About

Hello and welcome! I am a Chartered Senior Clinical Psychologist (C.Clin. Psychol., Ps.S.I.) and first time mama. While I have worked extensively with children and families for over 12 years, I gained a completely new insight into the reality of parenting when I became a parent myself. I quickly came to the realisation that information currently available to parents is often outdated or an inaccurate reflection of real-life parenting.

I am passionate about challenging unrealistic expectations of ‘perfect’ parenting and common miscomprehensions based on ‘textbook’ babies. I believe that these messages can lead to parents feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, burnt out or as though they are failing their child – and so The Mothering Psychologist was born! I hope that by sharing my own parenting journey through the lens of both a clinical psychologist and the lived experience of a parent that I can empower parents to feel confident in their ability to support their child’s development.

I firmly believe that there is no such thing as a perfect parent and every parenting journey is unique. By letting go of unrealistic expectations and adopting child-focused parenting practices which recognise each child as an individual, I hope to support parents to connect with and nurture their child so that they can truly thrive.

My Qualifications:
I graduated from the National University of Ireland with a BA in Psychology in 2010. I also completed the MSc in Applied Psychology at Trinity College Dublin in 2012, before completing the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology also at Trinity College in 2018. I am a Chartered member of The Psychological Society of Ireland. I am a registered Circle of Security Parent Facilitator.

Dr. Emma Bagnall

BA Psych, MSc Applied Psych, D.Clin. Psych, COS-P