Marie Vaile

Hi, I'm Marie. Thanks for stopping by. 

Is life feeling a little overwhelming right now? I get that. There's wars, a cost of living crisis and political confusion everywhere. Are you worried about the impact this is all having on your wellbeing, is it making you feel anxious about the future on the wellbeing of your kids and what the future looks like for them? That's fair, who isn't right now! How is the school drop off, or going into work or just trying to get the basics done like the cleaning and shopping? 

Would you believe me if I said you're not alone with your thoughts right now? Because you're really not. So many people are feeling exactly like YOU are right now. And what you are feeling is valid in a world full of uncertainty. There are many things that you are not in control of, but there is equally lots that you can take control of right now. With the right support, you can work to change your thought processes, you can learn to accept what cannot be changed and learn to give yourself the power to control what you can be in charge of. We've learnt so many unhealthy habits and you may be thinking they can't be broken, but with the right tools and guidance to explore them, YOU can change them. You can do the school drop off, do work, do the shopping and the cleaning etc and all with a healthier mindset if you allow yourself to adopt a growth mindset and make the changes you want to change. I once too felt the way you do right now, I've been on my own journey of self-discovery and acceptance and of course I still have those days, because I'm human but overall, therapy is a key to unlocking so much you didn't know possible. 

A little about me:

My name is Marie and I'm a qualified integrative counsellor practising in Penarth, the Vale of Glamorgan, and ideally located close to Cardiff and Cardiff Bay. Having had counselling in the past myself, I understand that the task of finding someone to share your most intimate parts of your life with is a daunting task, so I want to share a little bit about me to make you a little more comfortable in reaching out.

One of the main reasons for training to become a counsellor was to provide a specialist support in maternal mental health where women suffer crippling anxiety and depression, an area grossly misunderstood and unfortunately overlooked in the mental health sector. As someone who suffered with my own mental health with depression and crippling anxiety after the birth of my son, I understand well the difficulties new parents can face with this huge life changing transition. I aim to provide a space that is non-judgemental, that is free to explore those feelings of shame. guilt and embarrassment you may feel and together, to explore ways in which you can be at peace. 

When not counselling, I enjoy walking on the beach with an ice cream or a coffee on one of the many lovely beaches we have across the Vale of Glamorgan. 

My experience:

I've worked in the social care sector with mental health charities for many years across Cardiff and the Vale, so have a good understanding of all mental health issues. I've got experience of counselling children of secondary school age, to adults of all ages with varying reasons for entering into therapy from stress and anxiety, to needing to process and understand deep rooted trauma or abuse. 

I spend a few days of my week working for a charity in Cardiff, counselling individuals living in homeless hostels who have experienced vast amounts of trauma and abuse over their lives. One of the coping mechanisms is often the use of substances, so as well as working to address and process events past and present, harm reduction work is essential to ensure the individual is safe whilst using their substance of choice.  I feel really passionate about breaking the stigma around substance use as this causes further feelings of shame and guilt for the individuals seeking support. The other days are dedicated to my private work, which as mentioned above is centred primarily at people experiencing anxiety, depression any other mental health issues following the birth of a child. 

How I work:

I aim to provide a space that is non-judgemental, that is free to explore those feelings of shame. guilt and embarrassment you may feel and together, to explore ways in which you can be at peace. I'm a person centred counsellor at my core, meaning I give you the space to explore your thoughts and emotions at your pace. 

I'm training to use other techniques such as CBT, ACT and psychodynamic also. The way in which we work will be discussed at agreed with you in advance, ensuring you remain in control of your sessions. 

There is no set number of sessions required. You may find you only need a few or you may feel you need counselling long term, again, you're in control of this. 

So that's a little about me. I hope this helps to make you feel a little more comfortable in reaching out to see how I might be able to help you with whatever it is you need to work through in counselling. I will look forward to hearing from you. 

I have a particular interest in maternal mental health and after having the debilitating condition, Hyperemesis Gravidarum myself during my pregnancy with my son, this is an area I specialise in. Having poor mental health during and post pregnancy can evoke many different emotions, such as guilt and shame to name a few. I work with people to explore these emotions and to break the stigma often attached to women's mental health around motherhood. 

I am able to offer a reduced fee of £35 for student counsellors. 

I'm an experienced substance use and addictions therapist, working with people who are either presently using substances and historic use as a way of coping with trauma and painful events. Clients in this work often experience deep feelings of guilt and shame which we look to explore and process during our time together.