
Overview
Background
Dr Denis O’Hara is the Program Lead for the Master of Counselling within the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work. He is a chartered psychologist with the British Psychological Society and member of the Psychotherapist and Counsellors Federation of Australia. Dr O’Hara is a past Head of School of Counselling and Psychotherapy at the Australian College of Applied Psychology (ACAP) and is Adjunct Professor at the University of the Sunshine Coast. Dr O’Hara has taught in several universities and colleges both in Australia and overseas across faculties of education, psychology, and counselling. He enjoys research and writing and has published several books and book chapters, and multiple peer reviewed journal articles. Some of his research interests include hope studies, psychological trauma, ADHD, self-differentiation, and psychotherapy integration. One of Dr O'Hara's principal areas of reearch is on hope studies and apart from reports in research papers, a detailed examination of hope can be found in two of his books. The most recent volume is an edited book which provides an examination of hope from multiple perspectives including psychological, sociological, fiction and film, and is entitled “Phoenix Rising from Contemporary Global Society”. A second text is a full examination of hope and its application within the context of counselling and psychotherapy and is entitled " Hope in Counselling and Psychotherapy'.
Availability
- Dr Denis O'Hara is:
- Available for supervision
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of New England Australia
- Member, Australian Psychological Society, Australian Psychological Society
- Associate Fellow, The British Psychological Society, The British Psychological Society
- Member, The British Psychological Society, The British Psychological Society
Works
Search Professor Denis O'Hara’s works on UQ eSpace
2025
Journal Article
A narrative review of medical and surgical nurses' attitudes and perceptions when caring for patients with a secondary diagnosis of mental illness
Pasere, Elisabeth, O'Hara, Denis, Ballard, Emma, Kilgour, Catherine and Holland, Lorelle (2025). A narrative review of medical and surgical nurses' attitudes and perceptions when caring for patients with a secondary diagnosis of mental illness. Nurse Education Today, 151 106684, 1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.nedt.2025.106684
2025
Book
The practice of counselling and psychotherapy
O'Hara, Denis, Schirmer, Jim, Ellwood, Michael and Witteveen, Kate (2025). The practice of counselling and psychotherapy. Brisbane, QLD Australia: The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/109db44
2025
Journal Article
Are professional counsellors and psychotherapists prepared to make a greater contribution to the Australian mental health workforce? A comparison of training content and mental health standards
Schirmer, Jim, Ellwood, Michael W., Witteveen, Kate and O'Hara, Denis (2025). Are professional counsellors and psychotherapists prepared to make a greater contribution to the Australian mental health workforce? A comparison of training content and mental health standards. Advances in Mental Health, 23 (1), 126-139. doi: 10.1080/18387357.2024.2347434
2024
Other Outputs
Mentalisation, self-compassion and psychosocial impact of ADHD in adult women.
Witteveen, Kate M. and O'Hara, Denis J. (2024). Mentalisation, self-compassion and psychosocial impact of ADHD in adult women.. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/14096c3
2024
Other Outputs
Evaluation of the National Counselling and Referral Service Counselling within Correctional Centres: executive summary and final report
O'Hara, Denis J., Ellem, Kathy and Witteveen, Kate (2024). Evaluation of the National Counselling and Referral Service Counselling within Correctional Centres: executive summary and final report. Brisbane, QLD Australia: The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/8d16fc4
2023
Journal Article
Conceptions of counselling and psychotherapy: towards professional self-clarification
O'Hara, Denis (2023). Conceptions of counselling and psychotherapy: towards professional self-clarification. Psychotherapy and Counselling Journal of Australia, 11 (2). doi: 10.59158/001c.88162
2023
Journal Article
The Power Threat Meaning Framework and Self-Discrepancy Theory: Complementary Perspectives
O'Hara, Denis (2023). The Power Threat Meaning Framework and Self-Discrepancy Theory: Complementary Perspectives. Psychotherapy and Counselling Journal of Australia, 11 (2). doi: 10.59158/001c.88063
2023
Book Chapter
Depression
O'Hara, Denis (2023). Depression. The SAGE handbook of counselling and psychotherapy. (pp. 215-220) edited by Terry Hanley and Laura Anne Winter. London, United Kingdom: Sage Publications.
