“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms - to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

— Viktor E. Frankl

A little bit about me and my practice…

Hello and welcome!

I’m 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, an approach that places you at the heart of the therapeutic process. I believe you are the best person to understand your own experience, and I will support you to explore what is happening in your life and what you might want to change, at a pace that feels right for you.

I also work within a pluralistic framework, which means that I can draw on a range of therapeutic approaches, depending on what feels most helpful for you. Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, we can work together to find a way of working that suits your individual needs and circumstances.

Most importantly, I believe that you come first. Our work will be collaborative and guided by what feels meaningful and useful to you. Together, we can explore what you are going through and consider what might help you move towards a life that feels more fulfilling and more authentic to you.

I am based in central Farnham and currently offer online counselling sessions via Zoom or FaceTime on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays to clients across the UK.

I am also affiliated with The Eaves Counselling and Psychological Services in Farnham town centre, within walking distance of Farnham train station and easily accessible from surrounding towns including Aldershot, Godalming, Alton, Haslemere, Guildford, Farnborough and Fleet.

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

Email me | Text me | Call me

Areas of interest and experience

I have a particular interest in working with neurodivergent adults, especially people with 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 supporting people experiencing low self-esteem or low self-confidence, and in supporting them to cultivate a more positive view of themselves, recognise their unique qualities, and gradually develop greater self-belief and self-acceptance.

I am also particularly interested in supporting people experiencing anxiety, depression and other mental health difficulties, as well as those who are struggling with Traumatic experiences from the past or present that continue to affect their lives in the here and now.

I believe that having a safe and accepting space to talk openly about what you are experiencing can be an important first step. Together, we can explore your thoughts, feelings and experiences, consider what may be keeping you stuck, and look at what changes might help you create a more meaningful and fulfilling life.

I have extensive experience working with adult and young adult clients aged 18+, presenting with a wide range of difficulties and life experiences, including:

Anxiety and social anxiety
Panic attacks
Autism and ADHD
Depression and persistent sadness
Low self-esteem and low self-confidence
Grief, loss and anticipatory grief
Identity and relationship issues
Family difficulties
Attachment issues
Lack of purpose and meaning
Life transitions and periods of change
Shame
Loneliness
Emotional abuse and neglect
Codependency
Self-harm
Death anxiety
Trauma and Complex PTSD

I have also worked long-term as a counsellor at a mental health-focused charity in Guildford, providing counselling and wellbeing support to people experiencing a wide range of mental health difficulties, from common mental health concerns through to more complex and severe difficulties.

The therapeutic relationship is important…

I believe that the relationship we develop in therapy is at the heart of the work. Research into psychotherapy consistently highlights the importance of the therapeutic relationship in supporting positive outcomes, alongside the particular therapeutic approach being used.

For me, this means creating a relationship in which you feel safe, heard, respected and accepted. You don't need to know exactly what you want to talk about before you come to therapy. You can bring whatever feels important to you — including thoughts, feelings or experiences that may be difficult to put into words.

My role is to listen carefully and without judgement, to help you make sense of your experiences and to support you in exploring what you might need at this point in your life.

Over time, our work may help you develop greater self-awareness, self-compassion and self-acceptance, while gaining a clearer understanding of yourself and the choices available to you.

Current session format

I currently offer online counselling sessions via secure video-conferencing platforms, including Zoom and FaceTime, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. I have some availability for both daytime and evening appointments.

If you are considering counselling and would like to find out a little more about how I work, please feel free to email, text or call me.

I offer a reduced-fee initial consultation of £45 for 50 minutes. This gives you an opportunity to tell me a little about what has brought you to counselling, ask any questions you may have and get a sense of whether you would feel comfortable working with me.

There is no pressure to make a decision straight away. Finding the right counsellor is an important individual choice, and our initial conversation can simply be an opportunity to see whether I might be the right person for you..