Shea McCartney, BACP, NCPS - Therapist in United Kingdom

Person-centred approach
Trauma-informed practice
CBT and psychodynamic

About Shea

Shea McCartney is a BACP Therapist (Registered Member MBACP) and NCPS Therapist (Accredited Member MNCPS Accred) with four years' experience working in the United Kingdom. He works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, low self-esteem, depression, relationship and family difficulties, parenting strains, sleeping problems, career worries, compassion fatigue and anger.

He uses a person-centred, trauma-informed approach and draws on a mix of methods rather than a single model. In practice this means he listens first, then offers ways to make sense of what is happening. Sessions aim to help people feel heard and to find practical steps they can try between meetings.

Shea's background includes work across NHS mental health services, child protection, trauma services and suicide intervention organisations. That experience underpins his work with people affected by bereavement, domestic abuse, self-harm and significant life changes. He also supports those dealing with issues such as codependency, communication problems, caregiver stress and chronic illness.

He describes counselling as a collaborative process. He will work alongside someone to explore what contributes to difficult feelings, and to identify small, manageable changes. Some sessions are focused and short term, while others look at deeper patterns over a longer period.

Shea aims to bring professionalism and honest conversation to sessions, and where appropriate he allows room for lightness as well as hard work. To begin, people complete a short matching questionnaire and then schedule a first session to see how the fit feels.

Approaches used in online sessions

Shea commonly draws on client-centred work and cognitive behavioural therapy in his sessions. Client-centred work focuses on listening and reflecting so the person feels understood; it helps when someone needs space to talk through strong feelings. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts, feelings and behaviours interact and offers practical steps and experiments to try between sessions.

Finding the right approach is treated as a collaborative task. Shea will discuss options with each person and adapt methods to match their goals and preferences. That means sessions may be short and goal-focused at first, or they may explore deeper patterns if that better suits the person's needs.

The practical benefits of online work include fitting sessions into a busy week and making it easier to keep appointments during work breaks or while caring for others. If you want to know which session formats he currently offers, please confirm the available online options before booking. Registered and accredited professionals can work effectively online when the approach fits the person's aims and day-to-day life.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, Anxiety Trauma and abuse Grief Self esteem Depression

Also works with

LGBTRelationship issuesFamily conflictsIntimacy-related issuesSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementCareer difficultiesCoping with life changes Compassion fatigue

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentBDSM, kink, and alternative sex cultureBlended family issues Caregiver issues and stress Chronic pain, illness, and disability CodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problems Divorce and separation Domestic violenceEmptinessFamily problemsFirst responder issues Forgiveness Guilt and shameImmigration issuesInfidelity Isolation / loneliness JealousyLife purposeMen's issues Midlife crisisMulticultural concernsPanic disorder and panic attacksPolyamory / non-monogamous relationshipsPrejudice and discriminationSelf-harmSelf-loveSexual assault and abuseSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaWomen's issuesWorkplace issues Young adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Psychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

4+ years

Listed in

United Kingdom

Languages

English

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of problems does he help with?

He works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, low self-esteem, depression, relationship and family difficulties, parenting, sleeping issues, career concerns, compassion fatigue and anger.

What is his therapy style?

He uses a person-centred, trauma-informed approach and draws on a range of evidence-based methods to suit each person.

How much experience does he have?

He has four years' clinical experience, including work in NHS mental health services, child protection, trauma services and suicide intervention organisations.

What credentials and where is he based?

He is a BACP Therapist - Registered Member MBACP and an NCPS Therapist - Accredited Member (MNCPS Accred), based in the United Kingdom.

Which languages are sessions offered in?

Sessions are offered in English.

Can people outside the UK work with him?

He is not accepting international clients at this time.

How does payment work?

Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.

How do I start sessions?

Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.