Aisling McMahon
Dr
I am an Assistant Professor in Psychotherapy in the School of Nursing, Psychotherapy and Community Health at DCU and Chair of the DCU Professional Diploma in Clinical Supervision.
I trained initially as a clinical psychologist (B.A., M.A., M.Psych.Sc., University College Dublin) and then also as a humanistic and integrative psychotherapist (Dip.Psych, Institute of Creative Counselling and Psychotherapy), followed later by a Doctorate in Psychotherapy (London Metanoia Institute/Middlesex University). I have also trained as a group analyst (MSc., University College Dublin) and conduct weekly group analytic psychotherapy in DCU's Healthy Living Centre https://www.dcu.ie/hlc/grouptherapy. I am an Associate Fellow of the Psychological Society of Ireland, an accredited member and supervisor with the Irish Association of Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy, and a member of the Irish Group Analytic Society.
I have worked in various settings over the last 30 years, including the Irish prison service, community-based and inpatient adult psychiatric services, a community care HSE service for children and adolescents, and private practice. Having engaged in sessional teaching through most of my career, I took up this full-time academic post in DCU in 2015, which has facilitated development of my specialist teaching and research interests in clinical supervision and practitioner development.
Since 2015, I have supervised 14 Masters and 9 Doctorate research studies across various areas of clinical supervision and psychotherapy practice, and I have been an examiner for 20 doctorates in Ireland and internationally. Enquiries in relation to PhD research supervision in relation to clinical supervision and psychotherapy are welcome.
Peer Reviewed Journal
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Patrick Hallinan; Aisling McMahon (2023) 'Supporting relational, trauma-informed social care work with autistic adults: Evaluation of a reflective supervision group pilot'. British Journal of Social Work, . https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcad177 | |
| 2023 | Aisling McMahon (2023) 'A narrative review of group analytic literature on clinical supervision: Seeking coherence and correspondence'. Group Analysis, . https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/05333164231153927 | |
| 2023 | Kovič, D.; McMahon, A. (2023) 'Building trust: supervisees’ experience of power dynamics in transdisciplinary workplace supervision'. Journal of Social Work Practice, 37 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2022 | McMahon, A., Seery, C., Moorehouse, S., & O’Brien, G. (2022) 'Analysis of supervisory interventions in a transdisciplinary youth mental health service'. Psychological Services, . https://doi.org/10.1037/ser0000695 | |
| 2022 | McMahon, A.; Jennings, C.; O’Brien, G. (2022) 'A naturalistic, observational study of the Seven-Eyed model of supervision'. Clinical Supervisor, 41 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2022 | Reynolds, D.; McMahon, A.; McMahon, J. (2022) 'Being held through pain: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of experiences of receiving a peer support intervention for family members of individuals with mental illness'. COUNSELLING & PSYCHOTHERAPY RESEARCH, 22 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2022 | Finan, Stephanie; McMahon, Aisling; Russell, Siobhan (2022) 'At What Cost am I Doing This? An interpretative phenomenological analysis of the experience of burnout among private practitioner psychotherapists'. COUNSELLING & PSYCHOTHERAPY RESEARCH, 22 (1). [DOI] | |
| 2020 | McMahon, A. (2020) 'Five reflective touchstones to foster supervisor humility'. Clinical Supervisor, 39 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2019 | McMahon, Aisling; Ledden, Kathryn (2019) 'Recording client sessions during psychotherapy training: From an absurd idea to potent learning'. COUNSELLING & PSYCHOTHERAPY RESEARCH, 19 (3). [DOI] | |
| 2019 | McLaughlin, Á.; Casey, B.; McMahon, A. (2019) 'Planning and implementing group supervision: a case study from homeless social care practice'. Journal of Social Work Practice, 33 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2018 | McMahon, A. (2018) 'Irish clinical and counselling psychologists' experiences and views of mandatory personal therapy during training: A polarisation of ethical concerns'. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 25 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2020 | McMahon, Aisling; Rodillas, Rhea Rose (2020) 'Personal development groups during psychotherapy training: Irish students' expectations and experiences of vulnerability, safety and growth'. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 33 (2). [DOI] | |
| 2018 | McMahon, Aisling (2018) 'Part of me feels like there must be something missing: a phenomenological exploration of practising psychotherapy as a clinical psychologist'. BRITISH JOURNAL OF GUIDANCE & COUNSELLING, 46 (2). [DOI] | |
| 2017 | McMahon, A. & Hevey,D (2017) ''It has taken me a long time to get to this point of quiet confidence': Factors related to clinical psychologists' confidence in practising psychotherapy'. Clinical Psychologist, 21 :195-205. [DOI] | |
| 2014 | McMahon, A (2014) 'Four guiding principles for the supervisory relationship'. REFLECTIVE PRACTIVE, 15 (3) :333-346. [DOI] | |
| 2014 | McMahon, A. & Errity,D (2014) 'From new vistas to lifelines: Psychologists' satisfaction with supervision and confidence in supervising'. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 21 :264-275. [DOI] | |
| 2012 | McMahon, A (2012) ''It's hard to feel on the ball': Practising psychotherapy as a clinical psychologist'. Irish Journal of Psychology, 33 :1-16. [DOI] |
Other Journal
Conference Contribution
Professional Associations
Reviews
Other Activities
Research Interests
My main research agenda involves exploring and developing our understanding of post-qualification clinical supervision, its intricacies and challenges, and how it may facilitate continued professional development and resilience for practitioners throughout their careers.
I also engage in research in relation to mental health practitioner training, exploring key issues such as mandatory personal therapy, personal development groups and supervision during training.
I also supervise Doctorate and Master's students in relation to various aspects of psychotherapy and supervision practice, including qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods methodologies.