The Art of Psychotherapy with Tom Ahern

Guest: Tom Ahern — Counsellor, Author & Fellow Traveller on the Path

Book: Sitting on the Other Side (2026)

Website: ahern.blog

About the Episode

Ryan from TCFH sits down with Tom Ahern, counsellor and author, to discuss his latest book, Sitting on the Other Side (2026).

A collection of personal reflections written between 2021 and 2024, the book explores psychotherapy, anxiety, grief, love, and what it means to live a meaningful life.

Drawing on his experience of returning to therapy as a client while learning to sit on the other side of the room as a therapist, Tom reflects on the complexities of healing, vulnerability, and the human experience.

What began as a book about overcoming OCD and anxiety gradually evolved into a deeper exploration of anxiety as a defence against the overwhelming realities of existence.

The death of Tom’s beloved dog, Steve, brought these questions into sharp focus, prompting him to confront loss, mortality, ambition, and the desire for external validation.

In this conversation, Ryan and Tom explore what it means to navigate life’s uncertainties, sit with grief, and find meaning in the experiences that shape us.