Type of Work/Specialism
Child Welfare, Adoption, Foster Care and Mental Health
Description of relevant experience/profile
- Dr Valerie O’Brien is a Social Worker, Family Therapist and Supervisor. She maintains an independent practice as a clinician and supervisor alongside her work as an academic and researcher. In a professional career spanning over thirty-five years, she has worked in and provided supervision services in health, social care, and the voluntary sector, working with individuals, teams, and organisations.
- Valerie is currently programme Director of Family Therapy Programme in UCD and is the Chair of the IASW’s Social Workers in Foster Care Sub-Committee.
- She has particular expertise in systemic supervision and uses this framework and her skill base to assist social workers at every level of organisations.
- She works collaboratively to enable supervisees consider how context, relationships, systems, meaning-making and our own personal and professional biography influences our work – enabling complexity to be simplified and fresh perspectives to be gained while placing self-care and reflexivity at the centre of the process. She focusses particularly on the interface of commissioning, mandate, resources, ethics, and values.
- Her interests include the linkage between practice and research; change processes; best practice and professional/ workforce development. Other interests include music, cycling, her family and friends.
Qualifications
PhD; MSc; CQSW, Dip Systemic Supervision
Professional Experience
CORU, Family Therapist / Psychotherapist FTAI and EAP
Extra Skills
- Systemic Supervision for professionals working with individuals, couples, families.
- Consultation / supervision of complex cases – especially those with statutory involvement.
- Consultation / coaching for people in organizational and management roles.
- Team supervision and facilitation.
- Service Delivery – Innovation, review, and evaluation.
