Mary Shiels, BACP
3 years in practice
Mary Shiels is a counsellor who uses Emotionally-Focused Therapy alongside other approaches to help people who are struggling with stress, anxiety, grief and trauma.
License and registration
- BACP
- 401572 · expires November 2026
- Years in practice
- 3
- Languages
- English
Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check the registration with the body that granted it.
About Mary
Mary Shiels is a counsellor who uses Emotionally-Focused Therapy alongside other approaches to help people who are struggling with stress, anxiety, grief and trauma. She holds BACP accreditation and works from a client-centred stance that aims to make conversations feel straightforward and understandable. She frames sessions around emotions and connections, helping clients notice what they feel and why it matters.
This can be useful for people coping with relationship pain, attachment issues, or the aftermath of abuse.
Background and approach
She also addresses mood difficulties such as depression, panic and post-traumatic stress in practical, step-by-step ways. Mary draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to support moments when thoughts and behaviours get stuck. These methods are used to develop small experiments and clearer habits that reduce anxiety and improve daily functioning.
Client-Centred and attachment-based ideas guide how she listens and responds in sessions. Her work includes supporting people facing identity-related stress and those from LGBT communities, with attention to shame, isolation and body-image concerns. She also helps people managing caregiver stress, communication breakdowns, divorce and loss, and finding renewed purpose after hard events.
Mary has three years of professional experience and holds BACP as her listed credential. Sessions can be arranged online by following the booking steps on the platform, and she works in English with people in the United Kingdom and internationally.
Focus areas and approaches
Everything Mary lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.
- Stress, Anxiety
- LGBT
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Depression
- Attachment issues
- Body image
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Divorce and separation
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Mood disorders
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Post-traumatic stress
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
Approaches Mary names
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Existential Therapy
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.
Online support
How Emotion-Focused and Acceptance-Based Work Online
Emotionally-Focused Therapy helps people recognise and name core feelings and how those feelings affect relationships and behaviour. Online sessions can guide someone to notice emotions in the moment and try different ways of relating to themselves and others. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on noticing thoughts without getting pushed around by them and choosing actions that match personal values. It is often used for anxiety, low mood and struggles with motivation or meaning.Finding the right approach is part of the work. Mary will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit best for their goals and preferences. That may mean using emotion-focused exercises one week and ACT or CBT techniques the next, tailoring the pace to what feels workable for the individual.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text messaging, which make it easier to fit therapy around work, family or travel. Video is useful for deeper conversations and visual cues, phone calls can be shorter check-ins when bandwidth is limited, and chat or text messaging lets people reflect between sessions. These options aim to make therapy more flexible and accessible while still allowing focused therapeutic work.
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Questions people ask
What concerns does Mary commonly help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief and depression, and related issues such as attachment difficulties, body image and panic attacks.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style focuses on emotions and relationships while using practical techniques. She blends Emotionally-Focused Therapy with ACT and CBT to help people notice feelings and try new actions.
What is her professional background?
Mary has three years of experience as a counsellor and trainer and is listed with BACP.
Where is she based and what credential is shown?
She is based in the United Kingdom and lists BACP as her credential.
Can sessions be held in other countries or languages?
Sessions are offered in English and she accepts international clients.
What formats are available for sessions?
Sessions can take place via video calls, phone, live chat or text-based messaging to suit different schedules and preferences.
How does pricing work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.
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