Summit Counselling and Psychotherapy

08/10/2026

Why can it sometimes feel so difficult to switch off, even when there is no obvious crisis?

In her new article, Krystle Phelan, Integrative Counsellor and Breathwork Facilitator at Summit Counselling in Swords, explores nervous system regulation in a grounded and realistic way.

Regulation doesn’t mean being permanently calm or unaffected by stress. It can begin with noticing what state we are in, understanding what we need and finding manageable ways to support ourselves.

Krystle discusses everyday boundaries, gentle breathing practices and her personal experience of using supported breathwork while carrying grief.

Krystle will also be appearing on Near FM this Friday, 9 October, to talk about nervous system regulation, breath and boundaries.

Read the full article on our website and tune in to Near FM this Friday.

15/09/2026

Have you ever started arguing about something small and somehow ended up talking about something that happened three years ago?

You’re definitely not the only couple who does it.

In his new blog, Fran Leavy, Couples Counsellor at Summit Counselling in Swords, looks at why couples can find themselves having the same argument over and over again.

Sometimes the phone, money or something that wasn’t done around the house isn’t really the whole argument. There can be something underneath it that neither person is managing to say or hear.

And when something from the past keeps coming back, Fran asks an interesting question: was it actually resolved, or did someone simply stop talking about it?

“Sometimes the past keeps coming into the present because it’s still asking to be heard.”

09/09/2026

🎙️ Fran is live on Near FM this Friday at 1pm

We’re delighted to have Fran from Summit Counselling and Psychotherapy joining Near FM this Friday, 11 September.

Fran will be talking about **why the same arguments can keep coming back in relationships**, and why sometimes the argument we’re having today is connected to something that never really felt resolved in the first place.

Drawing on his experience working with couples, Fran will explore what can happen when we slow those arguments down, understand what is underneath them, and really listen to what our partner is trying to tell us.

📻 Friday 11th September
⏰ 1pm
🎧 Live on Near FM

Listen live: https://nearfm.ie/livestream/

Fran works with individuals and couples from Summit Counselling and Psychotherapy in Swords.

13/08/2026

Does counselling actually work?

I can answer that question as a psychotherapist.

But I can also answer it as someone who once walked into a counselling room feeling completely overwhelmed, hopeless and terrified.

At the time, I felt like a ship caught in a storm without a sail.

I'd dropped what felt like a bomb in my own life, and the frightening part was that I didn't understand why.

I thought my counsellor would tell me.

I thought they'd have the answers.

I thought they'd fix me.

They didn't.

Instead, they helped me slowly understand the storm I was in.

Looking back, it was like patching holes in a boat. We'd explore something in counselling, I'd go away and reflect on it, try something differently, sometimes get it wrong, and we'd talk about it again.

But perhaps the biggest change happened later.

The genuine care and interest my counsellor showed me gradually became an interest in understanding and looking after myself.

Instead of asking, "What's wrong with me?"

I started asking, "What do I need?" and "What do I actually want from my life?"

I've shared more about that experience in Episode 3 of Understanding Counselling, along with a new article on the Summit website.

📖 Read the article and watch the video:
https://summitcounselling.org/does-counselling-actually-work-what-my-own-experience-taught-me/

Helping you find your way.

12/08/2026

I thought my counsellor was going to fix me.

When I first went to counselling, I felt like a ship caught in a storm without a sail.

I was sinking fast.

I'd dropped what felt like a bomb in my own life and, at the time, I didn't understand why.

I thought my counsellor would have the answers.

Guess what?

They didn't.

What happened was much slower.

They helped me understand the storm I was in. Session by session, it felt like we were patching the holes and stopping the water coming in.

But something else happened that I didn't expect.

The genuine interest my counsellor took in understanding me slowly became an interest in understanding myself.

Instead of constantly asking:

"What's wrong with me?"

I started asking:

"Why do I feel like this?"
"What do I need?"
"What do I actually want from my life?"

That's what this episode of Understanding Counselling is about.

🎥 Episode 3: Does Counselling Actually Work?

Watch the video and read the full article via the link in bio.

Helping you find your way.

04/08/2026

Meet Fran.

Relationships can become difficult for all sorts of reasons.

Sometimes communication breaks down. Sometimes life gets in the way. Sometimes you simply feel stuck.

With over 15 years' experience, Fran provides couples counselling in a safe, supportive, and non-judgemental space where both partners can feel heard.

04/08/2026

Meet Fran 👋

Finding the right couples counsellor matters.

Fran has over 15 years' experience helping couples navigate relationship challenges in a warm, supportive, and non-judgemental environment.

He believes that every couple is the expert in their own relationship. His role is to help both partners feel heard, understand one another more deeply, and work together towards lasting change.

Watch his short introduction to learn more.

🎥 https://youtube.com/shorts/U13X4vclR7s

If you're considering couples counselling, you can also book a free consultation through Summit Counselling.

In this short video, Fran explains his approach to helping couples ...

22/07/2026

Have you ever wondered what actually happens in counselling?

One of the biggest worries I hear is:

"I wouldn't even know where to start."

I understand that feeling because I remember sitting in the client's chair myself, wondering exactly the same thing.

I even remember saying to my counsellor:
"Can you ask me a question to get me started?"

Looking back, that simple question was enough.

One thought led to another. One conversation became another. Gradually, things that had felt completely overwhelming began to make more sense.

In this video, I talk about my own experience of counselling and explain what really happens in a counselling session.

If you've ever been curious about counselling, or you've been thinking about reaching out but weren't sure what to expect, I hope this helps.

If one question has been holding you back from counselling, I'd love to hear it in the comments. I may answer it in a future video.

Helping you find your way.

20/07/2026

🎙 Missed Emma on Near FM?

Emma Campbell, one of the therapists at Summit Counselling and Psychotherapy Swords, recently joined Near FM's Life Unfiltered with Maria McHale to talk about Parts of Self.

Many of us have experienced moments where one part of us wants to move forward while another wants to stay safe. During the interview, Emma explores why this happens, how these different parts develop, and how counselling can help us understand them with greater compassion rather than judgement.

If you missed the live broadcast, you can now listen back here:

🎧 https://listenagain.org/?p=62279

You can also read Emma's blog on Parts of Self:
📖 https://summitcounselling.org/understanding-the-different-parts-of-ourselves-how-our-life-experiences-shape-who-we-become/

Emma works with adolescents and adults from our practice in Swords and is currently accepting new clients.

📅 Book a free consultation:
https://summitcounselling.org/appointment/

14/07/2026

Part of me wants to move forward... another part wants to stay safe.Sound familiar?

This Friday at 1pm, Emma will be joining Life Unfiltered with Maria McHale on Near FM 90.3 to discuss Parts of Self—how our life experiences shape us, why protective parts develop, and how understanding ourselves with compassion can lead to healing.

📻 Friday • 1:00pm🎙️ Near FM 90.3

Trauma SelfCompassion Swords Dublin SummitCounselling