Short Description:

Iron Mill College is delighted to welcome Margaret O'Connor to provide this fascinating talk as part of our Official Launch event.

This lecture will provide an overview of the choice to be childfree and the discourse around it. This lecture is informed and based on research conducted in Ireland in 2016/2017, as well as an extensive international literature review.

We will also examine the stigma deciding to be childfree can cause, the need for awareness of this in therapists, and the need for more representation of childfree people in society and the media.

Overview:

The key benefit of this lecture is new information, based on research, that can give you a broad overview of the choice to be childfree, and help raise your awareness, both personally and professionally.

• We will examine the terminology used in this area and look at the decision making processes people can go through to reach this decision.
• We will also look at the wide range of factors which can influence the decision and how they can combine in different ways.
• We will examine the stigma and negative reactions this personal decision can evoke in other people and the negative consequences this can have on mental health.
• We will conclude by highlighting the need for increased awareness of the childfree lifestyle as being a choice available to people and the need for more positive representations of this choice in society and the media to reduce feelings of isolation and stigma.

Target Audience:

This course is suitable for therapists, students and the general public who want to raise their awareness around this topic and be more informed for relating to clients, friends and family who may be thinking about, or have made the choice to be childfree.

About the Tutor:

Margaret O'Connor

Margaret is a counsellor and psychotherapist in private practice. She is particularly interested in the area of how people decide if they want to have children or not, and supporting people through this process. This includes forming a vision of what a childfree life can look like. Margaret believes it is important that therapists and the general public are aware that there are choices around this and that families can come in different forms. Margaret also works in community development and is a lecturer at PCI College based in Ireland.

Technical Support:

All of our online 'live-classroom' events are delivered via Zoom. You will be provided with further details after registration and you will be fully supported by a member of the Iron Mill Online Team, if you need any 'tech assistance' during the session. We're always on hand to offer any help you may need!

Zoom Meeting Registration Process:

Please follow these steps to complete the Zoom Meeting Registration for this event:

1. Shortly after purchasing your ticket via Eventbrite, you will receive an email confirmation from Eventbrite containing the link to this event's Online Event Page.
2. From this Online Event Page, simply click on the event's image link as directed.
3. This will take you to the Zoom Meeting Registration page where you will be able to complete your webinar registration.
4. We recommend completing the above steps as soon as possible after purchasing your ticket.

*Please note: Ticket Sales end at least 3-hours before the event starts.