Brendan Mooney (BA, MA, PG. Dip) is a psychotherapist and chaplain at a UK Hospice. He has over thirty years’ experience working with people with emotional, psychological and spiritual care needs within children and families services, adult mental health services, adult forensic services and hospice and palliative care services. His educational background includes a BA in Social Work, an MA in Pastoral Theology and Post Graduate training in counselling and psychotherapy, including specialist trauma therapy. Brendan is an ongoing student of Shamanic studies through the UK Sacred Trust. He has worked within the NHS, statutory and voluntary sectors including St Christopher’s Hospice, London, and the NSPCC, a leading UK child protection charity. He is accredited with the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and a registered member of the UK Board of Healthcare Chaplains.
Brendan is ordained within the Open Episcopal Church, a modern, liberal spiritual community within the Christian tradition committed to unconditional love, service and multi-faith friendship and collaboration. He is committed to Interspirituality which relates to the contemplative, meditative, and mystical dimensions of spirituality. Interspirituality, recognises that many religious and indigenous traditions throughout the world possess profound insights into how we can grow more intimately into a consciousness of Love. Brendan recognises the reality of the noosphere postulated by biogeochemist Vladimir Vernadsky and philosopher and Jesuit priest Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. The noosphere is a field of mind generated by human collective consciousness that is interwoven with conscious evolution of life on Earth. It is a matrix of consciousness that envelopes the Earth. In essence, humanity’s personal and planetary development are inseparable. Humanity are one evolving species.
So, why is he writing a blog about the spirit of humanity?
Brendan is interested in belief and systems and the conscious evolution of humanity. Organised religion has been responsible both for great good and terrible suffering throughout history. As a priest and psychotherapist the latter concerns him greatly. The psychiatrist, psychologist and spiritual teacher, Carl Gustav Jung ( 26 July 1875 – 6 June 1961) underscored the importance of individuals and systems undertaking shadow work to heal their deep potential for causing harm and suffering to others and the ecosystem.
Why is shadow work important? Jung taught that what is unconscious and repressed will manifest itself in harmful projections. Systems of religion, law, economics and conglomerates and corporate institutions, have through the unexamined shadow behaved in many harmful ways towards humanity: through gaslighting; the exploitation of vulnerable men, women and children (within religion this has been especially notable of clergy and spiritual gurus) and through violence, domination and psychological coercion. The unconscious, unprocessed shadow, within systems of unchecked power (strengthened by dominant patriarchal ideologies) have caused harm to vulnerable communities and individuals. The zeitgeist of the age through important social movements is challenging the authority of self-serving, patriarchal religious and corporate institutions. These movements include social justice, ecological, feminist, LGBTQ, indigenous and human rights movements.
There is also another influence which is shaking the foundations of failing religious systems and ideologies: the emergence of the divine feminine in spiritual consciousness. This emergence is offering spirituality a compassionate, enriching and transformative paradigm which is a much needed balance to an exclusively masculine paradigm of spirituality. This divine feminine gift offers to open up our mystical depths and divinity more fully.
These rich and powerful themes will be very present and fully explored in his written and video recorded reflections. Thank you for reading so far. Namaste.
Qualifications
- Trauma Informed Mindfulness Teacher Training at Central England College and Mindfulness Now, Oxford, 2024
- Post Graduate Diploma in Trauma Therapy – Naos Institute, London; 2022
- Post Graduate Diploma in Compassion Focused Therapy – Birmingham University; 2018
- Post Graduate Diploma in Integrative Counselling, (BACP Accredited training) Inter-Psyche Training Institute, Kent; 2011
- Certificate in Systemic Therapy, (Couples) Birkbeck, University of London; 2010
- Masters Degree in Theology – dissertation specialism: The spiritual care needs of adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse – St Mary’s University, Twickenham; 2017
- BA (Hons) Social Work – dissertation specialism therapeutic work with adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse, Portsmouth University; 2004
- Advanced Diploma in Mental Health Social Work, Portsmouth University; 1999
- Social Work Practice Teaching Award, Bromley College of Higher Education: 1998
- Diploma in Social Work/Diploma in Higher Education, Brunel University, London; 1994
- Certificate in the Dynamic Psychology of Counselling, Lincoln Institute of Psychotherapy, London; 1991
- Diploma in Theology and Social Studies, Plater College, Oxford; 1988
Training in Spiritual Modalities
Shamanic Tradition
2010 -2011 – The Sacred Trust UK
Introduction to the Shamanic Pathway (2 days) 2010
Classical Shamanic Soul Retrieval (5 days) 2011
Classical Shamanic Psychopomp Training (2 days) 2011
Christian Tradition
Spiritual Healing in the Christian Tradition (3 days) with Fr Nicolas OSB at Douay Abbey 2013.
Contemplative Prayer – Fr Matthew McGettrick ODC (5 days) 2015
Research Dissertation for the MA Theology The spiritual care needs of adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse (1 years qualitative research and meta-analysis of other research sources) St Marys University; 2017
Continuing Professional Development
Mindfulness Now Teacher Training (5 days) April 2024
The Norfolk Hospice 8 week Mindfulness course September 21st – November 9th 2023 weeks, 16 Hours
Westminster Pastoral Foundation, London. The Dying Patient in Psychotherapy with Joy Schaverien on 13th May 2023 2.5 hours of Teaching, Discussion and Groupwork (online)
PESI UK Religious Trauma and Spiritual Abuse: Working with Survivors of Adverse Religious Experiences on Oct 17, 2023
The International College of Professional Celebrants: Five Day Residential Celebrant Training (Certificate of Completion) March 2022
Richman EMDR Training Ltd: Eye Movement and Desensitization and Reprocessing Training, 3 days, October 2021
Narrative Therapy (level 1) Institute of Narrative Therapy, 5 days, September, 2020
Polyvagal Theory, PESI UK, 2 days, 2020
How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness – Dr Peter Levine, 2019
In the autumn of 2024 I will begin professional training in Internal Family Systems Practice
