The experts at Athena are the authors and first implementators of the Building Resilience and Brigher Futures Learning Programme – BUILD. Since 2017, they have successfully worked on implementing the learning programme in schools and within youth centers across Ireland and continue to do so. They are further leading experts in Ireland in prevention programmes for youth who have suicidal and self-harming thoughts.
Dr. Cindy O’Connor is a director at Athena the Academy for Mental Health and Well-Being. She has worked in the area of self-harm and suicide prevention for more than 15 years and for 13 of those years worked as the chief clinical officer at Pieta House in Ireland, Cindy was one of the founding sisters of Pieta. She continues to work in the area of mental health and is a fully accredited psychotherapist, clinical supervisor and trainer. Cindy also lectures on the Masters Programme for Counselling & Psychotherapy at Dublin City University and regularly guest lectures at TUDublin. Cindy designs and delivers bespoke workshops for companies in the area of mental health and well-being and has been instrumental in the development of the Build Programme.
Marguerete Kiely, has a MSc in Child and Adolescents Psychotherapy and was Clinical Director and Head of Child and Adolescents in Pieta House Ireland, The Centre for Prevention of Suicide and Self-Harm, for the past 13 years. Being Head of the Child and Adolescent Department, Marguerite had responsibility for the development and implementation of staff training in Child Protection Policies across 15 centres in Ireland as well as training staff regarding risk assessment for suicidal risk. Marguerite was also instrumental in the development of the School Resilience Academy and having conducted research, devised and delivered the programme, and has contributed to the publication of Scientific Contribution Research Papers. Marguerite has presented at conferences in Ireland, the UK and the USA. She has appeared on TV , Radio and Newspapers discussing mental health and self-harm issues and is a strong advocate on Youth Mental Health. She has delivered workshops to both Corporate, Health and Mental Health Sectors, addressing Workplace Burnout and the importance of Employee Self-Care. Marguerite has also presented to parents and teachers in schools at both Primary and Secondary level nationally, providing guidance and support concerning Child and Adolescent issues and also to College Students. Marguerite is also an author having penned the book ‘Aaron’s Legacy’ charting the considerable emotional, physical and mental strain when a loved one was seriously ill in hospital, away from home, and how comfort and refuge was afforded her through the availability of accommodation at An Bru Columbanus Hostel, Cork.
Noeleen Devlin is an experienced accredited counsellor, psychotherapist, supervisor and trainer working with clients and supervisees face to face, by telephone and over Zoom. She holds a Diploma in Autism Studies, a MSc in Child & Adolescent Therapy, a BSc in Counselling and Psychotherapy, and has worked extensively with clients since 2007. Noeleen worked as a Clinical Director in Pieta House, the Centre for the Prevention of Suicide and self-harm for ten years and held responsibility for the recruitment and training of clinical support staff as well as therapists in the Pieta House model. She also provided mentoring and training to managers and was involved in conflict resolution. Noeleen contributed to the development of the Pieta House Model, used by therapists to work therapeutically with clients in crisis. She also provided training with external agencies in the area of mental health and training in assessing suicidal risk. Noeleen also has experience of working with adults and children who are neurodivergent (ASD – Autism Spectrum Disorder).