Dr. Mary “Em” Ryan, BACP

Dr. Mary “Em” Ryan welcomes people who are feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, depression or big life changes. She helps with relationship and intimacy concerns, parenting pressures, career doubts and issues such as addiction and grief. She is known for calm, steady support that focuses on what matters most to each person.

Dr. Ryan uses clear, practical methods to help people notice what is getting in the way and try new ways of coping. She draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Client-Centred approaches to match the work to the person. Sessions are conversational and goal-focused, with real skills to use between meetings.

Over 23 years she has worked with many different life challenges, including trauma and abuse, compassion fatigue, ADHD, adoption and foster care matters, and end-of-life concerns. Her experience also covers anger, sleep problems, isolation and issues linked to gender and identity. She brings that breadth to planning treatment that fits each person’s story.

People who meet her can expect straightforward language and a non-judgemental tone. She encourages small experiments and practical steps rather than long explanations. Progress is measured in changes to day-to-day life, such as better sleep, clearer boundaries or reduced worry.

Dr. Ryan speaks English, Spanish and French, and sees clients in the United Kingdom as well as people living elsewhere. She works through a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time and supports a mix of video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging.

To begin, prospective clients complete a short matching questionnaire and then schedule according to therapist availability.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice unhelpful thoughts without being driven by them and focuses on actions that match personal values. It can be useful for anxiety, depression and coping with life changes. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) breaks down problems into thoughts, feelings and behaviours and teaches practical strategies to change patterns that cause distress. It is widely used for anxiety, sleep problems and low mood.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences and how you like to learn, and then suggest which methods to try first. That choice is reviewed as progress is made so the plan stays practical and relevant to day-to-day life.

Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat or text-based messaging to give flexibility. Video sessions allow face-to-face discussion and visual cues. Phone sessions can be easier if bandwidth is limited or when you want a shorter check-in. Messaging and live chat suit quick reflections, ongoing support between sessions or when typing helps you explain things. Registered or accredited professionals use these formats to make therapy more accessible for different routines and needs.