MARIEBURNS
about me
As a neurodivegent woman I live in a societal culture that works against my biology. It's not been easy and i've come to reconcile with the pain of self-doubt and shame of not-fitting in. I've experienced a merry-go-round of changing diagnoses, 'professional' damning judgements, discounting of my lived experience and ineffective treatment.
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Because of my personal experience I lost faith in maintream psychology, psychotherapy and psychiatric medicine. I began educating myself in ecoteric practices and discovered that science was just catching up to these ancient timeless teachings.
I delved into my love for Jungian Depth psychology, connected with psychodelics, earth based traditions, verdanta yoga, hero's journey, somatics, stoicism and the healing power of nature. I reconnected with myths, poetry, tarot, dream work and art!
The way I work is a testamony to my hard-won-experience, decades of expertise drawn from therapeutic modalities, ecoteric practices and research. I believe in the union of mind, body and spirit and when we pay attention to our direct experience we grow, transform and heal.​
professional bio
BSc MSc. Chartered Psychol.;
Clinical hypno.; Dip Counsel.
Diagnosed with panic attacks from early childhood, my sensitivity to the world became a burden. I pursued a career in psychology, a naive attempt to fix myself. Passionate about my discipline I trained extensively drawing from a wide range of modalities; relational depth (PCT); personality, parts and shadow work (Carl Jung); rational emotive behavioural (Ellis); behavoural strengths (Padesky); clinical hypnosis (Erikson). I developed a good reputation in I have been in demand globally as a teacher and facilitator of transformational experiences. A long time team member of world renowned Professor Chris Parker's of IMD Business School consulting group I worked with global leaders and their teams. I've managed my therapeutic-coaching practice for sixteen years.
personal
From childhood this world always felt too much. I felt too much. I picked up the message that I needed to adjust myself to please the world. I learnt to mask who I was, 'faking it,' to 'make it.' Life became shiny on the outside, painful inside.
Age 21, I was diagnosed with a personality disorder. This medical diagnosis placed me into a system that compared, measured and labelled me, yet was shamefully ill-equipped to provide any solution. Treatment actually made things worse. An ADHD diagnosis later in life felt scary. I continued to mask.
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Unfortunatley our biology doesn't do faking and sooner or later living this way our unlived life will assert itself with physical, psychological and spiritual symptoms. This happened to me.
This experience became my reckoning, an initiation, my invitation to stop the pretence and BE WHO I ALREADY AM. The scaffolding of my life is facing myself each morning on my yoga mat. I have learnt to feel safe in my body, focus my attention and re-discover the quiet unshakeable part of me...my unstoried higher self.
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Today life is imbued with serenity, wonder and magic. I no longer seek approval as I am clear about what's important and what makes me feel alive. I try to make choices that really matter. A city dweller all of my life I recently became an empty nestor and moved to the Scottish Highlands next to a loch.