Maria de Ridder

My working hours are as follows:

Mon - 10.00 - 18:00

Tues - 10.00 - 20:00

Weds - 9.30 - 18:00

Thursday - 9.30 - 21:00

I work both in person and online. I am currently accepting new clients, however my evening sessions are very limited.

My name is Maria de Ridder. I am a psychotherapist working in private practice in the Chorlton and Didsbury areas of Manchester.

I have led an interesting and varied life, and bring a wealth of experience in many areas of life to my practice.

It is a great privilege to do this work, and as such I aim to offer a safe space which honours the uniqueness of each client. If you are feeling stuck in life and believe talking therapy could help, please do not hesitate to get in touch. I offer flexibility with my sessions according to lifestyles; I can meet with you either face to face or online.

I can offer a free 20 minute consultation call.

The principle modality I use is called Transactional Analysis; a type of psychotherapy which looks at how the past affects the present and looks at any unhelpful patterns we may developed. I also offer mindfulness based, relational and trauma informed approaches where applicable. My key areas of interest are relationship difficulties and childhood trauma.

Couples Therapy

For work with couples I offer two approaches, firstly a non structured approach where we discuss and work through issues in the present. I may also make observations which link back to the past (such as script, see above) and how that plays out in your relationship. I also offer a more structured approach called Imago therapy. Imago therapy is a type of relationship therapy that aims to help couples and individuals heal from past experiences and improve their relationships. It's based on the idea that childhood experiences with emotions can affect adult relationships. In this approach, you will be asked between sessions to work on exercises together and separately to help understand more about your relationship dynamics. For more information, see this blog:

https://harvilleandhelen.com/initiatives/what-is-imago/

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.