Dr Michael McArdle

Facing life's challenges can be tough, and finding clarity often benefits from an objective perspective. I offer a confidential, safe space where you can openly explore your concerns without judgment. My aim is to help you gain insight into whats happening and discover effective ways forward. This dedicated time is invaluable for understanding your experiences and building resilience.

Additional facts about my Practice

State of Mind Counselling & Psychotherapy is a trusted mental health service committed to providing compassionate, evidence-based therapeutic support to individuals, couples, and families. We are proud to be recognised not only for our clinical services but also as an accredited education provider offering high-quality continuing professional development (CPD) courses.

We are officially accredited by the CPD Standards Office and the Professional Development Consortium, and we hold the prestigious title of "Provider of Training Excellence". This designation reflects our commitment to delivering training that meets the highest professional standards and supports ongoing growth and development for mental health professionals.

Through our training programmes, we aim to empower practitioners with relevant, practical skills and current knowledge, helping them stay at the forefront of best practices in psychotherapy and counselling.

Has therapy failed you in the past?

At State of Mind Psychotherapy & Counselling, we understand how deeply disheartening it can be when therapy doesn’t meet your expectations. Whether you felt unheard, rushed, misunderstood, or simply didn’t connect with the process, you're not alone—and it doesn't mean you can’t benefit from therapy.

Our approach is different. We believe therapy should be a collaborative, respectful, and safe space tailored to your unique needs and pace. Our team is trained in a range of integrative, evidence-based approaches, and we take the time to build genuine therapeutic relationships—because meaningful change begins with trust and understanding.

We also know that life experience, trauma, and past disappointments can shape how you show up in therapy. That’s why we meet you exactly where you are, without judgment, and work with you to rebuild your confidence in the process.

If therapy has failed you before, it doesn’t mean you’ve failed—or that healing isn’t possible. You deserve a second chance with the right support.

Let’s start again, together.

How can psychotherapy help?

At State of Mind Psychotherapy & Counselling, we help you make sense of difficult emotions, patterns, and experiences that may be holding you back. Through a safe, confidential, and supportive space, psychotherapy can support healing from trauma, reduce anxiety and depression, improve relationships, and build healthier coping strategies. Our integrative, person-centred approach means therapy is tailored to your unique needs—empowering you to gain clarity, confidence, and lasting change.

My aim as a psychotherapist

My aim as a psychotherapist is simple but deeply rooted: to provide a safe, non-judgmental space where you feel seen, heard, and supported—exactly as you are.

I believe therapy is not about fixing you, because you're not broken. It’s about helping you make sense of your experiences, reconnect with your strengths, and navigate life with more clarity and resilience. Whether you're facing anxiety, trauma, addiction, grief, or relationship difficulties, my role is to walk alongside you—not to lead, but to support your own process of discovery and healing.

Every person’s story is unique, and so is their path to growth. I tailor my approach to meet you where you are, drawing from evidence-based methods while always keeping compassion at the core of our work.

Ultimately, my goal is to help you feel more empowered in your own life—more connected, more aware, and more in control of your own narrative.

Why I work in this field

My work as a psychotherapist is not just a profession—it’s personal. It’s grounded in extensive lived life experience.

I come to this field not only with training and qualifications, but with the deep understanding that comes from surviving a life shaped by trauma. I have lived through childhood neglect, emotional and physical abuse, poverty, and the kind of trauma that leaves lasting imprints on both body and mind. In my adult life, I faced addiction, domestic violence, coercive control, and the silent struggles that so often accompany them.

These are not just words to me—they are chapters of my own story. And it is this lived life experience that has become the driving force behind the work I do today.

I know what it feels like to be unheard, misunderstood, and judged. I also know what it takes to rebuild, to heal, and to find meaning on the other side of pain. My therapeutic approach is rooted in empathy, authenticity, and connection. I don’t just work from textbooks—I work from the heart, and from having walked the road myself.

Lived life experience is not something that can be taught. It shapes how I listen, how I understand, and how I support those who sit across from me. It allows me to meet people exactly where they are—with no judgment, only respect for their courage.

I work in this field because I know change is possible. I’ve lived it. And I am deeply committed to helping others find hope, healing, and a renewed sense of self—just as I did.