Mary Shiels
Compassionate, practical therapy for anxiety and trauma
About Mary
Mary Shiels is a counsellor who uses evidence-based approaches to help people manage stress, anxiety, grief and trauma. She works with clients who identify as LGBT and with people facing depression or panic. Mary is registered with the BACP, which is listed as her credential.
Her practice blends practical therapies like cognitive behavioural therapy with acceptance and commitment therapy. Sessions focus on small, manageable steps and on building skills to cope with overwhelming feelings.
Background and approach
She also draws on attachment-based ideas to help people understand relational patterns that affect mood and self-worth. Mary has three years of professional experience and has delivered training and public talks. Her background includes working with people affected by abuse, bereavement, and long-standing anxiety.
She offers therapy informed by approaches such as dialectical behaviour therapy when emotional regulation and distress tolerance are needed. In sessions she aims to create a respectful, non-judgemental space where clients can talk about identity, shame, control issues and body image. Practical tools, reflective conversations and emotion regulation skills are used together to help people move forward.
Therapy is collaborative and geared towards each person’s goals. People can expect clear explanations, homework when appropriate, and an emphasis on building skills they can use outside of sessions.
What Mary works with
How Mary works
Listed by Mary among the ways they work.
Listed by Mary among the ways they work.
Listed by Mary among the ways they work.
Listed by Mary among the ways they work.
Listed by Mary among the ways they work.
Listed by Mary among the ways they work.
Sessions & fees
Therapeutic approaches for online support
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps people notice unhelpful thoughts and commit to actions that match their values. It can be useful for anxiety, depression and when life feels stuck. Cognitive behavioural therapy focuses on identifying thought and behaviour patterns that maintain distress and teaching practical skills to change them. It is often used for panic, mood problems and social anxiety. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationships shape current ways of relating and can help with issues like trust, shame and connection. Finding the right approach is part of the work. Mary collaborates with each person to decide which method or mix of methods fits their needs, goals and preferences. That joint decision means therapy can shift if something isn’t helpful. Online formats offer flexibility and practical benefits. Video calls allow for in-depth sessions similar to face-to-face work. Phone sessions can suit someone who prefers not to be on camera or needs to fit therapy into a break. Live chat and text messaging are useful for shorter check-ins, emotional support between sessions or for people who express themselves better in writing. Registered or accredited professionals can use these options to make therapy more accessible and easier to fit into everyday life.| Session length | Typically 50 minutes |
|---|---|
| Client ages | Adults, 18 and over |
| Fees | Subscription via BetterHelp, cancel anytime |
| Insurance | Not billed directly |
Questions people ask
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Areas of focus
What this therapist works with
Most often
Also listed
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 3 years
- Registered with
- BACP
- Languages
- English
