Mary McNeil
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Hi, I’m Mary
I work with people who want to make sense of their past, find their voice, and move forward with greater freedom and self-trust.
Many of the clients I work with come to therapy feeling stuck—held back by self-doubt, anxiety, or a lingering sense that they’re “not enough.” Some have experienced control in their personal lives—through relationships, family dynamics, or religious or cultural systems that have shaped how they see themselves. Others simply feel overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsure of how to move forward
I have a special interest in working with those who’ve been impacted by religious or spiritual wounding, but my work is not limited to that. I also support clients navigating issues like:
People-pleasing and low self-worth
Inner criticism, perfectionism, and procrastination.
Family tension and role expectations
Life transitions and identity shifts
Anxiety, overwhelm, and burnout
The lasting effects of control, shame, or silencing.
My approach is pluralistic and client-led, which means I tailor therapy to suit you. I believe healing happens in relationship—in spaces where you feel safe enough to speak freely, be curious, and explore at your own pace.
You don’t need to have it all figured out before coming to therapy. Whether you’re unravelling the past, trying to understand patterns that keep repeating, or simply longing for a greater sense of peace and self-acceptance, we can navigate these things together.
Training, qualifications & experience
Training and Qualifications
MSc Counselling, Abertay University
BSc Adult Nursing, Queen Margaret University
Dactari Foundation Training in Domestic Abuse Counselling
LivingWorks ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training)
As part of my postgraduate counselling training, I conducted specialist research into trauma and abuse, including exploring these issues within systemic and relational contexts.
Experience
Before training as a counsellor, I worked for 10 years in learning disability services, supporting individuals with complex needs and their families with care, communication, and advocacy.
I volunteered for two years in a city centre counselling service, I worked with a wide range of clients who brought different issues including depression, anxiety, work related stress, difficult family dynamics, boarding school trauma, religious difficulties, academic stress.
I currently work part-time as a counsellor for an organisation supporting women who have experienced sexual violence. I also provide mental health mentoring for students in further and higher education, supporting them with emotional wellbeing, study skills, and managing academic pressures.
In my counselling work, I draw on a range of therapeutic approaches, including person-centred counselling, trauma-informed practice, psychoeducation, and elements of cognitive and compassion-focused therapies. This allows me to tailor sessions to each client’s needs and offer both emotional support and practical strategies to help them move forward. I am committed to ongoing learning and professional development to ensure I offer safe, up-to-date, and effective support.
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.
Accredited register membership
The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Other areas of counselling I deal with
- Difficulties with parenting
Photos & videos
Fees
£60.00 per session
When I work
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I work face to face and online between the times of 9am and 3pm Monday/Tuesday and between 9-12 on Friday mornings. I work online between 5.30-9.30 pm on Mondays.
