Anna Tierney nee Keyter
Author
Anna Tierney’s career as a counsellor began in 2004 when she volunteered to support children living with HIV. She then continued her work as a research psychologist and maintained a private counselling practice in South Africa until moving to New Zealand in 2017. In New Zealand, she launched Online Therapy to meet the growing need for accessible mental health support for adults. With experience in various therapeutic approaches, Anna focuses on building effective therapeutic relationships and creating safe spaces for individuals to address their challenges.
In 2024, Anna relocated to the UK, bringing valuable insights and experiences from her work in New Zealand and South Africa. Her practical knowledge informs her exploration of research methodologies in this book, as she encourages readers to consider how research can drive change in the field of therapy and beyond.
This volume addresses a significant gap in social science research by emphasising the role of philosophical foundations. Anna argues that the choice between positivist and post-positivist perspectives goes beyond technical details; it influences research questions, methodologies, and interpretations. Drawing from her own experiences, where she initially found research challenging due to complex terminology, Anna wrote this book to make research methods and terminology more accessible and easier to understand for readers.
Through her work, Anna Keyter aims to enhance awareness of the importance of research in mental health and therapeutic practices.