Ian Mackie

You don’t have to feel overwhelmed to begin therapy. Sometimes you know what is wrong; sometimes you just know that something doesn’t feel right.

You may feel stuck, anxious, low, disconnected or indifferent. Perhaps relationships have become difficult, your sense of identity has changed, or something has happened that has left you struggling to make sense of yourself or your life. You might find that old experiences are affecting you in the present, familiar patterns keep repeating, or that life simply doesn’t feel the way you would like it to.

I am an integrative therapist and my approach is warm, collaborative and formulation-led. I draw on psychodynamic, person-centred and CBT approaches, adapting how I work to your individual needs and what you bring to therapy. Rather than looking at difficulties in isolation, I want to understand them within the context of your experiences, relationships, strengths and goals.

Together, we can explore your thoughts, feelings and patterns, looking at what has shaped you, what is happening now and what you would like to make sense of. We can develop a deeper awareness of how your past and present may be connected, what may no longer be helping you and what you might want to carry differently into your future.

You don’t need to arrive with the right words or a clear explanation. You can arrive exactly as you are.

My experience is in helping people through significant and life-changing trauma, including injury, illness, disability, sexual abuse and other adversities that can profoundly affect our relationship with ourselves and the way we see the world.

Trauma can affect the whole person, and emotional distress can also be felt and expressed through the body. Where it is helpful, we can pay attention to the physical reactions you may be noticing, alongside exploring your thoughts, feelings and responses.

My own journey has shaped the therapist I am today. Following a life-changing accident, I live with a spinal injury and have had to navigate changes to my independence, identity, career and relationship, as well as the challenge of rebuilding my life. I understand first hand that life can change in an instant, and that moving forward does not necessarily mean returning to the person you once were.

My lived experience, alongside my own therapeutic journey and professional training, allows me to bring compassion, curiosity and therapeutic skill to the work we do together.

I work with adults from all backgrounds, heritages and beliefs. I am LGBTQ+ and disability aware and offer an inclusive, non-judgemental practice where you can be yourself.

Feeling comfortable with the person you choose to talk with matters. Our first session gives us a chance to meet, either online or face to face, and for you to get a sense of me and how I work.

There is no expectation that you tell me everything when we first speak, and you don’t need to arrive knowing exactly what you want to talk about. I am interested in understanding you as a whole person, and we can begin by exploring what feels important to you.

We can talk about what is bringing you to therapy, what is happening in your life at the moment and what you might hope to gain from our sessions. You can ask questions, and together we can begin to consider what you might need and how we could work together.

There is no pressure to make an immediate decision about continuing with me. You can take some time to consider how the session felt and whether you would like us to continue working together.