Mary Shiels

Mary Shiels is a counsellor practising in the United Kingdom. She holds a BACP credential and brings three years of experience to her work. Mary focuses on helping people manage stress, anxiety, grief and depression, and she has a particular interest in LGBT issues and trauma and abuse.

Mary uses a blend of practical talking therapy and skills-based approaches. She draws on methods that help people notice patterns, learn new coping skills and rebuild their sense of safety after difficult experiences. Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients.

In practice Mary works with people dealing with attachment concerns, body image, caregiver stress, communication or control issues. She also supports those facing divorce and separation, feelings of guilt and shame, isolation, and challenges around life purpose and self-love.

Her clinical approach includes Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centred Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT). These approaches are applied to help people manage panic attacks, mood disorders, post-traumatic stress and social anxiety.

Mary also draws on experience working with bereavement and complex trauma. She aims to create a space where people can talk through painful events, practise new ways of coping and gradually rebuild a sense of direction. To begin, readers are asked to confirm session options and booking steps before arranging a first appointment.

Therapeutic approaches for online work and change

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them. It focuses on values and small committed actions that move someone toward the life they want. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings and behaviours and teaches practical tools to reduce anxiety and panic. Attachment-Based Therapy explores how early relationships shape current patterns and helps people build more secure ways of relating.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with the person to decide which methods suit their needs, goals and preferences. That decision is reviewed as therapy progresses so techniques can change if something is not helping.

The original biography does not list specific online session formats, so please confirm the available formats before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy day, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins when needed. It also means people can work on skills and emotional regulation from a comfortable setting and bring issues from everyday life into sessions for immediate discussion.