Zara O’Brien is a Counsellor and Doctoral Researcher in Counselling Psychology at City, St George’s, University of London, specialising in parental mental health, caregiver wellbeing, and parenting support. She helps parents navigate the emotional, relational, and identity challenges of raising children—or coping with the grief of losing a child.

 

A mother of two, one of whom has additional and medical needs, Zara brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work. She understands the emotional labour of parenting—the love, the loss, the resilience, and the complexity—and provides a compassionate, non-judgemental space for parents to explore their experiences. She supports parents to build confidence, enhance parental self-efficacy, and strengthen parent-child relationships, helping families feel supported and understood.

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Zara’s doctoral research explores the experiences of displaced Ukrainian mothers in the UK, focusing on how trauma, migration, and cultural change shape parenting practices, mother–child relationships, and parent self-efficacy. Her work reflects a broader interest in how culture, identity, and belonging influence mental health, particularly during times of transition, loss, and adaptation.

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She holds a BSc (Hons) in Counselling Psychology from the University of Chichester and is completing her DPsych in Counselling Psychology. Her therapeutic approach is integrative, drawing on person-centred experiential therapy (PCE), narrative approaches, and third-wave therapies such as ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) and CFT (Compassion-Focused Therapy). This flexible, tailored approach supports parents across all stages of family life, including those navigating parenting stress, bereavement, and caring for children with SEND or complex medical needs.

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Beyond therapy, Zara founded The Children’s Psychology Hub, an online resource hub for parents and children. The Hub offers low-cost, evidence-informed resources and mental wellbeing worksheets that help parents understand and support their child’s emotional health at home. By increasing communication, understanding, and access to mental health support, the Hub reduces parental stress, promotes confidence and self-efficacy, and strengthens the parent-child relationship.

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Zara engages parents through social media, sharing practical, accessible advice on parenting strategies, child and teen mental health, and family wellbeing. She has contributed to BBC Children in Need, written for Counselling Directory, and works to make parental mental health support accessible and relevant to everyday family life.

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Across all her work, Zara is guided by the belief that supporting parents supports families—and that strengthening parent-child relationships, validating parental experiences, and fostering self-efficacy are central to emotional wellbeing for both parents and children.