James Byrne

James Byrne: Founder of Rainbow Minds

James Byrne – Founder of Rainbow Minds

I’m James Byrne, founder of Rainbow Minds. I’ve dedicated my career to creating a safe and compassionate space for LGBTQ+ and neurodiverse communities. Both personally and professionally, I’ve come to understand how essential it is to be truly seen and supported. This is not just my passion. It is my own story too. At Rainbow Minds, you won’t be reduced to a label or diagnosis. Instead, we’ll co-create a respectful and collaborative space where your full and complex self is welcomed.

A Holistic and Person Centred Approach

My approach to therapy is grounded in respect, care, and real connection. I don’t just focus on problems. I see the whole of who you are. You know yourself best, and my role is to walk alongside you as we explore challenges, build resilience, and find ways forward that feel right for you. I’ll offer guidance, tools, and a grounded presence, but the process is always led by you.

Supporting LGBTQ+ and Neurodiverse Communities

As a queer person, working with LGBTQ+ mental health is not only something I care deeply about. It is also lived experience. I have extensive experience supporting neurodivergent individuals, including those with ADHD and autism, and I understand how gender, sexuality, and neurodivergence can intersect in complex and nuanced ways.

I work with adolescents, adults, couples, and families, including those in non-traditional relationships such as polyamory. I am kink affirming, sex work positive, and committed to offering a space that is open, grounded, and free of judgment, where we build trust and direction together.

A Global Perspective with a Personal Touch

Alongside my work at Rainbow Minds, I have supported gender services across Europe and South America and speak regularly at international conferences on LGBTQ+ youth mental health and neurodivergence. But my heart remains in working with the people sitting in front of me, offering grounded and compassionate care that responds to the real and lived experiences of each person.

Advocacy and Community Education

In 2025, I founded the Association for Adolescent Psychotherapists and Counsellors of Ireland (AAPCI) to raise awareness around the urgent need for better adolescent mental health support in this country. My hope is to build a network of skilled professionals who are equipped to meet young people where they are, with knowledge, integrity, and care.

I also run LGBTQ Wellness Ireland, a support and social group that promotes emotional well-being within the LGBTQ+ community. Through workshops, retreats, personal development groups, and public talks, I aim to make mental health more accessible and less clinical. Something real. Something useful. Something we do together.

Experience and Qualifications

Before founding Rainbow Minds, I worked for many years in homelessness and addiction services, where I learned the value of truly seeing the person in front of me. I hold a Diploma and Honours Degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy, a Graduate Diploma and a Master’s in Adolescent Psychotherapy, and I am a qualified clinical supervisor. I am also trained in ACT, DBT, Coaching, NLP, Nutrition, and other integrative approaches.

On paper, it’s a long list, but what matters most is what it means in practice. I am always learning, always expanding, and always curious. My continued studies reflect a deep commitment to finding the right lens, the right language, and the right support for the person I am with.

I am a member of the Irish Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (IACP), the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH and EPATH).

Let’s Work Together

I offer in-person therapy at 42 Mount Street Upper, Dublin, as well as online sessions across Ireland, the UK, and Europe. Whether you are navigating questions of identity, neurodivergence, or life’s many complexities, I am here to offer practical and affirming support.

Therapy with me is a space where you can feel supported, heard, and respected, and where you are empowered to grow in ways that are real and lasting.

Individuals: €80
Relationship Therapy: €100

• I offer a limited number of sessions on a sliding scale for those who need it.
  
  You can book with me using the contact button.