Laura Hackett

Laura Hackett (Associate)

Mental Health Occupational Therapist & Perinatal Mental Health Specialist

MSc Occupational Therapy

MA Linguistics

CORU Registered | PMH-C Certified

Laura Hackett is a Senior Occupational Therapist specialised in the area of adult mental health and perinatal mental health. With over eight years of experience in both public and private mental health services, Laura supports individuals in restoring functional independence, emotional wellbeing, and life satisfaction across their valued roles. She is a Certified Perinatal Mental Health Specialist (PMH-C) and CORU-registered Occupational Therapist, integrating a range of evidence-based approaches including Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), Sensory Integration, and Mindfulness-based interventions.

Laura adopts a recovery-oriented, trauma-informed, and client-centred approach, working holistically with clients to address barriers to participation in meaningful daily activities. Her practice focuses on improving emotional regulation, mental wellbeing, and occupational performance through strengths-based, values-driven intervention.

In addition to her professional qualifications, Laura has additional certified trainings in Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), Mindfulness Based Approaches, Workplace Wellbeing and also Life Coaching. She enjoys bringing these approaches into her Occupational Therapy (OT) practice, supporting and empowering her clients to reach their full potential in terms of external occupational functioning.

Therapeutic Focus & Experience

Laura’s therapeutic practice is grounded in the core principles of Occupational Therapy, considering the person, their environment, and the occupations (activities) they need or want to do. She supports individuals to manage mental health challenges that impact their daily functioning, self-care, social participation, and work-life balance.

Her areas of special interest and expertise include:

Perinatal Mental Health: Supporting women through pregnancy and the postnatal period, including challenges such as postnatal depression, anxiety, birth trauma, and identity shifts.
Anxiety and Emotional Regulation: Helping clients develop tools to manage stress, build routines, and improve emotional wellbeing.
Occupational Performance: Addressing barriers to everyday activities such as self-care, sleep, executive functioning, social communication, and routine.
Lifestyle Balance and Identity: Rebuilding connection with meaningful roles and promoting a sense of identity and autonomy during times of transition or psychological distress.

Intervention is collaborative, practical, and goal-oriented—guided by what recovery means to each individual. Laura empowers her clients in setting realistic and achievable goals and developing strategies that align with their values, enhance resilience, and support sustainable wellbeing in everyday life.

Qualifications & Experience

Laura was awarded her Master of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy in 2017. She also holds an MA in Linguistics since 2010 which enriches her work as a mental health Occupational Therapist. Her background in language and communication supports her in helping clients navigate social interaction, develop effective communication strategies, and address language-related barriers to mental wellbeing.

Laura has extensive experience working in in-patient psychiatric settings and community mental health settings supporting individuals with a wide range of diagnoses, to achieve their maximum potential in their roles and areas of their life which are most important to them. Laura has a deep passion for supporting individuals in managing their mental health challenges and achieving their goals.

Laura has a strong background in Practice Education and clinical supervision, having served as a Practice Educator for occupational therapy students and providing professional supervision for other OTs.

Laura has been a registered member of CORU since 2017 and also is a member of the Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland (AOTI).

Specialist Focus: Perinatal Mental Health

Laura is deeply committed to supporting women through the emotional and psychological challenges of pregnancy and the postnatal period. Her role within this specialist area involves working holistically with women experiencing perinatal mental health difficulties—such as postnatal depression, anxiety, birth trauma, or adjustment challenges—to help them regain a sense of identity, reconnect with meaningful roles and activities, and prevent burnout. Laura is passionate about supporting women to reconnect with their sense of self, re-engage in meaningful occupations, and develop supportive, sustainable routines that promote recovery, emotional wellbeing, and resilience in this critical life stage. Laura uses a compassionate, person-centred approach to support recovery and enhance daily functioning during the perinatal period.

Therapeutic Approach

Laura’s approach is grounded in the principles of Occupational Therapy, emphasising the therapeutic relationship, person-centred care, and meaningful engagement. Her work is:

Recovery-Focused: Guided by each individual’s goals, values, and definition of recovery.
Strengths-Based: Building on existing capacities and fostering confidence and autonomy.
Holistic: Addressing emotional, cognitive, social, and environmental factors affecting functioning.
Collaborative and Empowering: Supporting clients to take active roles in their recovery journey.

Laura works from a recovery-focused and holistic framework, with a strong focus on restoring the individual’s sense of identity and lifestyle balance, and enhancing daily functioning in alignment with what matters most to the person. With a compassionate, client-centred approach, her intervention places emphasis on understanding each person’s unique needs and creating tailored interventions that promote wellness, resilience, and everyday functionality.