Phoenix Counselling Cork

08/06/2026

30/04/2026

Hello to everybody...I just wanted to let everyone know that I am now available to provide an Online Counselling Service. I hope the following information will be of assistance to those who may be considering seeking help through the counselling process.

There are however Pros and Cons in relation to online counselling and I'll outline my views on those now.

The Pros –
• Connect with the counsellor from your home. Some people can find the prospect of sharing in a strange setting off-putting and engaging from the comfort of their home can be much more appealing.
• No issues or stress around finding a parking space.
• "Blind session" option. Depending on the issues to be explored, some people may find it very difficult or even embarrassing to be seen by the counsellor. With a "blind session", the client has the option to turn off their laptop camera whilst at still being able to see the counsellor.
• Online counselling can be a more economical option. I offer a reduced rate for sessions conducted on line.

The Cons –
• For me, the single most disadvantageous aspect of working online with a client is the lack of interpersonal energy and connection that can only exist when two people are present in the room. Another factor that suffers can be identifying body language. The statements we make through our body language on an unconscious level can be very informative and helpful in working with clients. This is very difficult if not impossible to read online.

So these are just a few points of interest for those who may be considering counselling. I hope this article helps.
For those who would like to know how I work with clients, pay a visit to my website on www.phoenix-counselling.com for more information.

Bye for now.
Joe

psychotherapy and counselling service

23/04/2026

Raising Awareness Series - Week 3.

This week, I thought I'd offer something a little different by way of a wee meditation. Life can be difficult for many people for many different reasons. I'm not for one moment suggesting that these posts are going to fix or resolve anything for anybody. They are offered with the intention of perhaps being of some benefit, even in a small way - at least, that's my hope.
So with that in mind, today's offering comes courtesy of the late Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist monk, author, poet and teacher, who passed away in 2022. He is considered by many as "the Father of Mindfulness". Enjoy.
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"Waking up Each Morning"

The moment you wake up, right away, you can smile. That’s a smile of enlightenment. You are aware that a new day is beginning, that life is offering you twenty-four brand-new hours to live, and that that’s the most precious of gifts. You can recite the following poem to yourself, either silently or out loud:

"Waking up this morning, I smile:
Twenty-four brand-new hours are before me.
I vow to live each moment fully
And to look at all beings with eyes of compassion".

You may like to say the verse as you lie there in your bed, with your arms and legs comfortably relaxed. Breathing in, you say the first line; breathing out, you say the second. With your next in-breath, you recite the third; and breathing out, the fourth. Then with a smile on your face you sit up, slide your feet into your slippers, and walk to the bathroom.

13/04/2026

If you've found your way to this page, why not continue your journey a little more and visit my website at www.phoenix-counselling.com where you'll find information of how I work with clients, what modalities I employ in my practice and other relevant details which will assist you in making a choice to seek assistance.

I provide a safe and welcoming space for you to share, explore and be curious about your world and how you are in it. I use a sliding scale payment system to accommodate and reflect people's financial situation.

Why not get in touch and we can see if this might be a good fit for you. All questions and queries addressed. You can contact me by phone on 0851783750 or by email via the online contact form on my website.

And remember - you are the captain of your soul and only you have the power to make the changes you need for a more fulfilling and rewarding life.

10/04/2026

Hi all,
This is Week Two in my series of posting challenging and thought provoking articles, encouraging curiosity and introspection of your life.
I've been thinking of an appropriate name to describe this series and have decided on "Raising Awareness" as I feel this is ultimately the result of engaging with these articles. So, on we go.

Week two offers a very old but interesting Zen parable which I believe has its origin in Buddhist teachings. It concerns two monks and a young lady and the tale has a strong theme based on "attachment".

