About Stella..

Stella O’Malley is a psychotherapist, bestselling author, public speaker, and parent with extensive experience in counselling and psychotherapy. Originally from Dublin, she now lives in rural Ireland, with her husband, her two children, her dog and her cat.

Stella works in private practice, focusing her work mostly upon adolescents, young adults and parents.  Her qualifications include a B.A. in Counselling and Psychotherapy, an M.A. in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, diplomas in Youth Studies, Psychometric Testing, and Gender Identity Counselling and she is currently studying for a PhD in gender dysphoria among children and adolescents.

Stella centres her therapeutic approach primarily around a psychodynamic perspective within a depth modality. Specialising in working with parents and young people, her expertise has culminated in the publication of bestselling books such as, Cotton Wool Kids (2015), Bully-Proof Kids (2017), and Fragile (2019), which focus on overcoming anxiety and stress. In 2023, Stella released What Your Teen Is Trying To Tell You, a comprehensive guide that helps parents support their teenagers through the storms and stresses of adolescence.

Stella’s latest book When Kids Say They're Trans, co-authored with fellow therapists, Sasha Ayad and Lisa Marchiano, offers a resource for parents who want their children to flourish, but do not believe that hasty medicalisation is the best way to ensure long-term health and well-being.

Stella is the founder and Executive Director of Genspect, an international organisation that advocates for a healthy approach to sex and gender. She is also the Founder-Director of the Gender Dysphoria Support Network, a clinical advisor of the Clinical Advisory Network on Sex and Gender, and a founding member of Thoughtful Therapists.

As a prominent figure in the mental health landscape, Stella delivers public talks and lectures at venues and events across the world.