Mary Downie

 I work in the centre of Glasgow towards the West End.  I work on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and have zoom sessions mostly on a Monday.   I offer short and long term therapy.

I offer face to face therapy, zoom and telephone counselling

I am an integrative therapist who provides a safe confidential space where you can explore your feelings and gain greater insight into the areas of your life where you are having difficulties.  This exploration is done in a spirit of compassionate curiousity.

Psychotherapy encompasses a range of different approaches and methods.  Although I am trained in the person centres tradition I also hold qualifications in EMDR, CBT skills, hypnosis and spiritual direction.  My patients teach me how to be with them in therapy.  Each patient is a unique person and as such no therapy method fits all.  My greatest gift to my patients is my willingness to undergo my own therapeutic process.  It is only when you have travelled on the road that you begin to understand some of the difficulties that may be encountered.  I am bound by the BACP'S ethical code of practice and actively participate in continuing professional development.

Each therapy session is 50 minutes long and is usually conducted face to face in my practice.  I am happy to offer therapy by skype, zoom, and facetime. It is good to have regular weekly sessions.

What we talk about will very much depend on you, it is your session and it is important that you are able to bring what is uppermost in your mind and heart. It could be, that you are having difficulty with your relationships, your emotions, your thoughts or your behaviour and therapy is a safe contained space where these can be examined. Many problems have their origins in childhood and if you feel comfortable, it is good to explore this area of life.

I have had considerable training in working with patients who have suffered from childhood trauma and I am comfortable to accompany you, if this is a journey you feel you would like to make. Each client is unique and together we discover the best way to work in a safe contained therapeutic relationship.

The first session of therapy can often feel quite daunting, so I like to spend the first part of our time together putting you at your ease.

I spend a few minutes introducing myself and then I like to give you the opportunity to introduce yourself and say what has brought you to therapy. This gives you the chance to explore what has been troubling you.

During this first session it is important that I outline the way that therapy works and what I am able to offer you.

I also have to deal with practical matters such as the number and frequency of sessions you will have and how fees will be paid.

We also discuss what happens if you miss a session or are away on holiday.

I explain how I safe guard your confidentiality and privacy. I take brief notes at the end of each session and these are stored securely in my practice.

I encourage you to ask anything about your therapy at any time during your session and also to ask about anything you don’t understand. Good therapy depends very much on a good therapeutic relationship where you feel safe enough to risk being yourself.  At the end of your session I give you a leaflet outlining how I work  and if you are happy you can return this on your next visit.