Ms Mairead Cleary
Psychotherapist, Counsellor
MA, PACFA
Mullumbimby, NSW 2482
In Person + Telehealth
Philosophy & Vision
Creating a safe and held psychological environment for you to explore your inner and outer worlds is important to me. I believe in empowering you to find ways to deal with the problems you're facing. This can mean building your self-supports, your inner ground and your resilience so that problems don't consume you.
Yes, life is challenging, sometimes scary and often confusing. But with proper support it's possible to find your own ground and your own place in it all. I don't see distress as a sign of dysfunction or incompetence, I see it as a sign that some part of you is needing attention. I've seen that encouraging and cultivating this part helps you to embody more of your wholeness.
Services
Call, text or email me to schedule a free consult. This is a 20-30 minute chat where we can get a feel for whether we'll be a good fit for each other.
Areas of Special Interest
Accreditations
- Masters in Gestalt Therapy - 2019 - Gestalt Institute Brisbane
Modalities
Developmental - Ecological Psychotherapy - Experiential - Gestalt - Meditation - Person Centred - Somatic Psychotherapy - Soul Centred Psychotherapy - Trauma-Informed
Professional Associations
- Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia
Practice Locations
Mullumbimby NSW 2482
The clinic has easy and free parking within and outside the property.
Appointments
Online sessions available: Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays
Fees & Insurance
Cost per Session: $160 - $240
Sliding Scale: Yes
Payment Options
Bank transfer, Paypal
Contact Mairead
Please contact me to book a 15 minute free initial consult
A conversation with Mairead Cleary
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I have been working with people in various capacities for 15 years. But 12 years ago I participated in a therapeutic process that caused a dramatic and life changing shift for me. That was it. I had found my calling. I came back again and again, year after year to support others participating in this process and in 2014 began training to be a facilitator while simultaneously training in Gestalt therapy.
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I am primarily guided by a nature-based philosophy. I believe that whatever our question might be... the answer lies in nature.
I am heavily influenced by Taoist philosophy, the Soulcentric work of Bill Plotkin, and Terry Real's work on psychological patriarchy.
I believe there is a turning that is being called for and already happening in our world... a turning toward the feminine principle, a turning toward nature, a slowing down to take stock of where we are, where we've been, and where we want to move towards if we are to navigate our way through our climate and global crises. -
I am always interested in the whole picture with each person. We can't really separate one part of our body from the rest. In the same way we can't separate ourselves out from the systems that we live as part of. So I'm always curious about the myriad things that are happening around the story that you're telling, and what the complete picture of your life looks like. There's so much rich information in the relationship between you and your environment, how it impacts you and how you impact it.
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It's important for me that you feel held in whatever you're facing in yourself. The present-centred, compassion-focused approach I use creates a solid holding. From there I support you to build strength to deal with the problems that are showing up in your life.
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When you start to see yourself responding differently to a situation, that's where the magic is.
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I have infinitely more understanding and compassion for the behaviours I see and hear about in people. Therapeutic work has shown me and allowed me to experience that we're all in the same boat. People might look like they've got it all together, but everyone has pain. Everyone has hurt. Everyone has bad days where it's a struggle to get through, but they show up and do their best anyway. I have a lot of respect for that.
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I love the relational component of working with people. There is no greater privilege than to sit with someone in the depths of their pain or silence or joy and to share that moment with them.
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I have plenty of them... literally. Curly hair is far more demanding to manage than straight!
But I've built a solid support base around me over the years, so I always have someone to laugh about it with when I need it most. -
I believe our most significant problem is our disconnection from Nature, and from natural systems & cycles. Our natural world, our natural resources, our wildlife, our forests and even our own human species have become commodities.
But the massive upsurge in demand for green space during COVID has shown that there is an appreciation for and desire to be in Nature. And extensive research explains this in-built draw towards Nature. Spending time in Nature is one of the greatest things we can do for our physical and mental health.
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The book 'Soulcraft' by Bill Plotkin.
The book 'Rest' by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang
The book 'The power of place' by Winifred Gallagher
The book 'Switch' by Chip & Dan Heath
The film 'Instinct' with Anthony Hopkins
The song 'Into the mystic' by Van Morrison
The song 'Spirit Bird' by Xavier Rudd
The song 'Bring 'em all in' by Mike Scott
The song 'Change' by Tracy Chapman
The song 'Life on Earth' by Snow Patrol
The song 'Human' by Rag 'n' Bone Man
The song 'Vor à Vaglaskógi' by Kaleo