Lydia McCartney


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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I'm Lydia, Somatic Psychotherapist, Trauma Release Breathwork Facilitator and Embodiment Coach. It takes real courage to seek support during times of struggle or uncertainty, allowing yourself the time and space to process and heal is not luxury or self-indulgent, psychotherapy is fundamentally self-care.
Hey, I'm Lydia a trauma-trained, somatic psychotherapist and I help individuals come back home to their bodies so they find safety and connection. I use a range of somatic, cognitive and creative techniques to help strengthen mind and body connection so you can start resourcing and understanding yourself from an internal place over external factors. I specialise in trauma and have gained vast experience working with grief/sexual trauma/relationship issues/female sexuality/ disconnection from the body/ traumatic birth /shame/low self-worth.
As a psychotherapist, I integrate my in-depth understanding of the body and human psychology to facilitate meaningful transformation in service of you finding connection, understanding and awareness.
Using an alchemy of trauma-informed techniques /approaches including creative tools (if you are open to it), and compassion, I combine my academic knowledge with spiritual traditions that integrate various perspectives to facilitate growth. My bespoke approach focuses on finding an outcome that feels good for you, it’s not about forcing anything it’s about meeting you where you are whilst looking at where you desire to be. There are many ways trauma leaves an imprint on one's body, mind, and soul therefor finding a way of working together that helps you is crucial.
Healing trauma or reconnecting back to yourself is a sacred process, not a quick fix. Given this, I tend to work longer term with clients to ensure we facilitate healing in the safest most authentic, nourishing way for you.
I offer Embodied Psychotherapy sessions lasting 60 minutes. These sessions allow you to understand yourself, process and heal through spoken words, strengthening self-connection.
I am based at Planet Yoga in Liverpool for in-person sessions but I also offer online sessions.
Training, qualifications & experience
- Criminology (BA) - Liverpool John Moors
- Creative psychotherapy and Counselling (Msc) - Edge Hill University.
Training
- Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy Certification 60hrs - The Embody Lab (2023)
- Healing Trauma, working with somatic wounds (8hr training) - Dr Peter Levine The Embody Lab (2024)
- Trauma-Informed Practise - Certificate in Trauma Toolbox.
- Dealing with Shock trauma - The Embody Lab.
- Resisting trauma porn - The Embody Lab
- Understanding ADHD - Open University (2024)
- Understanding Autism - Open University (2024)
- Understanding domestic abuse - Warrington Council (2024)
- Trauma release breathwork, BBTRS: Ongoing training - Poland (2024)
- Nervous system Healing - James Dowler (2024)
Experience
- Currently employed part-time as a child and young person trauma therapist, giving me knowledge and experince on the impact of childhood trauma
- I specialise in trauma and have gained vast experience working with grief/sexual trauma/ abusive relationship recovery /female sexuality/ disconnection from the body/ traumatic birth /shame/low self-worth/ body image issues.
- Experience working with over 100 women in a coaching capacity before I became qualified, since then I have continued to gain experience working in a therapeutic setting with clients in my private practice.
- Held somatic retreats and ran body image/self-love programmes which gave me a lot of experience holding space for women at a depth that promoted safe, transformative healing.
- Experience working with men and women in the criminal justice system giving me a lot of experience with trauma and complex issues regarding identity.
- Offered workshops in high schools and youth centres around the northwest about self-worth.
Member organisations

BACP is one of the UK’s leading professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy with around 60,000 members. The Association has several different categories of membership, including Student Member, Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP, Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Accred) and Senior Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Snr Acccred). Registered and accredited members are listed on the BACP Register, which shows that they have demonstrated BACP’s recommended standards for training, proficiency and ethical practice. The BACP Register was the first register of psychological therapists to be accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA). Accredited and senior accredited membership are voluntary categories for members who choose to undertake a rigorous application and assessment process to demonstrate additional standards around practice, training and supervision. Individual members will have completed an appropriate counselling or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but they won’t appear on the BACP Register until they've demonstrated that they meet the standards for registration. Student members are still in the process of completing their training. All members are bound by the BACP Ethical Framework and a Professional Conduct Procedure.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Other areas of counselling I deal with
I can offer specific work on nervous system healing if you want to learn to regulate and heal your NS but may not want deep processing. I also offer trauma release breathwork sessions
Therapies offered
Fees
£80.00 per session
Free initial telephone or online session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
I offer a free 20-minute call to chat a little further about your needs and to see if working together feels like a good fit. If you're interested in trauma release breathwork we can discuss this on the call.
Send me an email with any questions or to arrange a free call.
Next Steps:
Please send me an email and I'll be in touch within 24 / 48hrs to chat about the next steps.
When I work
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