Dr. John Sharry is a social worker, child and family psychotherapist and a leading innovator in solution-focused practice, with almost 30 years experience working with individuals, families and organisations. He is an adjunct professor at the school of psychology in University College Dublin. He is a regular contributor to national media, and is a weekly columnist for The Irish Times newspaper. A renowned teacher, trainer and workshop presenter nationally and internationally, John has trained thousands of professionals in the last decade and delivers hundreds of courses and workshops to parents and families. John is well known for his engaging, inspirational yet informative and practical presentation style.
Best-Selling Author
John is the author of thirteen books in counselling and mental health including three best selling positive psychology books such as Becoming a Solution Detective, Solution-Focused Groupwork, and Counselling Children Adolescents and Families and ten popular self-help books for parents and families, such as Positive Parenting, Parenting Teenagers, Parenting Preschoolers and Young Children, Parenting When Separated, Coping with Depression in Young People and and the newly released Bringing up Happy, Confident Children. His books have been translated into nine languages including Japanese, Chinese and Arabic.
Parents Plus
John is co-founder of the Parents Plus Charity, and co-developer of the Parents Plus programmes which are evidence-based parenting and mental health courses that are used in clinical and community services in Ireland and internationally. There are seven flagship Parents Plus Programmes tackling the specific needs of preschool, primary school and adolescent children along with tailored programmes targeting the needs of families in mental health, disability and community settings.
Mental Health and Technology
John is a leading innovator in enhancing mental health services through the application of online technology. He has co-written several innovative online programmes to tackle major mental health problems such as Mind Balance (an online CBT programme for depression and See My Self (a preventative online programme to promote positive self-esteem and body image). In 2012 he co-founded SilverCloud Health, an international technology company that develops evidence-based online treatment programmes for depression, anxiety and stress which are used extensively within the NHS in the UK as well as health services in the USA.
Researcher
Originally trained as physicist and scientist, John has extensive experience as a researcher and has led many large-scale research projects. He is an adjunct professor at the school of psychology in University College Dublin and he co-leads an inter-agency research group looking at the application of technology to promote mental health. He has worked previously as consultant research scientist with Media Lab Europe, leading the Therapeutic Technology research group and consulting with the MindGames group. He has published extensively in the field of parenting, mental health and technology.