnessing Positive Psychology and the Placebo Effect: Enhancing Our Well-being
Therapeutic Support and Resilience
Working With Trauma
Online
Online Work
We work with clients across the globe, delivering both clinical interventions and supervision online. Our online services support clients across Ireland, as well as internationally, including Australia, England, Scotland, Wales, Spain, Denmark, and the United States.
Online delivery allows us to reach clients who might otherwise find in-person sessions less accessible — whether due to geography, scheduling, or personal preference — while still delivering the same quality of clinical care.
All of our clinicians are skilled in delivering services online, including clinical supervision, and we've seen this work extremely well for a wide range of clients.
Analysis
Clinical Supervision at Meaningful OT
We have a highly experienced team offering clinical supervision, with three of our clinicians providing this service to occupational therapists across both public sector and private company settings.
Supervision is a crucial and essential part of good clinical practice, and we're committed to supporting therapists in meeting this need through structured, high-quality supervision.
We offer clinical supervision both in-clinic and online, providing flexibility to suit individual and organisational needs.
Assessment
Housing Needs Assessments
Our clinicians offer detailed housing assessments to support individuals in adapting their homes to better meet their needs. These assessments are carried out in line with relevant Irish legislation and guidance, including provisions under the Housing (Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability) Regulations, and can support applications for funding such as the Housing Adaptation Grant, Mobility Aids Grant, and Housing Aid for Older People Scheme, often coordinated in conjunction with the local authority and HSE social work department. Our goal is to ensure homes are safe, accessible, and genuinely supportive of each person's independence and quality of life.
Inspection
Workplace Needs Assessments
Our team provides comprehensive workplace assessments designed to support individuals in maintaining or returning to meaningful employment. This includes evaluating the physical, sensory, and cognitive demands of a role, identifying barriers to participation, and recommending practical, evidence-based adaptations.
We work directly with employers, employees, and relevant stakeholders to implement reasonable accommodations — whether that's adjustments to the physical environment, changes to workflow or communication, or supports around sensory and emotional regulation in the workplace.
Our aim is to help create sustainable working environments where individuals can perform to their full potential, while supporting employers in meeting their obligations under relevant employment and equality legislation.
Meaningful OT services are covered by
team
Our Occupational Therapists
Padraig
Clinical Specialist
Padraig, our Clinical Specialist, began his career in healthcare with a BA in Social Care from MTU. He worked as a Social Care Worker in residential homes, supporting children from birth to adulthood.
Over his 14 years of professional experience, Padraig has worked with teenagers facing a variety of challenges, including complex trauma, ASD, ADHD, self-harm, and suicidal ideation.
In his role as a Family Support Worker, Padraig focused on parenting assessments with a strong emphasis on infant mental health and practical parenting skills. He mentors young people through the Big Brother program with Foróige, using a trauma-informed approach.
Padraig pursued further education while balancing a full-time career and fatherhood, earning a BSc in Occupational Therapy from University College Cork. Recognising the need for a strengths- and values-based approach in social care, he advanced his studies with a Master’s in Positive and Coaching Psychology, also at University College Cork.
Today, Padraig runs his private practice, The OT Coach, where he offers therapeutic interventions and assessments for young people and adults who have experienced adversity. His specialties include trauma, sensory-attachment, positive psychology, and coaching, making him a trusted professional dedicated to fostering resilience and well-being.
Joy
Joy is a dedicated occupational therapist who brings a wealth of experience working with
children and adults across a broad range of health and social care settings. She is deeply
committed to supporting individuals of all ages and abilities, with particular enthusiasm for early
intervention, health promotion and prevention.
Her background includes extensive work in
schools, on paediatric disability teams and involvement in crisis intervention, inpatient care, and community mental health services.
Since 2020, Joy has enriched the academic environment at University College Cork, serving as an assistant lecturer and practice tutor in the Department of Occupational Science and
Occupational Therapy. In this role, she shares her clinical knowledge with the next generation of therapists, guiding students through practical learning and reflective practice.
In research, Joy excels in designing and leading large-scale projects, alongside evaluating
health and community-based initiatives. She brings strong analytical skills and a collaborative
spirit to her work in service development and outcome measurement.
Currently, Joy is pursuing a PhD in mental health occupational therapy, driven by a passion to deepen evidence-based practice and support innovation in mental health care.
