Gillian Barden
Trauma Informed Coach
Specializing in Shadow Work, Sobriety
& nervous system integration
My work sits at the intersection of psychology, somatics, & soul.
blending evidence based methods
(polyvagal theory, Internal Parts Work somatic practices)
with the depth traditions of archetype, ritual, and spiritual intelligence.
My Initiation
My work is deeply informed by my own journey through grief, addiction, and recovery.
I learned firsthand that when you remove alcohol or substances, everything you've been avoiding comes up full force to be felt - more of a tsunami than a tidal wave.
Sobriety became the gateway through which I integrated intergenerational trauma and rebuilt my relationship with myself from the ground up. That journey was my initiation into nervous system repair, shadow work, and crossing thresholds. I hold space as someone who has come out the other side.
Being Irish, I come from a long line of alchemists. In this lifetime, I carry both the responsibility and the privilege of transcending inherited patterns into generational power - awareness of the gifts we were passed down and celebrating how they live on in us.
I facilitate navigating the threshold: the crossing between darkness and light, when it's time to shed the old self you've outgrown but the new one hasn't yet formed. This is where I meet people. I will ask questions while you light up and curate the path.
How I Work
One of the pillars of coaching is understanding that we can never truly help someone by stepping in to fix or advise. It is through inquiry - asking questions rather than offering solutions - that answers from deeper parts unfold. That is where the magic resides. I meet you where you are. I listen to all parts. I ask questions with curiosity, using a diverse toolkit, with the privilege of being a witness to your transformation. We identify unconscious programming and rewrite it with awareness and intention.
What's Next
I hold an MA in Community Development, an ICF-accredited coaching certification, and I am completing an MSc in Psychology with modules in behavioral neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and trauma integration. I am excited to explore further study into the resilience of indigenous communities. I consider myself a lifelong learner and student of transformation.
If you are standing at a threshold and ready to do the work, I would be honored to facilitate and witness your transformation.
Qualifications
Executive, Business & Personal Coaching Certification
Irish Lifecoach Institute
Accredited by the International Coaching Federation
Certificate in Toxicology & Detoxification Science
The Health Sciences Academy
Accredited by the CPD
MA Community Development
BA Political Science, Sociology & Philosophy
National University of Ireland, Galway
MSc of Psychology Arden University, UK
Behavioural Neuroscience
Social Psychology
Research Methods
Currently completing:
Cognitive Psychology
Lifespan Development
Individual Differences & Mental Health
Thesis
The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are
Carl Jung