A little bit about me and my practice…

Hello and welcome!

I am Maria, a qualified counsellor and an Accredited Member of the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy). I am professionally trained in Humanistic/Existential counselling, which puts the client at the heart of the therapeutic work and encourages them to take the lead of the sessions, but I also incorporate a pluralistic framework in my work. This means that I can draw from several therapeutic modalities to better serve your individual needs.

I believe that your unique needs come first, and we can work together in a mutually agreed way, at a pace that suits you, so that we can find the best way forward for you.

My practice is based in central Farnham, and I am currently offering in-person counselling sessions on Thursdays and Fridays at The Eaves in Farnham town centre, walking distance from Farnham train station and easily accessible from the surrounding towns of Aldershot, Godalming, Alton, Haslemere, Guildford, Farnborough and Fleet. I also offer online counselling sessions throughout the week (Tue-Fri), via secure video platforms such as Zoom or FaceTime..

When you feel ready to take the first step, please do email, text, or call me to arrange a reduced-fee (£45) 50-minute initial consultation.

Areas of interest and experience

I have a keen interest in working with neurodivergent individuals (especially with people who have Autism and/or ADHD) and in helping them embrace their uniqueness and their distinctive strengths, as well as make the choices that could better serve their needs.

I also have a strong interest in working with people who experience low self-esteem/low self-confidence and in supporting them to cultivate a more positive view of themselves, identify their unique qualities, and grow their self-belief and self-acceptance.

Additionally, I have a special interest in helping people manage their mental health difficulties (such as: Anxiety, and Depression), and process Traumatic experiences both from the past and present, which may be affecting their lives in the here and now. I am passionate about enabling individuals to explore their thoughts and feelings and to examine what type of changes could improve their situation, as well as helping them accept all parts of themselves and create a meaningful life despite their struggles.

I have extensive experience in working with adult and young adult clients 18+, who present with a wide range of issues, including amongst others: Anxiety, social anxiety, panic attacks, neurodiversity (ASD, ADHD), depression, feeling sad, low self-esteem, low self-confidence, grief and loss, anticipatory grief, identity and relationship issues, family issues, attachment issues, lack of purpose and meaning, life transitions, shame, loneliness, physical and emotional abuse, emotional neglect, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, death anxiety, trauma and Complex PTSD. I have also successfully supported clients who experience more severe mental health difficulties, such as: Bipolar disorder, and Personality disorders.

I have had long term experience of working as a counsellor at a Mental Health-focused charity in Guildford, which provides counselling and wellbeing support to people who experience a wide range of both common and more severe mental health struggles.

The therapeutic relationship is important…

Research has shown that the most important factor for a positive therapeutic outcome is the quality of the therapeutic relationship and not the therapeutic modality per se. So, if you are looking for a warm, validating, and accepting therapeutic relationship, in which you can explore anything that is troubling you and causing you pain, you can reach out and we can work through life’s difficulties together.

I am here to actively listen to you, and to offer you a safe, supportive space where you will feel respected, valued and accepted, so you can develop self-compassion, self-acceptance and a stronger sense of self-awareness. Within the safety of our therapeutic relationship we can together explore your concerns and the choices/changes that you may wish to make at this point in your life.

Current session format

I am currently offering both remote counselling sessions via secure online video conferencing platforms, such as: Zoom or FaceTime throughout the week (Tue-Fri), and in-person counselling sessions on Thursdays and Fridays at The Eaves in Farnham, which is located in the centre of Farnham, on the Hart, just off of West Street, walking distance from Farnham train station.

Please feel free to email , text, or call me to arrange a reduced-fee (£45) 50-minute consultation, where I can answer any questions you may have, explain how we could approach our work, and where we can decide whether working together would be beneficial for you.

You can visit my BACP Directory profile here, as well as my Counselling Directory profile here.