Ailis
Senior Occupational Therapist
Ailis brings over 10 years of experience to Meaningful OT, spanning hospital, community, and specialist team settings. Her clinical background includes dedicated work within ADHD-specialised services, and she now works extensively supporting, teenagers, adults, and families — with a particular focus on adult mental health.
With advanced training in trauma-sensitive practice, Ailis is an experienced clinical supervisor, delivering supervision and running workshops and wellness sessions for organisations across a range of settings. She works flexibly with clients online, in the community, and in clinic, adapting her approach to what works best for each person.
Ailis's clinical interest lies in the connection between body and mind. Understanding the vital role movement plays in supporting wellbeing, she works with clients to build meaningful occupations and participation — helping individuals and families live fuller lives, rooted in joy and meaning.
Sarah
Senior Occupational Therapist
Sarah is an Occupational Therapist with experience across private and community-based services, supporting children, teenagers, young adults and families. She has particular experience in neurodevelopmental assessment and intervention, including working as part of a multidisciplinary autism assessment team.
Sarah provides individual Occupational Therapy intervention alongside parent and school consultation, with experience delivering support in clinics, schools and community settings. Prior to becoming an Occupational Therapist, she also worked as a support worker for adults with intellectual disabilities, giving her experience of supporting people with a wide range of needs across different stages of life.
Alongside Occupational Therapy, Sarah has a background in psychology and psychotherapy, holding an undergraduate degree in Applied Psychology from University College Cork and a Higher Certificate in Counselling and Psychotherapy. She is also a qualified yoga teacher and has a strong interest in psychological wellbeing, sensory processing, emotional regulation and somatic approaches to health.
Sarah brings a collaborative, neuroaffirmative and strengths-based approach to her work, with a focus on understanding each person as an individual and developing practical supports that are meaningful to their everyday life
Saoirse
Senior Occupational Therapist
Saoirse graduated from the National University of Ireland, Galway in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy. Since then, she has worked in Vietnam, London, and Abu Dhabi before returning home to Ireland, gaining experience across a range of mental health, educational, and paediatric settings.
Over the past eight years, Saoirse has worked with adults and children within mental health services, mainstream and special education schools, and paediatric clinics. She has supported people with a wide range of physical, developmental, sensory, and mental health needs, and has developed a particular passion for trauma-informed, neuro-affirming practice.
Saoirse believes that the heart of good therapy is connection. She is passionate about building genuine, trusting relationships where people feel safe, understood, and empowered to be their authentic selves. Her approach is client-centred and strengths-based, working collaboratively with each person to build on their unique strengths and achieve goals that are meaningful to them.
Above all, Saoirse is passionate about helping people rediscover what brings them joy. She believes occupational therapy is about more than developing skills, it's about supporting people to participate in the activities, relationships, and experiences that give life meaning and fulfilment. Her goal is to help every client build confidence, feel connected, and experience authentic joy in their everyday lives.
admin team
Our Change Supporters
Treasa
General Operations Manager
Treasa brings a rare combination to Meaningful OT: sharp operational skill and a genuine, lived commitment to inclusion. With a background spanning Sage-based accounts, payroll, and office management, she keeps the practice running smoothly behind the scenes — but it's her warmth and attentiveness that our team and clients feel first.
Treasa holds a Diploma in Disability Studies from UCC and has taken part in UCC's programme with Inclusive Dance Cork — experience that reflects a genuine belief in building communities where everyone belongs. That same value shapes how she works with our team and the families we support every day.
Outside the office, Treasa is a member of The Rebel Tappers dance troupe and The Haven Harmonies singing group, and she's a committed lifelong learner. She brings that same sense of connection, rhythm, and community into her role here at Meaningful OT.
testimonials
What Our Clients Say
"The trauma talk was a game-changer for our staff. Practical, engaging, and deeply moving. We left with real strategies to support our students".
Sarah, Residential Team
"Padraig's session on ADHD and parenting was the best we’ve ever had. He made complex topics easy to understand, and our team felt empowered and inspired".
Claire, Family Support Worker
"The OT Coach team brought warmth and expertise to our workplace well-being day. Our team felt truly seen and supported".
Liam, Youth organisation
faq
Quick Answers
Latest Updates
