Tara O’Donoghue – Senior Psychotherapist specialising in anxiety disorders and relationships

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Welcome, it’s good to meet you. I’m Tara O’Donoghue, an award-winning Senior Psychotherapist based in London, with over 15 years’ experience in psychological therapy, working with children, adolescents, adults and couples. I help individuals and couples across London who appear high-functioning on the outside but feel stuck in anxiety, overthinking, avoidance, panic symptoms, reassurance-seeking, or painful relationship cycles at home. My work is highly personalised, evidence-based and results-driven.

My core specialisms are anxiety disorders (including OCD, panic, phobias, health anxiety and body-focused anxiety such as BDD) and relationship therapy (including conflict cycles, trust ruptures, intimacy difficulties and family dynamics). In practice these often overlap, anxiety changes how we relate, and relationship stress amplifies the nervous system’s threat response. Where they don’t, we keep the focus clear and treat what is maintaining the problem.

I integrate Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) and EMDR within a formulation-led approach that is structured, emotionally attuned and tailored to you. Alongside symptom change, we work carefully with your values, what matters most to you, what a meaningful life looks like, and the steps that move you towards it, so progress is not only measurable but lived.

My clinical background includes specialist NHS roles at Bethlem Royal Hospital in London, including the Anxiety Disorders Residential Unit (ADRU) and the Functional Disorders Integrated Service (FiND). I’m BABCP-accredited, and I supervise and train other therapists. I established my London-based private practice in 2015, and I’ve delivered training nationally and internationally, co-authored research, and have been recommended by experts including Professor David Veale.

If anxiety is shrinking your world, or your relationship is starting to feel dominated by fear, conflict or distance, you do not have to keep pushing through. Therapy can help you (and your loved ones) regain steadiness, choice and connection, so life doesn’t stay on hold.

To explore working together, get in touch to arrange a consultation.

I am a Senior Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (CBT)

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who also is a specialist in Compassionate Focused Therapy (CFT). I am also trained in Eye Movement Desentisation Reprocessing (EMDR).  I am accredited by the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapists (BABCP). This means a professional body has approved me to deliver psychotherapy alongside offer supervision and training. I was elected chair person of the BABCP Isle of Man branch between 2017-2019

​You can see my credentials here

​I use CBT and CFT as standalone psychotherapies in their own right. However, I am also skilled at combining these two evidence based therapies to give individuals the best treatment and recovery outcome possible. I also enterwine EMDR if suitable to assist with stabilisation and processing.

I have numerous years experience working alongside Professor David Veale at the Anxiety Disorders Residential Unit (ADRU) and  experience as lead Senior Psychotherapist and Team Leader at the Functional Disorders Integrated Service (FiND). Both are situated at the Bethlem Royal Psychiatric Hospital, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (Previously known as ‘Bedlam’ The oldest Psychiatric organisation in the world).

Specialities 

Qualifications and Professional Memberships

  • Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Psychology
  • Master of Science (MSc) in Applied Psychology
  • Post Graduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy
  • Post Graduate Certificate in Compassionate Focused Psychotherapy​
  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapist, BABCP accredited
  • Compassionate Focused Therapist, trained by Professor Paul Gilbert, OBE (founder of CFT)​
  • Member of British Association of Behavioural and Psychotherapies BABCP
  • Chair woman- Isle of Man BABCP branch (2018-2020)
  • Member of the BABCP CFT Special Interest Group
  • Member of the Compassionate Focused Therapy Foundation
  • Member of the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Foundation
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I specialise in assessing and treating people who are experiencing mild to severe Anxiety and Depression. I am skilled at helping individuals with complex Anxiety, Depression, alongside Trauma to understand how their problem first occurred. I feel it is important that treatment allows an individual not only to overcome their specific problem but with relapse prevention planning, ensure an individual has the best chance possible to maintain the recovery they have worked so hard for.​

London based anxiety and depression Psychotherapist Tara O’Donoghue has clinical experience working with the following:

  • Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Psychology
  • Master of Science (MSc) in Applied Psychology
  • Post Graduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy at the University of Cumbria, Lancaster.
  • Post Graduate Certificate in Compassionate Focused Psychotherapy at the University of Derby​
  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapist, BABCP accredited
  • Compassionate Focused Therapist, trained by Professor Paul Gilbert, OBE (founder of CFT)​
  • Member of British Association of Behavioural and Psychotherapies BABCP
  • Chair woman- Isle of Man BABCP branch (2018-2020)
  • Member of the BABCP CFT Special Interest Group
  • Member of the Compassionate Focused Therapy Foundation
  • Member of the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Foundation
    ​
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Research has shown the that put the relationship experienced between the individual and Psychotherapist is of great importance and linked to treatment success. Private anxiety therapist, Tara O’Donoghue works alongside you to build a relationship that feels safe to share and work in.  Each case is treated individually with an emphasis placed on working together to reclaim life and achieve recovery.

Awards

  • Making Outstanding Contributions to people Lives (SLaM- South London and Maudsley awards)
  • Achieving Quality and Development in a Service (SLaM- South London and Maudsley awards)

Research 

Recent Teaching and Workshops

  • BABCP, Belfast, Building Shame Resilience using CBT and CFT in OCD and BDD
  • EABCT, Stockholm, New treatment techniques in BDD, Building Shame resilience in OCD and BDD​
  • BABCP, London, Building resilience Across the Disorders
  • Mindfulness Project, Thailand, 7-day Mindfulness teachings ​
  • Mary Faith Rescue Centre, Kenya, 8-week training programme for service users and staff implementing group and 1-1 Compassionate Focused Therapy​
  • The Hospice, Isle of Man, Building resilience in staffs
  • Online workshop, Building your best self as a Psychotherapist, 6-hour workshop for clinicians based in London.
  • Online teaching, CBT Centre Russia, 4-week training programme for clinicians, reducing shame and self-criticism using Compassionate Focused Therapy