The area of "attachment" is quite extensive and I hope to post more articles on this important topic as we progress.
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Our story begins with two monks - one, a senior member of the order and the other, a relatively new and young novice. They were returning to their monastery after visiting a nearby town.
Their return necessitated crossing a river and when they reached the point where they were to cross, they found a young pretty girl just sitting by the riverbank sobbing. The elder monk enquired as to why she was so sad and she told them that she had received news of a relative who had fallen very ill and it was very important to her that she go and try to help the family. But she couldn't cross the river as the current was too strong for her. She asked the monks if they would help her get across.
The monks looked at each other in silence but said nothing. As monks, they had taken a vow to never touch a woman. The novice monk dare not open his mouth and left the matter to the older and wiser monk to handle the situation.
Without a word, the older monk offered his back to the young girl and when she climbed up on him, the three of them set out across the river. When they reached the other side of the river, the older monk gently placed the girl on the bank. She thanked them and continued on her way.
The two monks resumed their trek with the novice in shock at what had just happened. He wasn't able to express how he felt and so they travelled on in silence. An hour passed, then another and another until finally, the novice couldn't contain himself any longer and blurted out - "as monks, we are not supposed to have any physical contact with a woman. How could you then do what you did and carry her on your shoulders?"
The older monk looked at him and quietly replied - "Brother, after crossing the river, I set the girl down on the other side. Why are you still carrying her?"
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So, There it is. An example of how we can "carry" and "hold-on" to stuff, perhaps without it serving us well. Good introspective questions might be -
* "what do I hold onto?"
* "what am I not letting go of?"
* "how is this serving me?"
I hope you get something from this post and remember, always be curious about you!

31/03/2026

Greetings to all on this last day of March.
Today I'm posting a slightly amusing anecdote which relates to how we see/experience others with whom we engage. This is the first post in my series of articles which will all have a connection to human psychology, relationships and generally, how we are on this 'blue and green rock' we call home.
I hope you will find these posts helpful, insightful and thought-provoking and that they encourage you to be more introspective and curious about yourself.
Today's piece is simply called -
"The Window through which we Look". Enjoy.
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The Window through which we Look

A young couple moved into a new neighbourhood.
One morning, while they are eating breakfast, the young woman sees her neighbour hanging out her washing.
"That laundry isn’t very clean", she said. "She clearly doesn't know how to do a proper wash. Perhaps she needs better laundry soap."
Her husband looked on, but remained silent.

And so this continued for some time. Every time her neighbour would hang her wash out to dry, the young woman would make the same comments. All the while, her husband said nothing.

About one month later, the woman was surprised to see a nice clean wash on her neighbour's line and said to her husband:

"Look, at last she has learned how to wash properly. I wonder who taught her this."
The husband said, "I got up early this morning and cleaned our windows."

And so it is with life. What we see when watching others depends on the purity of the window through which we look.
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Now I invite you to pause for a dew minutes and turn your attention inwards. How are your windows?

25/03/2026

Hi everybody, starting next week, I will be posting a series of articles which will be aimed at providing assistance and insights into various aspects of our lives. Some areas that I would like to highlight are -
* relationships - how we relate to others and ourselves
* anxiety
* depression
* self-esteem issues
* increasing assertiveness
* taking responsibility
* exiting the role of victim
* childhood trauma
* anger issues..and many more topics.
I would welcome your views on this idea and maybe if there is a topic or subject that you would like more info on, you might let me know and I will do my best to provide any information and insight I have on it.
My wish for this series is to raise people's awareness about what's going on in their life and to help them to become more curious about their life and how they are in it.
I need to be clear that this series is primarily a source of information and is in no way a substitute for counselling.
I hope the series will be of assistance as well as being a source of knowledge.
J. A. Coughlan

27/08/2025

Hi guys, just a request to all my followers of Phoenix Counselling - I would appreciate if you could share my page to all your contacts/friends...this will help to grow the page and reach more people and in general, spread the word...thank you all very much.
Joe

Call now to connect with business.

26/02/2025

"If you want an explanation for your present, look at your past.
If you want to know your future, look at your present."
- Buddha.

28/01/2025

Thinking is difficult, that’s why most people judge - Carl Jung