Zara O'Brien
IT TAKES A VILLAGE
Psychology for
everyone in
a child's world.
A space for children and families who need support. And psychological knowledge for every professional in their world — because the village is bigger than most people think.
WHAT I OFFER
At every level of the village.
Three distinct strands. One framework. All of it grounded in the belief that psychological knowledge should be accessible to everyone in a child's world.
FOR FAMILIES
The Clinic for Children & Parents
A space for any child or family that needs a hand, a moment to breathe, or some tools to move forward. Focused work with equipping at its heart. Parent consultation for those navigating diagnosis, SEND, and the weight of family life.
FOR PROFESSIONALS & ORGANISATIONS
Training, Reflective Practice & Consultancy
For the whole village — from schools and social workers to funeral directors, leisure centres, and HR teams. CPD, reflective practice, strategic consultancy, and speaking for organisations that want to think differently about the village around a child.
THE CHILDREN'S PSYCHOLOGY HUB
Low-Cost Resources for Home, School & Clinic
Clinician-designed worksheets co-created with real children, for real feelings. Whether you're a parent, a teacher, or a therapist — there's something here you can use today. From £1.50, because good tools shouldn't cost the earth.
ABOUT ZARA
Practitioner, researcher — and a villager too.
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I'm Zara — a BACP registered counsellor completing a Doctorate in Counselling Psychology at City St George's, University of London. I've spent over a decade supporting children, families, and the professionals who work alongside them — from hospice bereavement support to NHS Talking Therapies.
I believe psychology shouldn't live behind clinic doors. It belongs in homes, schools, and communities — accessible to every adult in a child's life, not just those who can afford a referral. That belief is the root of everything I do.
My doctoral research explores how Ukrainian mothers navigate motherhood during displacement to the UK — work at the intersection of migration, identity, and belonging that directly informs my clinical and organisational practice.
The Children's Psychology Hub
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Trusted by Parents, Counsellors, Psychologists, SENCOs, Activity Providers, Play and Educational Settings
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Psychology in the hands
of the whole village.
A community psychology project founded by Zara. Clinician-designed, co-created with children. The principle is simple: good psychological tools shouldn't sit behind clinic walls.
For parents, teachers, coaches, counsellors — anyone in a child's life who wants tools that actually work. From £1.50.
TCPH AMBASSADORS
The children behind
everything.
Every resource, every training session, every consultancy conversation is shaped by real children's real experiences. Our Ambassadors don't just inspire worksheets — their lived experience informs how Zara trains coaches, advises schools, and helps organisations understand what children are actually carrying.
“The clinical knowledge tells me what’s happening. The children tell me what it’s like. Both matter.”
- Zara O'Brien
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Ava (and Dexter)
Age 10 · First Ambassador
22q DiGeorge Syndrome
Autistic
“When I worked on the Circus of Courage, I thought about the times I’ve needed courage — like being brave in the hospital, joining in at school even when I feel shy, or trying something new when it feels scary.”
- Ava, age 10
WHAT AVA TEACHES US:
Courage & growth mindset
Living with difference takes extraordinary courage. Ava shows us what that looks like every day.
WHAT AVA TEACHES US:
Are we ready for them?
If children are showing up with this much courage, our training asks: are the adults in their world prepared to meet it?
Walk on a Rainbow
Growth Mindset & Resilence
Circus of Courage
Growth Mindset & Resilence
PROFESSIONAL TOOLKIT · AGES 4–12 YEARS
The Greenhouse Toolkit.
Understand
Support
Flourish
Seeds & Soil — children map their strengths and what their environment needs to be healthy
Weather & Tools — children name how they feel and choose strategies that work for them
Goals & Support Network — children envision feeling better, in their own words
Child-led mental wellbeing support planning
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Low-Cost Worksheets
For home, school, and clinic.
Evidence-based articles on children's psychology
QUICK READS
Short, accessible, written by a practitioner — not an algorithm.
FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
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Free resources you can use straight away
Thought leadership that challenges how you think
Reflective questions for parents and professionals alike
Guest articles from across the children’s world
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