Background
I have a portfolio career which started in medicine and general practice. I graduated from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in 1993. I practised medicine for over 10 years in Ireland and the UK. After completing a graduate degree in psychology, I transitioned into academic psychology and worked in higher education in the UK as a lecturer and researcher for 10 years. I have mentored and coached colleagues, patients, students, and clients for many years in the UK, Ireland, and Europe. I am an honorary associate senior lecturer at the University of West London, and I remain an active researcher.
Why I coach
Leaving medicine was not an easy decision for me. But two decades later I have enjoyed a rich and rewarding career in academia. My coaching aim is to provide a confidential empathic space to support clients through decision making and transition. I offer specialist coaching for doctors or medical students who are considering if medicine is the right career for them. I understand the anxiety associated with this decision. I support them to learn to understand themselves better to compassionately make the best decision for themselves going forward.
A European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) Accredited Coach at Senior Practitioner level. I am a member of the Irish College of General Practitioners, a member of the Division of Coaching Psychology BPS and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. I am a volunteer with the UK EMCC. My research interests include diversity and motivation in coaching and higher education. I was honoured to win the EMCC UK 2023 award for the dissertation with the highest potential for social benefit.
testimonials
I would recommend Siobhan to anyone that feels that they are drifting through life or unsatisfied with how their work or life is unfolding and wishes to make positive steps but is struggling to make them.
Surgeon
Being a black woman, I was really concerned about getting coaching from a white woman. I should have not worried about it – Siobhan is a true ally and exudes cultural humility. She did not make any assumptions about me and my situation and steered right away from making assumptions and generalisations.
Lecturer
She helped me gain a new perspective and to explore what really matters to me. I felt understood and supported right from the start. I have changed my role at work, and I am studying so that I can pursue a new chapter in my career. I have done this with confidence because of the work I did with Siobhan.
Lawyer
She made me feel safe to express how I felt and helped me explore whatever came up for me. She has a talent for asking exactly the right questions in the right moment and therefore allowed me to become aware of certain patterns and beliefs I didn’t realize I had