About me
Psychotherapist & Couples Therapist | Attachment, Trauma & Neurodiversity📍 Manchester M21 & M20
About me
When you know something needs to change, but you're not quite sure how
Perhaps you're feeling anxious, overwhelmed or stuck. Maybe you're struggling in your relationships, finding yourself repeating patterns you don't understand, or feeling that the ways you've learned to cope aren't working for you anymore.
You may already have a good understanding of yourself, but still find yourself caught in familiar cycles — overthinking, people-pleasing, withdrawing, becoming overwhelmed, losing yourself in relationships, struggling with boundaries, or finding it difficult to understand what you really need.
Sometimes we know that something isn't quite right without knowing exactly what needs to change.
Therapy can provide a space to slow things down, make sense of what's happening and begin to understand the patterns underneath it.
I'm Maria, a psychotherapist based in Chorlton and Didsbury, Manchester. I work with adults and couples who want to understand themselves more deeply, make sense of difficult experiences and relationships, and create meaningful and sustainable change.
I have a particular interest in attachment, relationship difficulties, childhood and relational trauma, ADHD and neurodiversity. I am LGBTQIA+ and neuro-affirming.
How I work
I believe therapy works best when it is collaborative. You are the expert in your own experience, and my role is to help you explore what is happening with curiosity, compassion and without judgement.
I draw on Transactional Analysis, attachment-based, relational and psychodynamic approaches, alongside mindfulness and other integrative techniques. Rather than trying to fit you into one particular model, I tailor our work to you and to what you want to achieve.
We may explore what is happening in your life now, as well as experiences from earlier in life that may have influenced how you see yourself, relate to others and respond when things feel difficult.
A particular focus of my work is helping people recognise recurring patterns. Perhaps you keep ending up in similar relationships, find yourself taking too much responsibility for other people's feelings, become overwhelmed by conflict, or struggle to ask for what you need.
Understanding these patterns can create more choice. The aim isn't simply to understand why you are the way you are, but to help you develop greater freedom in how you respond and relate.
I offer a warm, respectful and non-judgemental space where you don't need to have everything figured out before you arrive.
Attachment, trauma and relationships
Our early experiences can influence the ways we understand ourselves and connect with other people. Sometimes ways of being that were useful at one point in our lives can become painful or limiting later on.
I have a particular interest in attachment and relational trauma and have undertaken additional training in both trauma and relational trauma.
Therapy can be a place to explore experiences that may still be affecting you, while paying attention to what feels manageable and appropriate for you. We don't have to rush into difficult material before you are ready.
Neurodiversity and ADHD
I offer a neuro-affirming approach to working with ADHD and neurodiversity.
For some people, discovering that they are neurodivergent can bring a mixture of relief, understanding and new questions. It can also lead to a re-evaluation of past experiences, relationships and ways of coping.
Therapy can provide space to explore these experiences without treating neurodivergence itself as something that needs to be 'fixed'.
I completed the following additional training with Aspire Autism Consultancy:
- A neuro-affirming approach to working with Autistic Clients (2026)
- ADHD in the Therapy Room: A Neuro-Affirming Approach (2025)
- Working with neurodiverse couples (2026)
Couples therapy
Relationships can become stuck in patterns that are difficult to change, even when both people care deeply about one another.
You may find that the same arguments keep happening, that you struggle to feel heard or understood, or that you have become disconnected from one another. Differences around communication, emotional needs, intimacy or neurodiversity can also place strain on a relationship.
I work with couples to understand the dynamics between you rather than simply deciding who is right or wrong.
I offer both a more open, exploratory approach to couples work and Imago Relationship Therapy, which provides a more structured framework for understanding relationship patterns and developing greater empathy and connection.
For couples who are neurodiverse, I can also bring my additional training in working with neurodiverse couples into our sessions.
My experience and qualifications
I have six years' experience as a psychotherapist and over 2,500 client hours.
I am educated to MA level in Transactional Analysis from an Integrative Perspective and draw on my academic training alongside my practical experience.
My additional training includes:
- The Reality of Working with Trauma — Theres Fickl
- Working with Relational Trauma — Carolyn Spring
- Working with Disorganised Attachment - Carolyn Spring
I am a member of the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP) and work within its ethical framework.
Taking the first step
Choosing a therapist can feel like a big step, particularly if you've never had therapy before.
You don't need to know exactly what is wrong, have the right words to describe it, or know which type of therapy you need.
Before your first session, I offer a brief (free) telephone or video conversation. This gives us both an opportunity to get a sense of whether we might be a good fit and for you to ask any questions about how I work.
If you'd like to explore working together, you're very welcome to get in touch.
Sessions
I offer individual therapy and couples therapy, both in person in Chorlton/Didsbury and online.
- Individual sessions are £55 for 50 minutes.
- Couples sessions are £70 for 50 minutes.
Training, qualifications & experience
A psychotherapist with five years of experience in the field and over 2000 client hours, I am educated to MA level in Transactional Analysis from an Integrative Perspective. In my work, I combine academic knowledge with practical expertise to provide effective therapeutic interventions.
Additional training
The Reality of Working with Trauma Cert (with Theres Fickl) - Nov 2022
Working with Relational Trauma Cert (with Carolyn Spring) - Oct 2024
ADHD in the Therapy Room - A neuro-affirming approach Cert (Aspire Training) - Nov 2025
Working with neurodiverse couples Cert (Aspire Training) - Jan 2026
Member organisations
BACP is one of the UK’s leading professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy with around 60,000 members. The Association has several different categories of membership, including Student Member, Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP, Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Accred) and Senior Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Snr Acccred). Registered and accredited members are listed on the BACP Register, which shows that they have demonstrated BACP’s recommended standards for training, proficiency and ethical practice. The BACP Register was the first register of psychological therapists to be accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA). Accredited and senior accredited membership are voluntary categories for members who choose to undertake a rigorous application and assessment process to demonstrate additional standards around practice, training and supervision. Individual members will have completed an appropriate counselling or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but they won’t appear on the BACP Register until they've demonstrated that they meet the standards for registration. Student members are still in the process of completing their training. All members are bound by the BACP Ethical Framework and a Professional Conduct Procedure.
Accredited register membership
The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Other areas of counselling I deal with
I have a particular interest in attachment, relationship issues, childhood trauma, and neurodiversity and have extensive experience in working with these issues.
Therapies offered
Photos & videos
Fees
£55.00 - £70.00
Additional information
Individual fee: £55/ 50 minute session
Couples fee: £70/ 50 minute session
Before the first session, I ask that clients have a Zoom or telephone call with me so that I may assess our suitability to work together. This is also your opportunity to assess whether I am the right therapist for you.
During the first session, we will go through a series of admin questions and questions about your general health, well-being and family history. The rest of the session is for you to talk about what has bought you to therapy, and ask me any questions about the way I work.
When I work
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