Maria Michael

I currently have availability for weekly appointments together over Zoom or telephone on the following days and times:

Tuesday 3-6pm 

Wednesday 3-6pm

Thursday 3-6pm 

Each session costs £65.

I offer a reduced rate of £55 per session for students and counselling or psychotherapy trainees, however these spaces are limited. Please get in touch for further details or to discuss.

I am a Person-Centred counsellor working with individual adults aged 18 and over. At present I can work with you online or over the 'phone from anywhere in the UK and the EU.

We are shaped by our experiences, environment, and the choices that we make. Some things are in our control, others are not. These influences and how we respond to them affect how we are in ourselves and with others. I understand from experience that it is sometimes easier to talk about matters with someone independent.

What I provide is a welcoming, confidential space where I will come alongside you to understand your perspective and what you are going through.

I offer you an accepting environment where we can speak plainly. My hope is that you can feel safe to be open and bring every aspect of yourself, which I understand can be a vulnerable experience.

I have among other issues, experience of working with bereavement, loss, relationship matters, anxiety, historic abuse and work-related issues.

In my work as a counsellor (and in various roles working with young people), I have supported individuals from a range of ages and backgrounds. I have found that being with someone and meeting in our shared human experience whilst acknowledging our differences can be life-enhancing.

We can work together either for a set number of sessions or in an open-ended manner depending on your need. We will review our work regularly so that I can hear how you are finding our work and relationship to be going, discuss what is helpful and how we might do things differently. 

I have learnt that when we experience being seen, heard and accepted for how we are, we become open to looking at what we may find difficult about ourselves, how we are with other people, and at opportunities for change. The quality of our counselling relationship is therefore at the core of our work.

Being a Person-Centred counsellor means I will make your needs central, and tailor how I work based on you as an individual. What we talk about is up to you. I will follow your lead on what you believe needs the most attention and how deeply you choose to go into it. 

I may ask clarifying questions or observe what I am noticing in the moment, such as bodily responses or recurring ideas. In addition, as part of our collaborative relationship, I may also offer some of how I experience you and the matters you choose to share. These can offer us greater understanding of what you are experiencing, and help open possibilities of how you can move forward. Based on my experience, I believe you are more likely to commit to changes and decisions when they come from you rather than “experts”.

I offer a free initial 20 minutes conversation over Zoom or telephone. This is to allow us to get a sense of each other, what brings you to therapy, and if I am well placed to assist you.

You are under no obligation to make a further appointment if you are unsure about working with me after this meeting. I would encourage you to take time to decide if you think we would be a good fit for the work.

Where we agree to work together after this initial conversation, we will in the first 50 minute session, go over our contract together in case you have any queries.

I will then ask you a few questions so that I can get an idea of the wider picture of how things are for you at this time and what supports you have around you. We will also look at what you want to get out of our work.

This is a conversation and an opportunity for you to tell me anything you want me to know about you and your circumstances from the outset.  It will help lay some groundwork for our relationship going forward.