About me
Thanks for clicking in. I'm Maria - a neurodivergent (ASC and ADHD/AuDHD) affirming couples and individual therapist.
Resonance Counselling is a space where difficult or confusing experiences can begin to make sense, especially when you have spent a long time feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, or “different” without fully understanding why.
Many of the people I work with come to therapy carrying anxiety, chronic self-criticism, emotional exhaustion, or a sense of not quite fitting in. For some, this becomes clearer following a late ADHD or autism diagnosis, or through beginning to recognise patterns of masking, overwhelm, or relational stress that have been present for many years.
At the heart of my approach is the idea of resonance — the experience of feeling genuinely heard, understood, and emotionally met. I believe therapy is most helpful when you do not have to translate or minimise your experience, but instead can begin to explore it in a way that feels safe, steady, and meaningful.
I am an integrative psychotherapist, drawing from person-centred, psychodynamic, and cognitive behavioural approaches. This means we can work both with your present-day difficulties and the deeper patterns that may be shaping how you relate to yourself and others. I adapt how I work to each person, rather than applying a fixed model, with the therapeutic relationship at the centre of the process.
I have a particular interest in working with neurodivergent adults, including ADHD and autistic individuals, especially where diagnosis has come later in life or is still being explored. Many clients describe experiences of masking, feeling misunderstood in relationships or education, burnout, and long-standing self-doubt shaped by environments that did not fit their needs. My practice is neurodiversity-affirming, meaning I work with neurodivergence as a valid and meaningful difference, not something to be corrected.
Alongside this, I also work with trauma, grief, anxiety, low mood, relationship difficulties, and life transitions. I am particularly interested in how early relational experiences and repeated emotional patterns can continue to shape how we see ourselves, often outside of conscious awareness.
Therapy with me is not about being given advice or being told what to do. It is a collaborative process where we explore what has been difficult, make sense of patterns together, and create space for change that feels authentic and sustainable for you.
If this resonates with you, you are very welcome to get in touch to arrange an initial session or ask any questions before deciding whether therapy with me feels right for you.
Training, qualifications & experience
Experience
NHS secondary care
Complex mental health and psychological problems. I worked for the NHS in the psychological care team for 2 years.
Criminal Justice System
25 years in the criminal justice sector (domestic abuse specialism; child protection, sexual abuse, family court systems - safeguarding and social services connection)
Relate
Couples therapy including intimate and non-intimate relationships. Systemic and relationally trained. 4 years at Relate North and East London.
Other therapeutic roles include:
Helen Rollason Cancer Centre
Children & young people's counselling service (CYPCS)
Private Practice - 8 years
Safelives (domestic abuse)
Qualifications
Degrees
- Doctorate Counselling Psychology & Psychotherapy by Professional Studies
- Post Graduate Clinical Diploma Integrative Psychotherapy
- MSc Psychology
- MA Psychotherapy
- BSc Criminology
Diplomas
- 2 X Diploma Counselling & Psychotherapy
- Relational & Systemic Diploma
Certifications
- Couples Counselling Certificate
- EMDR certificate
- Autism and Mental Health Certificate
- Supervision certificate
Member organisations
school Registered / Accredited
Being registered/accredited with a professional body means an individual must have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by their member organisation.
The UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) is a leading professional body for the education, training and regulation of psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors. Its register is accredited by the government's Professional Standards Authority.
As part of its commitment to protect the public, it works to improve access to psychotherapy, to support and disseminate research, to improve standards and to respond effectively to complaints against its members.
UKCP standards cover the range of different psychotherapies. Registration is obtained by training or accrediting with one of its member organisations, or by holding a European Certificate in Psychotherapy. Accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
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
Therapies offered
Fees
£75.00 per session
Concessions offered for
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
Individual Session fee is £75 for 50-minutes
Couples/relationships are £90 per 60-minutes
I offer sessions online and/or in-person (if applicable), and work with adults seeking both short-term and longer-term therapy depending on your needs.
Availability is updated regularly, and I will always let you know if I have space or if there is a short waiting period.
I offer a brief introductory contact before booking, so you can get a sense of whether working together feels right for you without pressure or obligation.
- Individual session (50 minutes) £75
- Couples/Relationships (60 Minutes) £90
- Introductory Session (15 Minutes) Free Concessions My ethos is that good therapeutic support is something that should be open to everyone. Whilst being a therapist is a career choice - it's also a role that allows me to choose people at a humanist level. On this basis, I give back. I recognise my privilege and extend an invitation to those needing mental health support to reach out to me, regardless of your individual situation. In other words - speak to me. My concessionary fees are offered as standard where the following circumstances apply:
- Low income
- Student
- Erratic income streams
- Pensioners
- Emergency Service Workers (Police, Fire, Ambulance)
- Volunteers
