Mary Shiels, BACP

Mary Shiels is a counsellor, trainer, and TEDx speaker who brings an affirming, trauma-informed approach to therapy. She works with people across the LGBTQIA+ spectrum and with anyone experiencing gender, sexual, or relationship diversity, offering non-judgemental support for those seeking understanding and healing. Mary welcomes clients engaged in consensual and less typical sexual expressions and provides specialist support for sex workers and people affected by sexual violence.

She is recognised as one of Ireland’s Ambassadors for Training in Consensual against Sexual Violence, working with both teenagers and adults. Mary specialises in the Clearing Method to help uncover and address deep emotional wounds, and she trains in Emotional Mastery to support a fuller body-mind connection. As an anxiety specialist she offers techniques to reduce panic and build resilience.

Her practice also addresses trauma-led concerns, solution-focused brief therapy, bereavement, grief and loss, anxiety and depression, post-traumatic stress, and childhood and adult sexual abuse. Mary works with neurodiverse presentations including ADHD, ADD, and ASD, and supports people affected by domestic abuse, coercive control, caregiver stress, relationship and communication difficulties, body image struggles, and life transitions such as divorce or menopause. She holds BACP, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, reflecting her professional standing as a trained therapist based in the United Kingdom.

Therapeutic approaches and online care with Mary Shiels

Mary Shiels integrates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Attachment-Based work to support clients in building meaningful change and deeper relational understanding. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without being controlled by them, and supports living in line with personal values - it is often used for anxiety, stress, and mood concerns. Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how early relational patterns shape current relationships and emotion regulation, and it can be helpful for attachment difficulties, relationship struggles, and issues with trust.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic journey. Mary works collaboratively with each person to explore which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences, adapting techniques over time so the therapy remains focused and personally relevant.

Online therapy with Mary is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to increase accessibility and flexibility. These options make it easier to fit sessions around work, caregiving, or living far from registered professionals, while allowing therapists to tailor communication style and pacing to each client. The format supports ongoing work on stress, trauma, grief, identity, and relationship concerns in a way that suits each person’s life.