2026 · 22. January 2026

From a banned “period hut” in Nepal to everyday health anxiety and people-pleasing, my latest article shows how untested beliefs can limit our lives. It then explores how behavioural experiments, a core CBT tool, help us test those beliefs in small, deliberate ways that reduce anxiety and change how we live.

2017 · 21. September 2017

Last week's Southern Star column looked at why we should put our thoughts on trial with behavioural experiments. The column is reproduced below. Imagine the following. You call into your neighbour’s house and are surprised to see her sprinkling salt all over the floor. ‘Why are you doing that?’, you ask. ‘To keep the tigers away’, she responds. Stunned, you point out there are no tigers in Ireland. ‘Exactly’, she responds. Your neighbour’s mistaken belief can be easily disproved...