Siobhán O'Connor
Senior Life Coach & Midlife Transition Specialist
Diploma in Life Coaching
Institute of Professional Coaching, Dublin
Master's in Adult Education
University College Dublin
14 Years Experience
Life coaching and transition support
Senior Coach
Valtiva Limited
Specialising in Life Transitions for Over 45s
Evidence-based coaching and educational resources for adults navigating midlife reinvention across Ireland
Midlife Transition Support
Helping professionals over 45 navigate career changes, identity reconstruction, and major life shifts with clarity and confidence. We've supported over 800 clients through Dublin and Cork.
Pre-Retirement Purpose Coaching
Strategic coaching for professionals approaching retirement. We work with you to define what meaningful work, contribution, and fulfillment looks like in your next chapter.
Resilience Building
Practical, evidence-based techniques for developing emotional resilience and adaptive capacity during uncertain periods. Drawn from psychology research and real client outcomes.
Second Chapter Programs
Group coaching and community programs in Dublin and Cork. Our second chapter initiatives bring together adults at similar life stages to learn, support each other, and plan intentional futures.
Career Reinvention Strategy
Coaching for professionals considering career changes or second careers. We help you identify transferable skills, explore new directions, and build confidence in your next move.
Educational Resources
Accessible, research-backed guides and frameworks for understanding adult development, identity transitions, and the psychological side of major life changes.
From Corporate HR to Life Coaching
Siobhán's path to life coaching wasn't planned—it was lived. After 20 years in corporate HR, she made a major career transition at 48. That personal reinvention sparked a professional passion that's now shaped the work of over a decade. She didn't just read about midlife transitions. She went through one.
That experience became the foundation for her coaching practice. Following her career shift, Siobhán pursued formal certification in life coaching at the Institute of Professional Coaching in Dublin. But credentials alone weren't enough. She went further, completing a Master's degree in Adult Education at University College Dublin. Her thesis focused on identity reconstruction during major life transitions—the psychological and practical dimensions of becoming who you're meant to be in your second act.
Today, she's worked with over 800 clients navigating similar transitions across Ireland. She's delivered workshops to more than 3,000 professionals through corporate programs in Dublin and community initiatives in Cork. Her consistent message: midlife isn't a crisis. It's an opportunity.
What sets her apart is the combination of lived experience, formal education, and years of working with real people facing real transitions. She doesn't offer generic advice. She brings research on adult development, practical Irish-focused strategies for resilience, and the honest perspective of someone who's been exactly where her clients are.
Career transition from 20-year corporate HR role
Completed Diploma in Life Coaching, Institute of Professional Coaching, Dublin
Completed Master's in Adult Education, University College Dublin. Thesis: Identity Reconstruction in Major Life Transitions
Senior Life Coach at Valtiva Limited. Developed comprehensive second chapter programs and pre-retirement purpose coaching frameworks
Clients coached through midlife transitions, career changes, and retirement planning in Dublin and Cork
Professionals reached through corporate workshops and community initiatives
Published Work and Educational Content
Research-backed articles, guides, and frameworks for adults navigating life transitions
Understanding Midlife Transitions: What's Actually Happening
A comprehensive breakdown of the psychological and practical dimensions of midlife transition. We explore what research tells us about identity reconstruction, the role of reflection in navigating change, and why this period can become transformative rather than crisis.
Read the GuidePurpose Coaching: Finding Direction Before Retirement
A practical framework for pre-retirement purpose discovery. This guide walks you through identifying what meaningful work, contribution, and fulfillment look like in your next chapter—and how to build confidence in that direction.
Read the FrameworkBuilding Resilience: Practical Skills for Life's Changes
Evidence-based techniques for developing emotional resilience and adaptive capacity during uncertain periods. Drawn from psychology research and refined through 14 years of coaching real people through real transitions.
Discover the SkillsSecond Chapter Programs: What to Expect from Group Coaching
An inside look at our group coaching programs in Dublin and Cork. We explain how group programs work, what participants can expect, and why peer support during midlife transition makes a real difference.
Explore the ProgramsHow I Work
Evidence-Based, Personally Informed
My approach blends research on adult development with lived experience. You'll get frameworks grounded in psychology and education research, not generic advice. And you'll work with someone who's actually been through what you're facing.
Practical, Not Abstract
Midlife transition work isn't about vague goals or wishful thinking. We focus on concrete steps, realistic timelines, and practical strategies you can implement immediately. Whether it's clarifying purpose before retirement or managing a career shift, we work with specifics.
Irish-Focused, Locally Rooted
I understand the Irish context—our economy, culture, and how life unfolds differently in Dublin versus Cork. Our programs are designed for people navigating transitions within Ireland's specific landscape.
Accessible and Transparent
Coaching shouldn't feel mysterious or exclusive. I create educational resources freely available online so you can understand midlife transitions whether or not you work with me directly.
"Midlife isn't a crisis. It's an opportunity—but only if you approach it intentionally. My job is to help you see what's possible and give you the tools to build it."
Explore Educational Resources
Free guides, frameworks, and insights on midlife transition, purpose coaching, and building resilience. Written for adults over 45 navigating change in Ireland.