Julia McLaughlin graduated with an honours degree in Osteopathic Medicine and a Diploma in Naturopathy from The British College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1999.

After gaining experience working in multidisciplinary clinics in Oxford, Bristol and Northern Ireland she set up her own clinic in Comber Co Down in 2003. She is currently the only Osteopath in Northern Ireland to have completed a Post-Graduate Diploma in Paediatric Osteopathy at the Osteopathic Centre for Children in London. The Diploma provided unparalleled Paediatric training and comprehensive clinical experience working in such locations as the Neonatal Unit at Barnet Hospital.

A huge part of this course centres round treating patients cranially and Julia uses both structural and cranial techniques tailoring treatment specifically for each patient. She has developed a wide range of skills over her years in practice that have enables her to successfully treat a wide range of conditions in people of all ages.

Julia has completed the Children’s Teacher Meditation Course with Connected kids and has an interest in Retained Primitive Reflexes and how they affect our body and emotions.

She has completed Level 1 and 2 of Douglas Heel’s Be Activated Course looking at how compensation patterns in our body affect our biomechanics and emotions.

Julia is a member of the Sutherland Cranial College (SCCO) and is continuing her professional development through post graduate courses with the SCCO and the Biodynamic Osteopathy phase 9 courses.

Safeguarding Children & Young People – UU

Suicide Awareness & Prevention –Assist

DDP Connects UK

Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC)

British Association Social Workers (BASW)

2022 Dyadic Developmental Certified Practitioner/PACE Trainer/Supervisor

2022 Theraplay LEVEL2 with Trauma Component

2022 Foundation Certification in Theraplay

2017 Non Violence Resistance Training

2015 DDP Masterclass

2015 Dr K. Golding, Foundations for Attachments Trainer Programme

2017 Group Theraplay

2014 Theraplay Level 1 and MIM’s Assessment Model

2014 PQ Specialist Social Work Award 1-3 obtained and ongoing

2010 / 2011 DDP Levels 1 & 2

Incredible Years BASIC, ADVANCED and DINA Programmes

2007 Foundation in Family Therapy and Systemic Practice

2006 Young Minds Certificate in Child and Adolescent Mental Health

2003    Queen’s University Belfast
MSW DIP/SW Social Work

1995    Middlesex University BA Hons in Art Practice in the Community and Psychology

1992    Burnley College Foundation Studies in Art and Design

I have been supporting families in NI for nearly 20 years and since 2012 I have been in the role of Senior Practitioner in a multi-disciplinary Therapeutic Team for Looked After and Adopted Children providing training, consultancy and direct therapeutic support to Looked After Children, children post adoption and their care giver network. I am also registered with BASW as an Independent Social Work Practitioner and Therapist. 

Throughout my professional journey, as well as my own personal experiences of adoption, I have been fascinated by relationships, how we interact, how we influence each other, patterns of communication, our expectations, hopes and wishes as well as our commitments in relationships and attachments. Given their complexity, relationships can require support to think about how best to understand ourselves and others in helpful and safe ways and to develop a level of attachment security.

Certificate on Solution Focused Counselling

Post Graduate Dip. In Special Education

B. Ed Degree

Accredited member of National Counselling Society

Code of ethics observed

NHS (National Hypnotherapy Society, Registered Member)

• BSc (Hons) Psychology & Sociology
• CPCAB Dip (Relate) Relationship Counselling
• FDSc Integrative Counselling
• Dip HypCS Hypnotherapy & Counselling
• Cert Person Centred Counselling
• Dip Mindfulness

My training areas are:

• Relate Trained Couple Counsellor
• TESSA Trained Adoption Counselling
• ASIST Suicide Intervention Training
• Mental Health & Wellbeing Coaching
• Cert in Alcohol & Young People’s Development
• Cert in New Psychoactive Substances
• Cert in Childhood Sexual Abuse

Cert in Managing Self-Harm

I currently work as a self-employed counsellor, hypnotherapist, and mindfulness practitioner.

I also have 15 years’ experience working in the field of pregnancy, birth trauma, post-pregnancy related issues, bereavement, post-natal depression and anxiety.

In my current post I coordinate a counseling service and provide supervision and training for counsellors. I worked for five years with parents in community-based settings, supporting them to develop ways to communicate with their children and engage in difficult conversations. Part of this work was with foster parents.

I have also worked with birth and adoptive families at different stages of the adoption process. I have a good sense of how complex things can be and why it is so important that everyone involved receives the support they need when they need it.

I have my own practice room in North Belfast with availability daytime and evenings. My room is within a shared building, and is accessible on the ground floor. Free parking is available on site.

Willing to Travel:

Yes

Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) Level 1 (Dan Hughes model)

MSC Health Promotion

PG Dip Specialist Practive Nursing & CBT

Sleep difficulties

Reg. Member of the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC)

Diploma in Integrative Counselling (Person-centred & Psychodynamic); Diploma in CBT Skills & Theory; PG Diploma in Practitioner Skills for Eating Disorders.

My Social Work qualifications are…
BA (Hons) Social Work; Post-qualification Award in Social Work; Advanced Award in Social Work (Competencies 1, 3 & 5); An Introduction to Research Methods & Quality Assurance in the Health & Social Sciences

Publication…
Post-adoption Face-to-Face Contact with Birth Parents: Prospective Adopters’ Views

Turkington, S & Taylor, BJ
Child Care in Practice Vol 15 Number 1 January 2009

I currently work as a self-employed counsellor, part-time lecturer in counselling and I am a self-employed social worker speciaIising in adoption.

·       Foundation Degree in Counselling

·       Certificate in Complex Trauma and Childhood Abuse

I have also worked in two GP Surgeries over the past six years where I have gained wide ranging experience with a variety of different issues.

I am very passionate about my work and enjoy being able to support people through difficult stages of their lives in a non-judgmental and empathic way.