About Kathleen O’Connor
Hi, I’m Kathleen — a BACP-registered psychotherapist, founder of Kota Therapy, and someone deeply curious about what it means to be human.
My path to psychotherapy began more than 25 years ago with a degree in Psychology, although life initially took me in a different direction. I spent more than a decade working in marketing and business, eventually becoming Commercial Director of a growing tech company I helped build from zero revenue to a £2m turnover.
That experience means I understand something of the pressure that can come with ambition, responsibility and change. I’ve worked closely with founders, creatives and professionals across many industries, often seeing how much people can hold together on the outside while struggling underneath.
Over time, I realised the part of my work I cared most about wasn’t strategy. It was people: how we make sense of our experiences, the patterns we fall into and what helps us change.
A personal turning point
After a series of major life changes, I began to think more deeply about how I wanted to live and work. That brought me back to my early interest in psychology and eventually into formal training in Transactional Analysis psychotherapy.
I’m now a BACP-registered psychotherapist working with adults and couples in Manchester and online across the UK.
My approach is relational and trauma-informed, with curiosity, trust and emotional safety at its centre.
I also bring lived experience of illness, relationship breakdown and difficult early experiences. I know something of what it means to adapt, keep going and carry more than other people may see. That informs how I work: grounded, non-judgemental and interested in understanding the ways we learn to cope.
Therapy with me
In the therapy room, I bring warmth, curiosity and professionalism.
I work collaboratively rather than positioning myself as the person with all the answers. Together, we can look at what is happening now, where certain patterns may have come from and what you might want to do differently.
You don’t need to arrive with the right words or a perfectly formed reason for coming to therapy. Sometimes the starting point is simply knowing that something doesn’t feel right, or that you don’t want things to continue as they are.
I offer a free 15-minute consultation if you’d like to have a brief conversation before deciding whether to begin.
Creating Kota Therapy
Kota began because I struggled to find a therapy room that felt both calm and affordable while I was training.
I wanted to create a space that felt considered and comfortable for both therapist and client — somewhere that supported the work taking place rather than simply providing a room.
Kota Therapy became the home of my own practice and is now also used by other therapists looking for a flexible, welcoming place to work.
Based at Pollard Yard, close to Ancoats and Manchester city centre, the rooms are designed around privacy, comfort and ease.
Beyond Therapy
Alongside my psychotherapy practice, I’m a co-founder of Eat Well MCR, a Manchester charity that provides chef-made meals and food-led support to people experiencing difficult circumstances across Greater Manchester.
That work keeps me connected to the importance of community, dignity and care — values that also shape the way I work as a therapist.
Get in touch
To arrange a free consultation please email kathleen@kotatherapy.co
Kota tries to respond to all enquiries within 48 hours.