2021
Book
Phoenix rising from contemporary global society
Lisa Ortiz and Denis O'Hara eds. (2021). Phoenix rising from contemporary global society. Freeland, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom: Inter-Disciplinary Press.
2021
Book Chapter
Three spheres of hope: generalised, particularised and transformative
O’Hara, Denis J. (2021). Three spheres of hope: generalised, particularised and transformative. Phoenix rising from contemporary: global society. (pp. 3-14) edited by Lisa Ortiz and Denis O'Hara. Oxford, United Kingdom: Brill. doi: 10.1163/9781848883345_002
2021
Book Chapter
Application and careers for counsellors and counselling psychologists
Beel, Nathan, Hoare, Nancey, Davies, Michael, O’Hara, Denis J. and du Preez, Jan (2021). Application and careers for counsellors and counselling psychologists. The Australian handbook for careers in psychological science. (pp. 116-139) edited by Tony Machin, Tanya Machin, Carla Jeffries and Nancey Hoare. Brisbane, QLD Australia: Univerity of Southern Queensland.
2021
Other Outputs
Evidence of focused psychological strategies provided by counsellors and psychotherapists: a systematic scoping review
Schirmer, Jim, Witteveen, Kate and O'Hara, Denis (2021). Evidence of focused psychological strategies provided by counsellors and psychotherapists: a systematic scoping review. Brisbane, Australia: The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/edfa455
2020
Book Chapter
Hope and well-being in sustainable development
O’Hara, Denis J. and O’Hara, Eva Fiona (2020). Hope and well-being in sustainable development. Good Health and Well-Being. (pp. 1-10) edited by Walter Leal Filho, Tony Wall, Anabela Marisa Azul, Luciana Brandli and Pinar Gökcin Özuyar. Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature Switzerland . doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-69627-0_118-1
2020
Book Chapter
Innovations in a changing world
O'Hara, Denis John and O'Hara, E. Fiona (2020). Innovations in a changing world. A metatheoretical framework for the integration. (pp. 247-258) edited by Katrina Andrews, Fiona Ann Papps, Vincent Mancini, Larissa Clarkson, Kathryn Nicholson Perry, Graeme Senior and Eric Brymer. Sydney, NSW Australia: Australian College of Applied Psychology.
2019
Journal Article
Applying the radical exposure tapping protocol in the treatment of trauma-related emotional reactivity: A phenomenological case study
Barna, Emil and O’Hara, Denis (2019). Applying the radical exposure tapping protocol in the treatment of trauma-related emotional reactivity: A phenomenological case study. Psychotherapy and Counselling Journal of Australia, 7 (1). doi: 10.59158/001c.71261
2018
Other Outputs
Hope in Counselling and Psychotherapy
O'Hara, D (2018). Hope in Counselling and Psychotherapy. London, United Kingdom: Sage Knowledge.
2018
Other Outputs
The self and therapeutic change
O'Hara, D (2018). The self and therapeutic change. London, United Kingdom: Sage Knowledge.
2017
Book Chapter
Depression
O'Hara, Denis (2017). Depression. Sage handbook of counselling and psychotherapy. (pp. 404-409) edited by Colin Feltham, Terry Hanley and Laura Anne Winter. Thousand Oaks, CA USA: Sage Publications.
2016
Book Chapter
Research: From consumer to producer
Hanley, Terry, Steffen, Edith and O'Hara, Denis (2016). Research: From consumer to producer. Handbook of Counselling Psychology. (pp. 530-545) edited by Woolfe, Ray, Strawbridge, Sheelagh, Kasket, Elaine and Galbraith, Victoria. London, United Kingdom: SAGE Publications. doi: 10.4135/9781529714968.n33
2016
Journal Article
The self: reflective, relational, and embodied
O'Hara, Denis (2016). The self: reflective, relational, and embodied. Psychotherapy and Counselling Journal of Australia, 4 (1). doi: 10.59158/001c.71166
Funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Denis O'Hara is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Exploring and Explicating the Clinical Processes of the 'Hope in Practice Framework'.
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Kate Witteveen
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Doctor Philosophy
A mixed methods analysis of association between attachment and flow in young Australian adult male video gamers
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Kate Witteveen
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Doctor Philosophy
The impact of professional counselling supervision; understanding the elements of supervision, a review of supervision models and the effect of the supervisory alliance on supervisee performance.
Principal Advisor
Media
Enquiries
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