Welcome to
Morag Makey Therapies
A confidential space to explore the thoughts, feelings and challenges in your life.
Counselling · Coaching · Consultancy ·
Welcome, and thank you for visiting Morag Makey Therapies.
I believe relationships are at the heart of everything, and research into therapy outcomes supports this: the relationship between therapist and client is one of the most important factors for success. It can provide a mirror to your outside relationships, or a place to test boundaries and conversations ready for the outside world. I work with warmth, acceptance, empathy, humour and gentle challenge to provide you with an authentic therapeutic relationship that will help you heal, grow and achieve your goals.
What if you don’t know what your goals are yet - only that you want to talk to someone? That’s all part of our process and we can decide together. I am an Integrative Counsellor and Coach, meaning I use a range of approaches, chosen to support you best. I am particularly interested in the neuroscience of thoughts, feelings and behaviour and the mind-body connection; the building blocks to flourishing (Positive Psychology); and the importance of connections and community (Social Prescribing).
My guiding principles are safety and joy and I aim to support my clients to experience both, working with curiousity, courage and compassion.
"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"
(Mary Oliver)
How can I help?
I use an integrative approach to help you make sense of the past, live fully in the present and work confidently towards a positive future. Through counselling and coaching, and an understanding of your unique emotional and physical needs, I provide the tools to explore your history, establish your identity and look forward to greater wellbeing.
I work with many clients managing life transitions - relationships, study, career, financial, cultural, menopause, sexuality and gender - many of which I have experienced myself. As a counsellor who signs, I can also offer support to Deaf clients to navigate these transitions.
I support a wide range of clients including adults, adolescents, International Baccalaureate students, Deaf and hearing impaired children and adults, Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND) including neurodiversity.
I spent many years embedded in Deaf communities in Australia, NZ and the UK as an educational specialist. I am able to provide accessible therapy for Deaf clients, without the use of a sign language interpreter, as a counsellor, coach and professional supervisor.
I have extensive experience supporting adolescents, including those in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, to handle the challenges of secondary school and prepare for the transition to adult life, including the university application process and counselling in BSL and English. I help students with managing their time, school pressures, anxiety and life balance to promote better wellbeing.
I provide leadership and training in education, counselling and social justice to a range of organisations globally. This includes the development and delivery of workshops and individual coaching. I am also involved in community projects that enhance wellbeing.
I've lived and worked in a variety of countries across the world and I have expertise working with clients who may be dealing with cultural adjustment and feelings of displacement, who are working towards establishing a sense of connection and community.
I am fluent in English, have professional fluency in British Sign Language and use social Spanish.
I currently only have online spaces for English and BSL counselling. Many of my clients have made the shift to online therapy and found it has many advantages without the loss of our authentic therapeutic relationship.
"Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
(Viktor E. Frankl)
Family Estrangement
Many people feel the shame of family breakdown and are struggling to repair and rebuild relationships with parents, children or siblings.
We can work together on what you want your relationships to look like, defining boundaries, moving forward without resentment or regret, and developing more compassion for yourself and others.
Financial Coaching
As someone who was late to the financial education party, I believe financial health can be one of the biggest keys to mental health. I’m not talking about being rich, but living your rich life - creating the life you want without compromising your core values or wellbeing.
I can help you understand your deep-seated money views and habits and establish financial wellbeing.
Betrayal Trauma
I work with Cherry Tree Therapy Centre to support the partners of sex and porn addicts. I co-facilitate a fortnightly support group, work directly in one-to-one therapy and offer support to clients in disclosure sessions with their addicted partner.
My goal is to support partners to develop the resilience and confidence to navigate the path ahead.
What issues can I help with?
