- Anxiety and panic support
- LGBTQIA+ aware care
- Practical skills and reflection
About Mary
Mary Shiels is a counsellor who focuses on anxiety and emotional wellbeing. She holds BACP and brings three years of practice to her work. Mary aims to create a calm, non-judgemental space for people who are anxious or feeling overwhelmed.
Her approach blends practical skills and emotional awareness. She uses methods from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and make small changes. She also draws on Attachment-Based ideas to look at how early relationships shape current patterns.
Mary has experience supporting people through grief, trauma, and relationship‑related stresses. She also works with concerns such as body image, guilt and shame, isolation, and mood difficulties. Panic disorder and panic attacks are listed among her focus areas and she offers targeted support for anxiety symptoms.
Sessions aim to be collaborative and paced to each person. Mary listens first, then introduces techniques that suit everyday life. Practical steps might include grounding, breathing work, thought‑checking, and values-based actions.
She welcomes people from diverse gender and sexual identities and notes specific experience with LGBTQIA+ concerns, sex work support, and trauma linked to sexual violence. Mary also offers guidance around caregiver stress, communication problems, and life transitions such as divorce and separation.
How these approaches guide online work
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice thoughts without getting pulled into them and choose actions that match their values. It can be useful for anxiety, panic and low mood by refocusing on meaningful steps. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings and behaviours and teaches practical strategies to reduce symptoms like panic attacks and worry. Attachment-Based Therapy explores how early relationship patterns affect current reactions and can help with trust, closeness and emotional regulation.Finding the right approach is part of the process. Mary works collaboratively to see which methods fit a person's goals and preferences. She will listen to what feels most relevant and try techniques together, adjusting the work as needs change.
The biography does not list specific online session formats, so please confirm available options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life, for example by reducing travel time or allowing shorter check-ins during a break. It can also allow sessions when someone prefers not to be on camera or needs a quieter setting. Registered or accredited professionals use a range of approaches and will help tailor online sessions to practical needs and therapeutic aims.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
3+ years
Listed in
United Kingdom
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Mary commonly help with?
She works with a range of issues including anxiety, stress, trauma and abuse, grief, depression, panic disorder and panic attacks, and related difficulties such as body image and isolation.
What is her therapeutic style like?
Her style is practical and collaborative. She listens, then offers tools from approaches like CBT and ACT alongside emotionally focused work.
How much experience does she have?
Mary has three years of clinical experience described in her profile and applies that alongside her special interest areas.
What credentials and region are listed?
She is listed with BACP and practices in the United Kingdom.
Which languages and international options are supported?
Sessions are offered in English and she is available to work with international clients.
What session formats are provided?
The original biography does not specify session formats; please confirm current session options with the service before booking.
How does cost work for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.