Catherine Mahon

Growing up in families where we were frequently ridiculed, criticised, ignored, or invalidated can have a profound and lasting impact on how we feel about ourselves, insidiously chipping away at our sense of self and self-worth.

In adulthood, it may be difficult to pinpoint exactly what feels “off”,  but many people whose emotional needs were neglected during childhood experience a sense of being fundamentally flawed, often feel out of place, struggle with feeling not good enough, or sense that something is missing or broken. 

Over time, deep-rooted feelings of defectiveness can impact all aspects of our lives, including our emotional and psychological wellbeing, and often, we unconsciously develop ways of protecting ourselves which may actually limit our quality of life, our relationships, and our potential. Whilst many of these actions create a sense of emotional safety, they can also leave us feeling stuck, anxious, depressed, disconnected, and resentful long-term.  

This may look like: 

·         Self-abandoning - suppressing our needs in order to please others, avoid conflict, “fit in”, or maintain connection in relationships.

·         Constantly trying to prove our worth – seeking validation through our achievements, productivity, or by being perfect, in an attempt to feel 'enough'.   

·         Lack of self-trust – persistently second-guessing ourselves, frequently seeking others’ approval or permission before making decisions or taking action.

·         Keeping ourselves small - avoiding doing things that may bring joy, success, or a sense of fulfilment for fear of embarrassment, failure, or feelings of unworthiness. 

As a psychotherapeutic counsellor, I can support you to process how your upbringing has impacted you, shaped your perception of self, and make sense of how this has influenced other aspects of your life and relationships. I can give you the space to work through your feelings, to grieve, and to truly express your authentic self, empowering you to connect to your inner wisdom, develop self-trust, and reduce toxic shame by cultivating a more self-compassionate and self-accepting mindset. Together, we can work to identify self-protective patterns that are getting in your way, diminishing your self-worth, and keeping you stuck, and find ways to move forward by increasing insight, confronting unhelpful beliefs, developing your ability to identify and communicate your needs, and gently challenging yourself to move outside of your comfort zone. 

My Approach

My approach to therapy centres on the belief that our lives, experiences, and ways of being in the world are complex, multifaceted, and unique to us all; therefore, the therapeutic approach should reflect and adapt to our individuality, rather than taking a one-size fits all approach. I work integratively, meaning that my work is informed by a number of psychotherapeutic approaches, including psychodynamic, systemic, person-centred, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and attachment theory. This allows me to think about clients and the issues they face from multiple angles and tailor the way that I work to each individual’s specific needs – not only at the start of therapy, but as needs grow and change throughout the therapeutic process.

I consider myself to be down-to-earth, open-minded, and empathic, and I endeavour to work in a way that feels encouraging, empowering, and collaborative. As such, my role is to travel alongside you, supporting you to lean into your intuition, develop your sense of agency, and map out your own journey, whilst you pick the destination and take the reins. Together, we will travel at your pace and figure out any detours or bumps in the road.

How I work

I’m based in Leicestershire but work exclusively online via Zoom, so you can access therapy from wherever you are in the UK in a space of your choosing. 

The next step

If you are interested in working with me and would like to find out more, please get in touch. I offer a 20-minute Zoom call for all initial enquiries where we can discuss what is bringing you to therapy and get a sense of how we might work together. Here, I can talk you through my approach in greater depth, provide practical details and address any questions or concerns you may have. I look forward to hearing from you.