Where do I go from here?

This week, Annmarie and Katie are joined by the wonderful Karen Murphy — founder of the Institute of Couples Therapy and the trainer behind the very diploma both hosts completed this year. It's Karen's first ever podcast appearance, and it's an episode packed with insight, honesty, and genuine emotion.
Karen takes us back to the beginning of her own journey into couples work, the lack of dedicated couples therapy training in Ireland, and why she eventually set up her own Institute — now the only organisation in the country offering ongoing training and community support specifically for couples therapists.
The conversation moves through some of the biggest themes in relationship therapy today:

Why differentiation — learning to hold and respect difference rather than fighting it — is one of the most powerful (and hardest) concepts a couple can grasp
The danger of falling into "victim versus villain" thinking, and why neutrality is one of the most powerful tools a therapist can offer
Karen's concept of the "paradoxical theory of couples therapy" — why the behaviour a couple presents with (anger, shutting down, communication breakdown) is usually a coping strategy, not the real issue
How shame shows up the moment a couple sits in the waiting room, and why simply naming that can be transformative
A grounded, careful conversation on terms like gaslighting, narcissist and stonewalling — why they matter, why they're sometimes overused, and the crucial distinction between everyday relational struggle and genuine abuse
Why couples therapists must never work with active domestic violence or coercive control without specialised training
What to actually look for when choosing a couples therapist — accreditation, transparency, and whether they see both partners together from the start
The importance of curiosity over judgment, and how asking instead of assuming changes everything in a relationship
Karen's honest reflection on her own blind spots, her own marriage, and what a decade of sitting with couples has taught her about being human
Why neither Annmarie nor Katie believe in the idea of a "perfect marriage" — and why couples therapy isn't about staying together at all costs
This is an episode about hope. About showing up for each other even when it's hard. About what it really means to be vulnerable with the person who knows you best — and why that, more than almost anything else, shapes the quality of our lives.
Karen also shares details of her upcoming community and training opportunities for therapists interested in working with couples, along with why supervision is completely non-negotiable in this line of work.
Whether you're a therapist considering specialising in couples work, someone currently navigating a difficult relationship, or simply curious about what really goes on in the therapy room — this conversation offers warmth, honesty and real hope.
Find Karen Murphy and the Institute of Couples Therapy at theinstituteofcouplestherapy.com
This episode is proudly sponsored by Inner Therapy, Naas & Portlaoise — offering EMDR, couples therapy, CBT and neuro-affirmative care. For more information, visit innertherapy.ie
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Annmarie and Katie are back — and they have a lot to catch you up on.
In this honest and heartfelt episode, the girls reflect on the last 18 months of building two thriving therapy practices, the invisible work behind the scenes, and the sacrifices that come with being ambitious women, mothers and business partners.
They open up about mom guilt, money mindset, burnout, and why they refuse to carry shame around success. They also dive into their newly completed diploma in couples therapy — Ireland's first of its kind — exploring why two people can experience the same moment in completely different ways, and why that's not always a problem.
Plus, they share details of their powerful new training programme for neurodiverse adolescents and their parents — and why nervous system regulation is at the heart of everything they do.
This one is raw, real and deeply relatable. Whether you're a therapist, a parent, a business owner or simply someone trying to find their way — this episode is for you.
Proudly sponsored by Inner Therapy, Naas & Portlaoise. Visit innertherapy.ie for more.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Episode 4 of Season 4, Katie and AnnMarie are joined by a familiar face from the Inner Therapy team – Eoin Stephens, an experienced psychotherapist, supervisor, and educator with over 30 years in the fields of mental health, addiction, and disability.

Eoin brings a deeply personal and professional lens to this conversation, sharing insights from his own experience as a late-discovery autistic adult. His current work focuses on the unique challenges and therapeutic needs of autistic individuals who receive a diagnosis later in life – often after years of masking, misunderstanding, and misdiagnosis.

Together, they explore what it means to understand yourself anew, how therapy can evolve to meet neurodiverse needs, and the importance of creating space for individual experience in mental health care.

This episode is a rich and thoughtful listen for anyone interested in neurodiversity, autism, or the evolving role of therapy in understanding ourselves and others.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Episode this weeks episode Katie and Annmarie sit down with Matthew Gavin, entrepreneur, ADHD advocate, and the founder and CEO of ADHD Now – a pioneering telehealth service making ADHD diagnosis and support more accessible across Ireland.
Diagnosed with ADHD later in life, Matthew reflects on his early experiences of being misunderstood in school and how he had to forge his own path. From not getting his first-choice college course to leading some of Ireland’s most successful brand projects, Matthew’s journey is a powerful reminder that success doesn’t follow one path.

Now, through ADHD Now, he’s helping others access the support he wishes he had growing up. With honesty and purpose, Matthew shares his vision for transforming ADHD care and championing those who think differently.

Whether you’re exploring ADHD for yourself, a loved one, or simply curious about how neurodiversity shapes success, this is a conversation worth tuning in to.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Episode 2 of Season 4, Katie and AnnMarie are joined by Christine Lane, the founder of Mojo Matters and My Holistic Midwife. Christine is a Consultant Midwife and Nurse with specialist expertise in pregnancy, menstrual health, and menopause.

In this informative and honest conversation, Christine opens up about PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder) – a severe, often misunderstood condition that affects many women and people who menstruate. Despite being life-altering, PMDD is still under-recognised and under-diagnosed. Christine shares not only her professional expertise, but also her personal experience and her passion for spreading awareness and empowering those living with PMDD to advocate for themselves.

If you've ever felt like your monthly cycle is controlling your life, or if you support someone who feels this way, this episode is for you.

For more information follow Christine on Instagram: @PMDD_matters
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.