Mary Tuohy

While going through a tough time in my life, struggling to cope with the unexpected, a friend introduced me to The Work and Byron Katie. At first I remember feeling resistance as I didn’t like the thought of having to “work” on something when I already was finding life challenging.

I also found myself quite justified in how I was feeling and quite critical of how I was coping, thinking here I was a person with a background and wealth of experience in working with people in crisis, family breakdown, child neglect / abuse, grief and loss in my years as a Social Worker. And yet I was stuck in a negative place and unable to shift out of it.

I found myself experiencing a huge questioning of myself—who am I? Compounded by the fact that I had taken a career break for a long period to care full time for my children, I began to question life’s purpose and I found myself lost and moving further away from happiness and generally at war with reality.

It was at my first School for The Work that I really experienced the power of The Work and the power of learning that I can question my thinking. The freedom I experienced was so amazing.

I realized I had lost so much of myself and I was living my life as a version of me I didn’t like—in fear of the future and in a constant state of conflict, of self-blaming, blaming others—God and the Universe. At times I was believing my happiness relied on how others perceived me, seeking their approval and appreciation rather than finding it for myself. Doing The Work was the beginning of an amazing journey of gentle unravelling and deep conscious awareness.

The Work has enabled me peace and joy in knowing “I don’t have to believe everything I think”. I can always question my thinking and get close to the uncomfortable thought and feeling I sometimes experience and ask it what it has to say to me, what is it I need in any given moment. Through doing The Work on a daily basis and with many different facilitators I have learned the power of being present with me, slowing things down, noticing any upset that arises—calling my attention, calling me home to me.

The Work has enabled me to find peace and happiness. It has brought me to incredible places. Meeting amazing people along the way and a beautiful meeting of myself. It has supported me to be a much better human being, partner in my marriage, and mother to my three children.

My background includes social work. Working in areas such as oncology, grief and loss, children and families, adolescents, and people in crisis.

More recently I Certified as an Executive Life Coach.

I am available to give workshops and private sessions either in person/phone or Skype. It would be a joy to share and do The Work with you. Please reach out, send me a message.

Let the journey begin …

What you really want for yourself is always trying to break through, just as a cooling breeze flows through an open window on a hot day. Your part is to open the windows of your mind.
—Vernon Howard