Meet Marie
I'm Marie Fitzpatrick, a UKCP-accredited Gestalt Psychotherapist, Supervisor and Trainer based in West Bridgford, Nottingham.
Before becoming a psychotherapist, I spent many years working professionally in dance, movement and higher education. Those experiences continue to shape the way I work today. They taught me to appreciate the intelligence of the body, the importance of creativity, and the value of slowing down enough to notice what is happening beneath the surface.
My journey into psychotherapy began through my own experience of being a client. During a particularly challenging period of my life, therapy helped me navigate the impact of a relationship breakdown, questions of identity and a loss of direction. That experience gave me a deep appreciation of how difficult it can be to ask for help, and how important it is to find a therapist with whom you feel safe enough to begin. It continues to inform the compassion, respect and understanding I bring to my work today.
My professional journey
Alongside my private practice, I have spent more than 27 years working in higher education as an educator, researcher and academic leader. Most recently, I was Programme Leader for the MSc Integrative Psychotherapy programme at Sherwood Psychotherapy Training Institute, supporting trainee psychotherapists throughout their professional development. Working alongside students, academics and fellow professionals over many years has given me a deep understanding of the pressures many people experience within education, healthcare and other helping professions, as well as the challenges of balancing professional responsibilities with personal wellbeing. It has also strengthened my belief that growth becomes possible when people feel genuinely supported, understood and encouraged to discover their own way forward.
Since first practising as a therapist in 2017, I have worked with adults from a wide range of backgrounds across the voluntary sector, the NHS and private practice. Earlier in my career, I volunteered as a counsellor with Nottingham Counselling Service, a BACP-accredited organisation, an experience that reinforced my commitment to providing thoughtful, compassionate and accessible therapy. While people come to therapy for many different reasons, I have particular experience supporting those living with the effects of trauma, identity questions, loneliness, belonging, grief, loss and significant life transitions.
Therapy is a collaborative process
Above all, I see therapy as a collaborative process. I don't believe I have all the answers about your life. Instead, I bring my experience, curiosity and presence alongside your own knowledge of yourself. Together, we create a space where you can explore your experience more deeply, discover new perspectives, and begin to make choices that feel more authentic and more fully your own.