Michaela McCarthy

Michaela McCarthy is the Founder and Managing Director of The Awareness Centre and The Awareness Centre Training School. Having worked extensively as a qualified and accredited counsellor, psychotherapist and supervisor within the private, voluntary and NHS sectors, she opened her first London counselling centre in Clapham in 2005, realising her dream to create an organisation incorporating the wealth of her personal and professional experience that would make therapy accessible to all who want to embark on a journey of self-discovery and change.

View details of Michaela McCarthy’s Private Practice

WIMPOLE STREET

In 2019 Michaela opened her second centre in Tooting. With the support of an experienced and dedicated team, she has developed The Awareness Centre into one of London’s leading providers of safe, confidential counselling and psychotherapy services.

Michaela’s passion for making therapy accessible led her to offer placement opportunities at The Awareness Centre to counselling and psychotherapy students working towards qualification and accreditation, developing their clinical experience, and preparing them for employment or working in private practice. The Awareness Centre now runs one of the largest counselling placement schemes in the UK and provides placements within their NHS and low cost counselling services.

The Awareness Centre is contracted by the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) and by the South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust (SWLSTG) and we see patients who are registered with a GP in Lambeth, Sutton and Wandsworth.

In 2020, Michaela founded TAC Training School, bringing together a dynamic team of highly experienced tutors to deliver counselling and supervision training and equip students with all the skills and experience they need to succeed in their careers as counsellors, therapists and clinical supervisors.

Michaela continues to work with individuals and couples at her private practice in Wimpole Street, Marylebone.

Michaela’s background

Michaela was born in the UK and is of second-generation Irish heritage. As a child, she was always fascinated by human behaviour. Before training as a therapist, Michaela worked extensively in business.

Thirty years ago, Michaela found herself unsatisfied with life and realised she had somehow lost her direction and passion. Her response was to enter therapy to explore her issues and embark upon a journey of self-discovery, which included 27 years of individual and group therapy, as well as self-development support groups and exploring spirituality. As Michaela began to reflect on her feelings, values and belief, she decided to train as a therapist, which led to her opening The Awareness Centre.

“I believe that somewhere inside us all we know what we need and how to get it. We all possess an inner life force, urging us to develop and grow. To be alive is to move and change, it is an ongoing process.”

MICHAELA MCCARTHY