About me

Hello and thank you for checking out my website.

My name is Marie and I'm a qualified integrative counsellor practising in Barry, the Vale of Glamorgan, and ideally located close to Cardiff and the rest of the Vale. 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.

I've worked in the social care sector with mental health charities for many years across Cardiff and the Vale in various role, so have a good understanding of all mental health issues. I've worked with 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 process events from the past, harm reduction work is essential to ensure my clients safety 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 people seeking support. 

One of the main reasons for training to become a counsellor was to provide a specialist support in maternal mental health, an area grossly misunderstood and unfortunately overlooked in the mental health sector. As someone who suffered with my own mental health during pregnancy and after the birth of my son, I understand well the difficulties new parents can face with this huge life changing transition. I'm also passionate about working with partners with the transition into parenthood, whether this be in a one to one setting or as a couple. I aim to provide a space that is non-judgemental, that is free to explore those feelings of shame and guilt you may feel and together, to explore ways in which you can be at peace. 

My counselling room provides a cosy and safe place (see images) in which you can feel relaxed to be completely authentic and free. There's also an onsite café to grab a pre/post therapy coffee too. 

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. 

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.