Maria Russo
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
If you feel stressed, anxious, have relationship issues at times, have been feeling worse recently or are subject to bullying, domestic violence, or any kind of physical or emotional abuse and would you like to share your worries and concerns, you can talk to me in confidence and without judgment.
My approach is Humanistic Counselling based on Transactional Analysis (TA), combining characteristics typical of Person Centred therapies (e.g. empathy, unconditional positive regard, and congruence) with techniques used to examine human behaviour through the analysis of social transactions. It categorises these transactions into three ego states—Parent, Adult, and Child.
Through counselling, I can help you to understand how your interactions and communication patterns are and have been influenced by these internal ego states, come to terms with emotions, behaviours or other issues troubling you and find ways to improve your life and develop more effective interpersonal relationships.
My name is Maria, a fully qualified counsellor (BA Hons) and an Accredited practitioner (MBACP (Accred)) providing counselling and psychotherapy to young people (16 years+), individuals and couples on a variety of issues:
- anxiety
- depression
- stress
- conflict resolution
- panic attacks
- post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- phobias
- low self-esteem
- rape or sexual abuse
- anger management
- manic depression
- bullying and domestic violence
- self-harm
- sexual orientation
- relationship counselling
- couple counselling
- affairs and betrayals
- separation and divorce
- trauma
- addictions
- bipolar disorders
- eating disorders
- disability
- toxic relationships counselling
I provide specialist support to survivors of rape and sexual abuse during their healing process and have specific experience working with young people age 16-24.
I offer a safe, calm and compassionate environment, where you and I talk freely without being judged or criticised. I will help you to understand what is happening and why, explore and interpret the underlying causes. Together we will examine ways to deal with the issues and move forward. It is a joint effort where we work to overcome your difficult times and achieve long term positive changes in your life.
In addition to my private practice, I was a member of The Eaves Counselling and Psychological Services in Surrey and worked as assessor at the Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre in Guildford to deliver short term solution focused counselling for the NHS IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) department in Surrey prior to moving to Cambridge.
I offer you:
- A passionate focus in helping you to achieve you best potential
- A realistic approach on searching for long term solutions whilst achieving measurable results as quickly as possible
- A supportive attitude where you and I work together in partnership to achieve change
- A commitment to using tools and therapeutic approaches tailored to suit your specific situations
- Flexible schedule, to fit your individual needs. Timing and locations of the therapy sessions will be agreed and can be adapted as your needs change
- An enthusiastic qualified therapist interested in continuous learning.
I can provide a flexible schedule, including evenings, on line or face to face supporting Cambridge city, Girton, Arbury, Chesterton, Milton, Histon and areas around Cambridge such as Madingley, Bar Hill, Northstowe.
You can contact me via Email: sunshinecounsellinguk@outlook.com or on 07816517913 to discuss your needs.
How I work
Transactional Analysis (Berne, 1910-1970) is the main theory supporting my therapeutic approach, “a theory of personality and a systematic psychotherapy for personal growth and personal change” (Stewart & Joines, 1997).
TA is a talking therapy where sessions are used to explore your personality and how your experiences, especially in childhood, shaped it.
TA is recognised as a modern form of psychology that incorporates elements of humanistic, person centred, integrative, psychodynamic therapies into a very versatile therapy that can help on a vast range of issues and problems, in treatment of all types of mental health disorders, from everyday living problems to severe issues.
You and I would work directly on here and now, addressing communication issues and solving problematic behaviours, helping you to find solution with the ultimate goal to ensure you regain absolute autonomy over your life.
I combine TA with the Re-decision therapy (Goulding & Goulding, 1917-1992) in a hybrid of Gestalt and TA that helps clients achieve a change in emotions and behaviours that counteract old decisions.
I use a variety of tools and creative techniques to help you to improve your life and to live it more fully.
Training, qualifications & experience
I am an Accredited member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (MBACP (Accred)) and of the Hampshire Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (HACP).
I hold a BA (Hons) Degree in Humanistic Counselling based on Transactional Analysis course, accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and validated by the University of Middlesex, as well as a Foundation Degree in Humanistic Counselling based on Transactional Analysis, accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and validated by the University of Middlesex
My approach is Humanistic, Person Centred, Gestalt, Psychodynamic, I specialise and particularly focus on Transactional Analysis.
I also hold the following certificates:
- L2 Certificate in Introduction to Counselling (CPCAB)
- L2 Certificate in Counselling Skills (CPCAB)
- L3 Certificate in Counselling Studies (CPCAB)
- Certificate of Transactional Analysis 101 from ITA(Institute of Transactional Analysis)
I hold a Diploma in Psychology of Human Development.
I have worked for an organisation that helps homeless young people and am currently supporting survivors of rape and sexual abuse and domestic violence.
I can work in English and Italian language.
The ethical guidelines that underpin my work are defined by the BACP (http://www.bacp.co.uk/about_bacp/).
I am committed to improving the quality of my service by attending regular one to one or group supervision sessions and participating regularly to specific workshops and training courses.
The Continual Professional Development workshops attended are the following:
- Animal Assisted Therapy(AAT) on going
- Attachment and Loss
- Bereavement
- Body Psychotherapy Dissociation
- Companion Animal loss
- Domestic Abuse
- Drugs and Alcohol Abuse
- Loss and Grief
- Mental Health Awareness
- Psychosexual Therapy
- Working Creatively
- Working with Suicide and Self Harm
- Working with Shame
- Trauma
- Group Therapy
- working On Line
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.
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
Couple counselling
Relationship counselling
Fees
£60.00 - £100.00
Free initial telephone session
Concessions offered for
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
Fees (depending on time and location)
On Line
Monday to Friday 10 am - 5 pm
60 GBP Individual Counselling
85 GBP Couple Counselling
Evenings
65 GBP Individual Counselling
90 GBP Couple Counselling
Face to Face
Monday to Friday 10 am - 5pm
75 GBP Individual Counselling
100 GBP Couple Counselling
When I work
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weekdays 10 am to 8 pm
Further information
The number of sessions I offer depends on the individual needs. This can be discussed and agreed in the first session.
Concessions can be agreed in special circumstances.
