Mary Leonard
Edinburgh Counsellor and Psychotherapist
ASSOCIATE of THE LIFE ACADEMY
About Me
As human beings, relationships are fundamental to our survival. In counselling and psychotherapy it is the relationship between counsellor and client (the therapeutic relationship) that determines the course of therapy. The beauty of a strong and trusted therapeutic relationship is that it opens a space where we can begin to explore together the trickier aspects of someone’s experience and to rewrite their story from a more subjective position. It is always good to feel we have some control over our own lives!
I have always been fascinated by stories - those which are handed down to us and those we tell ourselves. It is a fascination which is rooted in folklore and mythology, particularly tales in which people overcome insurmountable odds. Its original purpose was to compensate for the lack of stories in my own strict and isolated island background and a family history shrouded in secrecy. But it led me into writing and journalism, and took me to many different parts of the world, including Australia, where I lived for almost 20 years, before returning to Scotland.
It was that same fascination which drew me into counselling and psychotherapy – another way of telling our stories – but this time with the knowledge that the storyteller is key. We can only live authentically empowered lives if we are able to tell our own stories, and this can be difficult in families and communities in which others control the narrative.
It is no secret that relationships are fundamental to us as humans. It is through our relationships and connections that we learn and grow, beginning with our early experience of families and others, but there are times when these relationships can be complex, challenging and restrictive.
Approach
The most rewarding aspect of my work is when, after a period of thinking together, there is a breakthrough and someone gains a particular insight into themselves, or their own situation. Their face lights up, their whole posture changes and they use that insight to bring positive change into their life. It is a huge privilege to be with someone as they gradually become aware of previously hidden capacities and potential.
My practice is open to everyone aged 16 and over from all backgrounds and abilities. As a relationship-based counsellor, I also work with couples and intergenerational relationships, i.e. parents and children.
Initial sessions are offered without obligation. It is an opportunity for us to see if we can work together in a meaningful way. If you feel I am not able to offer what you are looking for in a therapist, or if I feel my competence is not the best fit for your particular requirements, I will do my best to offer onward referral if requested
Education
•• Post Graduate Diploma in Human Relations and Counselling
• HNC Integrative Counselling
• Diploma in Journalism
• Diploma in Modern Languages
• International Baccalaureate
CPD:
• Neurodivergence
• Psychedelics in mental health treatment
• Trauma Processing
• Working with the Pre-Suicide State of Mind
• The Individual in Relationship and in the Group
Experience
• Worked with young children aged 5-12, through the school-based counselling service Place2Be.
• Volunteer for the PF Counselling service one evening per week, and work for its youth service with young adults from 18-25 years old.
• Established a counselling service for a homeless charity and provided therapy for people who come from a background of homelessness, exclusion, isolation, and prejudice.
• Facilitate reflective practice sessions for those who work in the homeless sector.
• I have many years’ experience of life, its transitions and its challenges.
• One of my favourite quotes comes from American writer and civil rights activist James Baldwin:
“You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read. It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, who had ever been alive.”
Expertise
• Trauma/PTSD
• Suicidal feelings/Existential anxiety
• Sexual abuse/Rape
• Domestic violence/Coercive control
• Relationships/Attachment/Self-Esteem
• Stress/anxiety (personal, work, academic)
• Loneliness/Depression
• Loss/Grief/Bereavement
• Life transitions – study, work, parenting, retirement
• Bullying/Racism/Exclusion
• Identity/Neurodivergence
• Couples/Family relationships
Memberships
• Registered Member BACP (British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy) 00977743
• Counsellor Member COSCA (Counselling and Psychotherapy in Scotland) 5029
• Senior Associate Member APPCIOS (Association for Psychodynamic Counselling in Organisational Settings) 1225
• Trainee Member BPC (British Psychoanalytic Council)
• PVG membership 1702 1162 2397 0338 for work with children and adults
Fees
Initial Session: £60
Individual Session: £60
Couples/family members: £80
Location
I work from the Life Academy Wellbeing Centre at 3B Greenhill Park, Bruntsfield, Edinburgh EH10 4DW. The Centre is situated in a transport hub and is easily accessible by bus or car. Free, private parking is available on request.
Contact
To make an appointment or discuss whether I am the right therapist for you, please complete the form below. I will try to respond to you within three days.
I look forward to hearing from you.