Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
current studies
Hobbies and interests
Timeline
Generic
Judith Almar

Judith Almar

Dublin

Summary

Psychology graduate with a clinical nursing qualification, a Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and ongoing MA training in Addiction Studies (QQI Level 9). Professional background spanning acute hospital nursing, independent community home-care practice in Dublin, youth disability support, secondary education teaching, and supervised addiction service placement, unified by a consistent focus on behavioural regulation, crisis recognition, and structured responses across healthcare and youth settings. Earlier professional work as a recording artist and stage performer developed controlled presence under pressure, emotional attunement, and real-time modulation of group dynamics. Currently working as a Support Worker in SANAS supporting neurodivergent children and adolescents using low-arousal and proactive regulation strategies. Professional direction: adolescent behavioural health and addiction-informed services, residential addiction services, women in addiction services, trauma informed approach using MI and CBT.

Overview

25
25
years of professional experience

Work History

Support Worker part time

Sanas
Dublin
01.2026 - 04.2026
  • Provide structured, regulation-focused support to neurodivergent children and adolescents within a respite setting.
  • Apply low-arousal and co-regulation strategies to prevent escalation and contain behavioural risk.
  • Manage real-time behavioural escalation, maintaining safety and structure in high-intensity situations.
  • Identify individual regulation profiles, including sensory triggers, environmental stressors, and early dysregulation indicators.
  • Maintain clear professional boundaries under pressure, supporting distressed individuals without loss of structure.
  • Contribute to risk containment and safeguarding processes through structured behavioural documentation and timely escalation, where required.
  • Support predictable routines and transition planning to reduce uncertainty-based distress and behavioural volatility
  • Work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team to maintain emotional safety and consistency of care approaches.

Practice Placement Worker

Soilse addiction centre
Dublin, Ireland
07.2025 - 04.2026
  • Observing structured addiction assessments and keyworker case discussions
  • Gaining exposure to opioid substitution and alcohol treatment pathways
  • Witnessing group-based aftercare and relapse-prevention work
  • Observing recovery storytelling and peer-based reflective processes within aftercare settings
  • Developing applied understanding of harm reduction and recovery-oriented models
  • Engaging in reflective supervision to deepen clinical formulation and addiction literacy

Health Care Assistant

Kiltipper Care Home
11.2025 - 01.2026
  • Provided care to residents with complex needs, ensuring physical safety and emotional well-being in a care home setting.
  • Documented care details in Epic for accurate record-keeping.
  • Supported infection control and hygiene practices in accordance with Irish nursing-home standards, identifying tasks for infection control and therapeutic roles.
  • Collaborated within a multidisciplinary team to communicate care observations to nursing staff, adhering to escalation pathways.
  • Carried out structured cognitive assessment tools under nursing supervision and documented findings appropriately

Part-Time Home Care Assistant

Heritage Home Care- Hibernia Home care
South Dublin
11.2022 - 11.2025
  • Delivered one-to-one care to clients with complex physical, neurocognitive, and mental health needs in home environments, working independently and managing dynamic risk situations.
  • Supported clients with autism and sensory regulation needs using structured routines and low-arousal approaches to reduce distress and behavioural escalation.
  • Provided care to individuals with neurodegenerative conditions and dual diagnoses (addiction and mental health), contributing to behavioural observation and informal care planning discussions.
  • Monitored changes in presentation, mood, and functioning, escalating concerns appropriately in line with safeguarding and risk-management procedures.
  • Supported activities of daily living including medication prompts, mobility assistance, and nutritional support while maintaining dignity, autonomy, and relational stability.

English Teacher

BMSZC
Budapest
01.2021 - 01.2022
  • Planned dynamic lessons to increase student comprehension of books and literary concepts.
  • Prepared and implemented lesson plans covering required course topics.
  • Prepared comprehensive English curriculum for multiple classes.
  • Participated in professional development opportunities to stay up to date on teaching best practices and enhance educator skills.
  • Created and implemented activities to foster critical thinking skills of students.
  • Designed and facilitated group projects to foster teamwork and problem-solving skills.

