Catherine Mahon

Hi there,

I'm on leave until mid December and am unable to respond to enquiries during this time. 

With kind regards,

Cat

Growing up in families where we were frequently ridiculed, criticised, ignored, or invalidated can have a profound and lasting impact on how we feel about ourselves, insidiously chipping away at our sense of self and self-worth.

Over time, deep-rooted feelings of defectiveness can impact all aspects of our lives, and often, we unconsciously develop ways of protecting ourselves which may actually limit our quality of life, our relationships, and our potential. Whilst many of these actions create a sense of emotional safety, they can also leave us feeling stuck, disconnected, and resentful long-term.

This may look like:

• Self-abandoning - suppressing our needs in order to please others, avoid conflict, 'fit in', or maintain connection in relationships.

• Constantly trying to prove our worth – seeking validation through our achievements, productivity, or by being perfect, in an attempt to feel 'enough'.

• Lack of self-trust – persistently second-guessing ourselves, frequently seeking others’ approval or permission before making decisions or taking action.

• Keeping ourselves small - avoiding doing things that may bring joy, success, or a sense of fulfilment for fear of embarrassment, failure, or feelings of unworthiness.

Hi, my name is Catherine (Cat), and I am a psychotherapeutic counsellor. I help adults experiencing low self-worth understand and let go of self-protective behavioural patterns, so they can stop letting self-detrimental beliefs hold them back, start valuing themselves, and honour their own needs. 

Qualifications

MSc in Psychotherapeutic Counselling - Staffordshire University (distinction).

Additional Information

I am fully insured to practice, registered with the information commissioners office (ICO) as a data controller, and hold up-to-date DBS clearance with the Disclosure and Barring Service.

My Approach

My approach to therapy centres on the belief that our lives, experiences, and ways of being in the world are complex, multifaceted, and unique to us all; therefore, the therapeutic approach should reflect and adapt to our individuality, rather than taking a one-size fits all approach. 

I work integratively, meaning that my work is informed by a number of psychotherapeutic approaches, including psychodynamic, systemic, person-centred, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and attachment theory. This allows me to think about clients and the issues they face from multiple angles and tailor the way that I work to each individual’s specific needs – not only at the start of therapy, but as needs grow and change throughout the therapeutic process.

I consider myself to be down-to-earth, open-minded, and empathic, and I endeavour to work in a way that feels encouraging, empowering, and collaborative. As such, my role is to travel alongside you, supporting you to lean into your intuition, develop your sense of agency, and map out your own journey, whilst you pick the destination and take the reins. Together, we will travel at your pace and figure out any detours or bumps in the road.

How I work

I offer counselling online via Zoom, so you can access therapy from wherever you are in the UK in a private space of your choosing. 

I offer a FREE 30-minute Zoom call for all initial enquiries, so whether you’ve been to therapy before, have been considering counselling for a while but feel a little anxious or unsure, or just wondering whether counselling could be right for you, please get in touch via phone, text or email. Here, we can discuss what it is that is bringing you to therapy, what to expect, get a sense of how we might work together, and address any questions or concerns - no matter how big or small.  

During our call, I will ask you for some information that may inform how we work, if we choose to move forward together. This will include a brief overview of your family and relationships, any significant life events, and any relevant medical history. 

Your privacy is important to me and I will outline how confidentiality is maintained, limits to confidentiality, and how your personal data is used at the start of our session. Then, if we decide to work together, this information will be written into a contract alongside other terms of service, which we will both sign and discuss at the beginning of our first counselling session.