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Dr Denis O'Hara
Dr

Denis O'Hara

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 52834

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

48 works between 2004 and 2025

21 - 40 of 48 works

2015

Journal Article

Counselling psychology: a view from Australia

Meteyard, J. and O'Hara, D. J. (2015). Counselling psychology: a view from Australia. Counselling Psychology Review, 30 (2), 20-31.

Counselling psychology: a view from Australia

2015

Book Chapter

The diversity of university-community engagement: an international perspective

Meteyard, John and O'Hara, Denis John (2015). The diversity of university-community engagement: an international perspective. Community counselling: direction and focus. (pp. 83-94) edited by Chris Pratt. Pinang, Malaysia: Asia Pacific University-Community Engagement Network.

The diversity of university-community engagement: an international perspective

2015

Journal Article

Editorial: An international perspective of counselling psychology

O'Hara, Denis J. (2015). Editorial: An international perspective of counselling psychology. Counselling Psychology Review, 30 (2), 2-4.

Editorial: An international perspective of counselling psychology

2015

Journal Article

Counselling and psychotherapy: professionalisation in the Australian context

O'Hara, Denis J. and O'Hara, E. Fiona (2015). Counselling and psychotherapy: professionalisation in the Australian context. Psychotherapy and Counselling Journal of Australia, 3 (1). doi: 10.59158/001c.71147

Counselling and psychotherapy: professionalisation in the Australian context

2014

Journal Article

The Identity of Counselling and Psychotherapy and the Quest for a Common Metatheory

O’Hara, Denis and O'Hara, E. Fiona (2014). The Identity of Counselling and Psychotherapy and the Quest for a Common Metatheory. Psychotherapy and Counselling Journal of Australia, 2 (1). doi: 10.59158/001c.71131

The Identity of Counselling and Psychotherapy and the Quest for a Common Metatheory

2014

Journal Article

Dialogues and debates: the question of the self

O'Hara, Denis (2014). Dialogues and debates: the question of the self. Counselling Psychology Review, 29 (2), 67-69. doi: 10.53841/bpscpr.2014.29.2.67

Dialogues and debates: the question of the self

2014

Journal Article

Editorial: A year in the life of Counselling Psychology Review

Hanley, Terry, O'Hara, Denis and Steffen, Edith (2014). Editorial: A year in the life of Counselling Psychology Review. Counselling Psychology Review, 29 (1), 3-6. doi: 10.53841/bpscpr.2014.29.1.3

Editorial: A year in the life of Counselling Psychology Review

2014

Journal Article

The identity of counselling and psychotherapy and the quest for a common metatheory

O'Hara, Denis J. (2014). The identity of counselling and psychotherapy and the quest for a common metatheory. Psychotherapy and Counselling Journal of Australia.

The identity of counselling and psychotherapy and the quest for a common metatheory

2014

Journal Article

The question of the self

O'Hara, Denis J. (2014). The question of the self. Counselling Psychology Review, 29 (2), 67-69.

The question of the self

2013

Journal Article

Therapist characteristics of self-differentiation and epistemic style and their relationship with therapist dispositional hope.

O'Hara, Denis J., O'Hara, E. Fiona, Meteyard, John and Anderson, Kirsty (2013). Therapist characteristics of self-differentiation and epistemic style and their relationship with therapist dispositional hope.. Australian Journal of Counselling Psychology, 33-39.

Therapist characteristics of self-differentiation and epistemic style and their relationship with therapist dispositional hope.

2013

Book

Hope in counselling and psychotherapy

O’Hara, Denis (2013). Hope in counselling and psychotherapy. London, United Kingdom: SAGE Publications. doi: 10.4135/9781446269992

Hope in counselling and psychotherapy

2013

Journal Article

The relationship between anxiety and managing interpersonal difference: Implications for couples counselling.

Meteyard John, Andersen, Kirsty and O’Hara, Denis (2013). The relationship between anxiety and managing interpersonal difference: Implications for couples counselling.. Psychotherapy and Counselling Journal of Australia., 1 (1). doi: 10.59158/001c.71120

The relationship between anxiety and managing interpersonal difference: Implications for couples counselling.

2012

Journal Article

Editorial: Common factors of therapeutic change in counselling psychology

O'Hara, Denis (2012). Editorial: Common factors of therapeutic change in counselling psychology. Counselling Psychology Review, 27 (4), 3-7. doi: 10.53841/bpscpr.2012.27.4.3

Editorial: Common factors of therapeutic change in counselling psychology

2012

Journal Article

Research Paper Towards a grounded theory of therapist hope

O'Hara, Denis J. and O'Hara, E. Fiona (2012). Research Paper Towards a grounded theory of therapist hope. Counselling Psychology Review, 27 (4), 42-55. doi: 10.53841/bpscpr.2012.27.4.42

Research Paper Towards a grounded theory of therapist hope

2012

Journal Article

Considering collaboration and ‘crodswoggle’

Hanley, Terry, O'Hara, Denis J. and Steffen, Edith (2012). Considering collaboration and ‘crodswoggle’. Counselling Psychology Review, 27 (1), 3-9. doi: 10.53841/bpscpr.2011.27.1.3

Considering collaboration and ‘crodswoggle’

2012

Journal Article

Reconciling technical and practical knowledge in psychotherapy through Polanyi’s tacit knowing.

O'Hara, D. J. (2012). Reconciling technical and practical knowledge in psychotherapy through Polanyi’s tacit knowing. . British Psychological Society, Counselling Psychology Section: Counselling Psychology Review, 27 (1), 64-72. doi: 10.53841/bpscpr.2011.27.1.64

Reconciling technical and practical knowledge in psychotherapy through Polanyi’s tacit knowing.

2012

Journal Article

Editorial: common factors of therapeutic change in counselling psychology

O'Hara, D. J. (2012). Editorial: common factors of therapeutic change in counselling psychology. British Psychological Society, Counselling Psychology Section: Counselling Psychology Review, 27 (4), 3-6.

Editorial: common factors of therapeutic change in counselling psychology

2012

Journal Article

Editorial: Considering collaboration and ‘crodswoggle’

Hanley, T., O’Hara, D. J. and Steffen, E. (2012). Editorial: Considering collaboration and ‘crodswoggle’. Counselling Psychology Review, 27 (1), 3-7.

Editorial: Considering collaboration and ‘crodswoggle’

2012

Journal Article

Towards a grounded theory of therapist hope

O'Hara, D. J. and O'Hara, E. F. (2012). Towards a grounded theory of therapist hope. Counselling Psychology Review, 27 (4), 42-54.

Towards a grounded theory of therapist hope

2011

Journal Article

Psychotherapy and the dialectics of hope and despair

O'Hara, Denis (2011). Psychotherapy and the dialectics of hope and despair. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 24 (4), 323-329. doi: 10.1080/09515070.2011.623542

Psychotherapy and the dialectics of hope and despair

Funding

Past funding

  • 2022 - 2023
    Evaluation of National Counselling and Referral Service Counselling within Correctional Centres
    Commonwealth Department of Social Services
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2022
    Effectiveness of focused psychological strategies when provided by counsellors or psychotherapists
    Australian Counselling Association
    Open grant

Supervision

Availability

Dr Denis O'Hara is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

  • 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

  • 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

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Exploring and Explicating the Clinical Processes of the 'Hope in Practice Framework'.

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Kate Witteveen

Media

Enquiries

For media enquiries about Dr Denis O'Hara's areas of expertise, story ideas and help finding experts, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au