
Dónall Donnelly
@Optimalcounselling
Irish citizen
About me
Irish
Speaks English (Irish French Italian)
Registration: 05 September 2025
About
Hi there,
I am a psychotherapist.
I can be contacted at optimalcounselling@outlook.com or via www.optimalcounselling.ie
I offer online counselling and coaching for people facing life’s harder moments, with empathy, experience and no judgement. You don’t need to be in crisis to get support. And you don’t have to figure it all out on your own.
At Optimal Counselling, I believe everyone deserves the chance to live with clarity, confidence and connection, no matter where they are in the world or what they’re facing.
This isn’t about fixing you. It’s about helping you understand what’s happening, find the right tools and build a life that feels more like your own.
I believe therapy should feel human, not clinical. It should move at your pace and give you something real to hold onto.
It’s not just about feeling better, it’s about living better.
Occupation
I am Owner for Optimal Counselling.ie
Education
Trinity College Dublin
Master's Degree, Psychology
2001
My expat journey


Ireland
Articles written or translated by Dónall Donnelly

Moving abroad is often depicted as an adventure—new languages, new foods, new friends, and so many opportunities. And why wouldn't it? The photographs on social media show the sun-drenched piazzas, the lively markets, the innovative workplaces, and the thrilling sense of adventure that comes with travelling. Yet for many expats, behind the carefully curated snapshots is another, quieter story, one that revolves around loneliness, isolation, and the struggle to feel truly at home.
14 November 2025