People come to me for help with a wide range of issues. Here are a few of the more common difficulties that can be supported through counselling:
Abuse
Anger management
Anxiety
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Bereavement
Betrayal Trauma
BSL counselling
Career coaching
Chronic fatigue syndrome/ME
Chronic pain/Fibromyalgia
Cultural
Depression
Development coaching
Disability
Family estrangement
Financial coaching
Health-related issues
Identity
LGBTQ+ counselling
Life coaching
Loss
Menopause
Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
Mindfulness-based Treatment Approaches (MBTA)
Mood disorder
Neurodiversity
Personal development
Post-traumatic stress
Relationships
Self esteem
Self compassion
Sexual abuse
Sexual identity
Sexuality
Social Emotional Learning (SEL)
Somatic healing
Stress
Trauma
Women's issues
Work-related issues
Get in touch
Please contact me if you have any questions about how counselling works, or to arrange an initial free 20 minute phone consultation. This enables us to discuss the reasons you are thinking of coming to counselling, whether it could be helpful for you and whether I am the right therapist to help.
All enquires are usually answered within 24 hours, and all contact is strictly confidential and uses secure phone and email services.
Frequently asked questions
I trained in a four part model, known as Personal Consultancy. The first two stages focus on the more traditional aspects of counselling, known as Authentic Listening and Rebalancing. During these stages, we focus on building our relationship, developing your self awareness and exploring the patterns you observe in your life that you might like to change. Once we have identified a path forward, we move into the Generating stage, where we work proactively in more of a coaching dynamic, to come up with strategies and solutions for change. When you are getting ready to go it alone, without my support, we move into the Supporting stage to draw on all the other resources you have - yourself and other people - to support your continued growth. These stages are not linear, we might not do all four, and we might return to different stages as required. It’s your process, so you are in control.
How long a period of counselling lasts will vary from person to person and depend on the depth of the issues they are facing. For some people a couple of sessions helps to bring their problems into focus, and they feel ready to move forward; other problems may require more of an open-ended approach.
Before we begin any work we will agree on the number of sessions we’ll undertake and, at the end of that number, review our progress. As long as we both agree further therapy will be of benefit to you, sessions can continue.
My aim is to offer an initial free appointment within a few days of being contacted by you. I will send you my contract after the first call to give you time to consider how I work and whether you think we are a good match. I will also tell you my availability so you can choose the start date and time for our first session.
Everything that is said within the counselling room is private - this is one of the main ways counselling and therapy differ from talking to a friend or relative. Once you are comfortable with the format of weekly sessions and the safe space they provide, you will find the freedom to speak in confidence is of great value.
Note that there are some situations where you may be a risk to yourself or others, and there the law requires that I notify an authority; in these cases I may not be able to keep total confidentiality. Breaking confidentiality is very rare though, and only happens after the person concerned has been informed.
Usually I am asked this question by people who are nervous about entering into counselling, or when they are looking for support in coming to see a therapist. This anxiety is understandable, but a key aspect of therapy is that you should feel free to talk about any issues you feel are important to you. Having someone else with you who can be connected those issues makes this opening-up more difficult, so for this reason I do not see clients accompanied by friends or family.
My location
I currently only have online spaces: Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday mornings.
I work from a space in Victoria Park, Bow, East London, E3, and see clients from East London, including Bow, Victoria Park, London Fields, Hackney Wick, Stratford and surrounding areas. I also provide online counselling through Google Meet.
Fees & availability
Sessions cost £80 and last 50 minutes, usually on a weekly basis. I recommend a commitment of 4-6 sessions to establish a relationship and begin to see change. I try to be flexible about session changes, as I understand life happens, but I ask for payment 48 hours prior to a session and refunds will not be given after this point. Payment can be made by bank transfer. I offer a limited number of low cost spaces - please ask.
You may not know it, but you’ve already taken the first step...
It can be scary and confusing making the decision to start therapy, but in my experience people will struggle with a mental health issue, a personal crisis or problems with a relationship for much longer than is healthy. Sometimes a friend has proved a source of comfort, but this help can only go so far. Realising that resolving a problem requires outside help means you have actually already taken the first step towards change and growth.
"If these days teach us anything, it’s that all we can do in preparation for tomorrow is nothing. So let’s talk about today."
(Kamila Shamsie)
Resources
My favourite books, podcasts and sites for therapy info:
Oliver Burkeman - Meditations for Mortals book
Nedra Glover Tawwab - Set Boundaries, Find Peace book and Instagram account
© Morag Makey Therapies
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