Dr Donal O’Keeffe

Donal is a psychologist, educator, and researcher as well as a person with lived experience of using mental health services (as a service user and a carer). He has over 15 years’ experience in the mental health field and has led many initiatives that have enhanced mental health recovery and health promotion in Ireland. Examples include supported socialisation, mental illness self-management, and nature-based interventions.

In his work with ARCHES Recovery College, Donal uses participatory and co-design principles to develop and deliver our theoretically grounded and evidence informed Recovery Education programme. He views mental health as a human right and is passionate about driving mental health service reform so that service user, family member, carer, and supporter perspectives are prioritised. Donal advocates for a value based mental health system centred on justice, equality, respect, compassion, and empowerment.

Donal received his PhD in Meaning in Life in mental health recovery from Trinity College Dublin and sits on the Editorial Board of the Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine. His research on recovery is widely published in peer reviewed journals. You can read some of it here: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Donal-Okeeffe

Areas of expertise: Psychology, the Recovery Approach, public and patient involvement in research, Meaning in Life, curriculum design.