Paula

With a deep-rooted passion for improving mental health and wellbeing, Paula Shields has worked internationally in the behavioural healthcare field for over 20 years in a variety of roles utilising therapeutic modalities and coaching in her client-facing work.

Paula is trained in Cognitive Behavioural Coaching (CBC) approaches, as well as Positive Psychology and Solution-Focused Coaching. She utilizes a range of techniques relevant to the stage of the recovery process a person is at, from initial conceptualization through to recovery goal-clarification, ongoing commitments, and subsequent post-session experiences. Her experiences working in the field drew her to further study in more specialised therapeutic approaches in trauma treatment (EMDR, Advanced Training for Trauma Treatment and Complex PTSD, the Neuroscience of Attachment and DBT).

She has a humanistic person-centred approach. She understands recovery work as an experiential, dynamic interaction between both her as the professional and you as the client. She approaches her work in a highly experienced relational manner, with directness, clarity, and transparency. Together, she works with people to co-create new possibilities in recovery, through increasing self-awareness and developing a sense of self-efficacy and responsiveness to life.

In addition to being a humanist, she loves being outdoors walking with her two Thai rescue dogs. She also enjoys cooking, curry is a top favourite, and watching old movies. She has very recently begun to play golf, and although still at the novice stage, is managing to get some balls in the air and close to the hole.