A bit more about me…
As well as my core professional trainings in clinical psychology and yoga, my offerings are infused by my studies and interests in ecopsychology, indigenous ways of being, anti-oppressive approaches, mystical experiences and the magic that science reveals. They are also influenced by my own life experiences, which I share a little of below.
I grew up at the tip of Cornwall, not realising how lucky I was to have the sea, the moors, the cliffs and the hidden wild spots as my holding space. Raised by a single mother of three, amidst some confusing and intense family dynamics including four other siblings I did not live with, times were often challenging. Times could also be full of singing, dancing and laughter.
After moving to London my body and mind began to cry for help in various ways that persisted over the years, leading to many dark times and some deep shame. Despite ultimately rejecting the religion of my grandfather – a priest in whose church I spent much time as a young child - I stayed deeply intrigued (and at times tortured) by the bigger questions, struggling to find ways to understand the pain of living in a world with so much injustice.
I got lost, as many of us do, through my teens and early 20s, in a tangled mess. But I found some vibrant connections through counter-culture scenes, a diverse group of friends and a host of experiences that formed me the way a furnace fires the clay. I also found yoga, hands-on-healing, meditation and shamanic practices - tools that reminded me of our innate power and beauty, and our capacity to flourish even through or perhaps because of pain.
Later in life I spent several years travelling on and off, staying in Colombia for a few months to work with displaced communities, and finding solace getting lost (and bitten to death by mosquitos!) in wild places. After moving around the UK and Ireland, it wasn’t until I landed in Bristol that I truly started to feel a sense of home, of rooting. The creativity, passion and community spirit that beats through the veins of this city is a tonic.
My wish is to share some of the lifelines that have allowed me to re-find my sanity, my wholeness and my purpose in this messy and beautiful dance of life.
M x
(If you’re curious, you can read more about my professional training, clinical experience, and published research by clicking the links)