Ann Marie Cunningham

Ann Marie is an extraordinary therapist and true catalyst for change. This past year, her deep insight, compassion, and steady guidance have transformed my life. My career, relationships, and...

Ann Marie is an extraordinary therapist and true catalyst for change. This past year, her deep insight, compassion, and steady guidance have transformed my life. My career, relationships, and overall approach to living have upgraded dramatically from just one year ago. She creates a safe space where I can be fully vulnerable, gently helping me unpack painful patterns with clarity and care. These sessions have kept me grounded while propelling me toward my dreams. It's been life changing to find someone I can rely on to navigate complex and heavy situations in my life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Ann Marie!

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In short, whilst I appreciated the bit about nervous system regulation we did during the session, I overall found Ann-Marie to be extraordinarily insensitive and the session could have been...

In short, whilst I appreciated the bit about nervous system regulation we did during the session, I overall found Ann-Marie to be extraordinarily insensitive and the session could have been actually harmful, had I not have the ability to advocate for myself. I booked an urgent session following an acute family trauma. I submitted a detailed intake form explaining exactly what had happened and what I needed, which was help preventing the event from becoming entrenched trauma. Within the first few minutes of me opening up about what had happened, visibly distressed and crying, Ann Marie's very first intervention was to ask about my medication history, implying it may have played a role in my reaction in this context. When I challenged this, she reframed it as standard EMDR intake procedure, but the timing and tone felt like my experience was being pathologised rather than heard. A significant portion of the session was spent with me having to advocate for myself and redirect the conversation back to what I'd clearly stated I needed. When I gave her honest feedback that the session was making me feel more triggered rather than safer, she responded with "that's very courageous," which felt like a therapeutic reframe of my criticism rather than actually taking it on board. Thankfully the final third of the session included some genuinely useful nervous system regulation work. However, when I asked about next steps for processing the actual traumatic event, her suggestion was learning conflict resolution skills, which in the context of what I'd described (reactive abuse, not a mutual disagreement) felt deeply misattuned. Ann Marie has extensive credentials and clearly significant experience. However, based on this session, I would not describe her approach as trauma-informed in practice. If you are in acute distress and need someone who can meet you where you are without needing to be coached into doing so, I would look elsewhere. A less self-advocating client could leave this kind of session feeling worse.

Ann Marie Cunningham commented

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. I am sorry that aspects of our first session felt insensitive or did not feel as supportive as you had hoped.

As your assessment had only been completed shortly before our appointment, I gave careful consideration to the information you had shared and appropriately sought clarification where I considered this clinically relevant. My intention throughout was to meet you where you were, working carefully and responsively, with safety and your wellbeing at the centre.

When you shared that you were struggling with the direction of the session, I heard this and adjusted our focus, continually checking your experience as we worked together. My immediate focus was nervous system regulation and restoring a sense of safety within yourself before deeper processing.

I am pleased that you found the nervous system regulation work genuinely useful, and following our session I provided the resources we had discussed. I also invited you to book another session and would have been very pleased to continue this work with you.

I respect your experience of our first meeting and wish you very well.

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Amazing experience. Ann Marie delivers results and she is so knowledgeable. There is no end to how she can bring out the best in me. Highly recommend to anyone interested in self-improvement.

Amazing experience. Ann Marie delivers results and she is so knowledgeable. There is no end to how she can bring out the best in me. Highly recommend to anyone interested in self-improvement.

I have been seeing Ann-Marie for almost four years. She has helped me through two deeply traumatic situations, countless personal and professional challenges, various highs and lows. Her support is...

I have been seeing Ann-Marie for almost four years. She has helped me through two deeply traumatic situations, countless personal and professional challenges, various highs and lows. Her support is unparalleled: not just because of the breadth of her skills as a psychotherapist, coach and NLP/RTT and EMDR specialist, but also because of the authenticity, wit, honesty and humour that she brings to every session. Put very simply, having Ann-Marie to support me makes me a better human. She has taught - and continues to teach - me so much, while also showing me how to trust and listen to myself. I will be eternally grateful for having met you Ann-Marie, and for all that you do for me, and so many of us. Thank you!

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