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Mary Clare: Our Newest Cognitive Behaviour Therapist!

  • smaointecbt
  • Oct 1
  • 3 min read

ree

Who do you offer online CBT sessions to?


- I offer individual online CBT sessions to any young person aged 12 upwards and also adults in Ireland


Why did you decide to offer sessions online?


- I grew up in a rural area, where accessing healthcare options often involved a long commute. As a result of witnessing this, I have a personal passion for ensuring that no one is disadvantaged in accessing support for their mental health in Ireland.


- I have worked in settings, where young people and adults have been separated from their families, due to a deterioration in their mental health, and so I am passionate about self help and early intervention and how best I can support this.


- For the previous 4 years, I managed an online team of mental health professionals who provided online sessions to young people and adults in Ireland. From this experience, I have heard first hand from service users that the provision of an online service works. This feedback was gained through a number of avenues, such as the use of direct verbal feedback, anonymous service user satisfaction surveys, alongside an improvement in the person’s quality of life and outcome ratings on symptom focused questionnaires.


- An online session means that you can choose the setting that works best for you.


- It also means that if there is a barrier in your personal circumstances in accessing -in person support, then online sessions may be more suitable for you.


What experience do you have?


- I am a mental health nurse with over 20 years experience in the area of mental health and I am a BABCP accredited CBT therapist since 2015


- I have worked in an acute hospital setting, community mental health settings for adolescents and adults and also student counselling and private practice, supporting clients with a variety of mental health needs, who want to learn new coping skills, and to feel more empowered in their day to day life.


Is online as effective as in person?


- The straight answer is yes!


- I can appreciate that the ‘thought’ of connecting online with someone could lead you to remember all the times that it didn’t work during covid! This could lead you to predict that ‘online isn’t for me’!


- I believe in the value of the relationship with the therapist, therefore prior to any commitment to sessions, I offer a free 10-15 minute video call, so that you can check out your predictions and test out whether it’s something that might personally work for you.


- With all therapy, there is a personal commitment required and some practical planning. It is important to value giving yourself this time and showing up for yourself. With regards to the online nature, this personal commitment remains the same. The difference with online is that in addition, you may need to consider whether you decide to wear headphones and decide where exactly is an option of a private space for yourself and organise this. It may take some creative thinking around how to problem solve this initially for yourself.


- To get the best out of using CBT as an approach, it takes an openness to try out new choices and new ways of interpreting situations…sometimes that might also include testing out any negative thoughts that you might have about receiving CBT online…so why not give it a go!


Here are some links to some up to date research papers that you can read which discuss online CBT and it’s effectiveness.





https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7442952/ (therapeutic alliance nuance and online therapy)


https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12211157/ (in person and virtual CBT 2025 article)

 
 
 

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