Private English Teacher

Self-employed
Budapest
01.2010 - 01.2020

Budapest | 2010 – 2020

  • Delivered one-to-one English language tuition to adult professionals in corporate and private settings
  • Designed tailored learning plans aligned with individual career and communication goals
  • Supported executive-level communication, presentation skills, and professional writing
  • Adapted teaching approach to diverse learning styles within confidential and independent working arrangements
  • Managed scheduling, client relationships, and curriculum development autonomously

Professional Singer

SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
01.2001 - 01.2010
  • Organizing concerts, performing to a wide audience.
  • I released three albums by SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT.
  • Writing own lyrics and music mixed with folk elements.

Education

Bachelor of Arts - Psychology

Dublin Business School
Dublin
01-2025

Diploma in Cognitive Behavior Therapy -

City Colleges
Dublin
2025

BA Degree - English- Irish and American Literature and Linguistics/ pedagogy modules included

ELTE
Budapest
2004

High School Diploma -

Health Care / Nurse Degree
Budapest
1991

Skills

Core Skills
  • Behavioural regulation and low-arousal, risk containment
  • Safeguarding awareness and threshold-based escalation
  • Dual diagnosis and addiction literacy (alcohol and opioid exposure)
  • Environmental trigger identification and dysregulation mapping
  • Adolescent behavioural containment and group facilitation
  • Independent, community-based practice and dynamic risk judgement
  • Evidence-informed reasoning and critical research appraisal
  • Strategic thinking and systemic pattern recognition
Specific skills
  • Therapeutic engagement skills, including building rapport, and sustaining involvement with ambivalent or disengaged individuals
  • Ability to work with complex, co-occurring needs, integrating mental health, substance use, and social stressors
  • Non-judgemental, person-centred approach, supporting trust, reducing shame, and facilitating re-engagement
  • Clear professional boundary management, maintaining role clarity in dynamic care environments
  • Consistency and reliability in practice, providing stable, predictable support to enhance engagement, and continuity of care

current studies

Master of Arts in Addiction Studies
Dublin Business School | 2025–2027 (Part-Time)

Postgraduate training providing an interdisciplinary exploration of substance and behavioural addictions across sociological, psychological, cultural, psychoanalytic, and biomedical frameworks. The programme integrates theory, research, and clinical exposure to develop analytical, policy, and practice competence in addiction services.

Core Areas of Study
Advanced study of addiction through dialogical, psychoanalytic, and recovery-oriented frameworks integrating theory, policy, and clinical practice. Specialist training in addiction psychopharmacology and the neurobiological mechanisms of substance use, withdrawal, overdose, and opioid substitution treatment pathways, alongside cultural and gender-informed perspectives (including Women and Addiction). The programme combines academic study with supervised clinical exposure within addiction service settings and includes structured exploration of narrative and storytelling approaches in addiction and recovery work.

Hobbies and interests

• Volunteer contributor at Radio Maria Ireland (Catholic community radio)
• Ongoing personal study of psychology, human behaviour, and compassion-based understanding
• Interest in Motivational Interviewing (MI) and other evidence-based conversational approaches to supporting change
• Irish traditional music (tin whistle and flute)
• Mindfulness, yoga, and mind–body balance practices
• Reading non-fiction on addiction, trauma, and human development (including authors such as Gabor Maté)

Timeline

Support Worker part time

Sanas
01.2026 - 04.2026

Health Care Assistant

Kiltipper Care Home
11.2025 - 01.2026

Practice Placement Worker

Soilse addiction centre
07.2025 - 04.2026

Part-Time Home Care Assistant

Heritage Home Care- Hibernia Home care
11.2022 - 11.2025

English Teacher

BMSZC
01.2021 - 01.2022

Private English Teacher

Self-employed
01.2010 - 01.2020

Professional Singer

SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
01.2001 - 01.2010

Bachelor of Arts - Psychology

Dublin Business School

Diploma in Cognitive Behavior Therapy -

City Colleges

BA Degree - English- Irish and American Literature and Linguistics/ pedagogy modules included

ELTE

High School Diploma -

Health Care / Nurse Degree
Judith Almar