About me
Michael McCartney - Integrative Counsellor & Walk and Talk Therapist | Mind and Motion Therapy | In Person: Derry, Northern Ireland , Online: Nationwide
About me
All life on earth experiences the freedom to move.
That belief sits at the centre of how I practice. I'm Michael McCartney, an integrative counsellor with over 30 years' experience, working with individuals and groups in Derry, Northern Ireland, and online nationwide. My approach is built around what I call Mind and Motion: understanding the connection between mind and body, through energy, and through movement itself.
I work with people experiencing anxiety, low mood and depression, stress, addiction, relationship difficulties, low confidence and self-esteem, bereavement, and the deeper question so many of us carry underneath all of it: how do I actually live, not just get by?
How I work
What Mind and Motion means
Mind and Motion is built on connection, growth, communication, energy, and trust in the process. Therapy, to me, is a journey rather than a fixed destination. I often think of standing beneath a waterfall: the water is never in the same moment twice, always moving, always changing and so are we. Learning to trust that flow, rather than fighting it, is often where real change begins.
I am passionate about teaching people how to communicate life and living itself, because so much of what brings someone to therapy, like loneliness, disconnection, a loss of purpose or spirituality, comes back to the relationship we have with ourselves.
Walk and talk therapy
One of the ways I bring Mind and Motion into practice is through walk and talk therapy. Therapy sessions held in motion, outdoors, side by side, rather than sitting face to face in a room. Moving the body while talking can make it easier to open up, especially for anyone who finds traditional talking therapy difficult to begin.
This grew out of conversations I've had about men's mental health, and the particular barriers many men, including many Irish men, can face in finding the words to ask for help. Walk and talk therapy is open to absolutely everyone, of any gender, who feels they think and process more easily on the move than sitting still in a room.
How we can work together
Working with me means taking action, facing fears, building growth and connection, and getting off the fence and moving, in every sense of the word. We'll explore the body as well as the mind, build your capacity for honest communication, and work on the relationships, with yourself and with others, that shape how you experience the world.
Above all, I want you to find your tribe which is a place of belonging, whether that's within yourself, in your relationships, or in a wider community. Learning about who we are, and then practicing it, is where lasting change happens.
Thank you for taking the time to read my profile. If this way of working resonates with you, I'd love to hear from you.
Michael.
Training, qualifications & experience
- Foundation Degree in Integrative Counselling.
- Level 5 Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
- Certificate in Drug and Alcohol Addictions.
- Certificate in Gestalt Therapy.
- Certificate in NLP.
I have experience working within a busy GP practice as the inhouse therapeutic counsellor.
Working in various local community-based organisations as a therapeutic counsellor and also delivering workshops on mindfulness, self care and personal development.
I also assessed clients and was mentor to trainee counselling students.
Member organisations
school Registered / Accredited
Being registered/accredited with a professional body means an individual must have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by their member organisation.
The National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society This Not For Profit association of counsellors and psychotherapists aim to support the counselling profession, members and training organisations. In 2013 the NCS register was accredited by the Professional Standards Authority under the Accredited Voluntary Register Scheme. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
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
I am a qualified Reiki Master and believe the relationship between Mind Body and Spirit is very important and interconnected. I deliver Reiki Training and run development groups for new Reiki Practitioners.
I also facilitate Mindfulness and Relaxation workshops to group in the local community, this provides group members with the tools and knowledge which can help them to manage their emotions in times of stress or anxiety.
Fees
£60.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Additional information
A free initial consultation can be carried out online via WhatsApp.
I charge £60 per session, concessions are offered for those on low income
When I work
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We can work together to find a time that suits us both
Further information
As a therapist I believe it is important to work with the person holistically, which means taking into account their well being on all levels, mind, body and spirit.
As a holistic therapist I have experience in the following -
Training new Reiki Practitioners
Delivering workshops to groups in the areas of Mindfulness, Relaxation, Meditation, Self Care and Personal Development, all of which can possibly help clients manage their emotions. in a more effective and productive way.
