Maria Goga

I currently have availability within my practice. My working hours are Monday to Thursday 8 AM to 8 PM.

Hi! My name is Maria Goga and I am a London based therapist. I have a background in the performing arts, having also trained as an actor. My creative pursuits enhance my practice, as I learnt the importance of empathy through acting and being able to understand and give life to characters completely different from myself. I use this experience in my therapeutic practice - I am very good at putting myself in someone else's shoes and I never judge someone else's experience - which I believe is the cornerstone of counselling. I work in an integrative way with a focus on the therapeutic relationship.

I adapt my way of working based on each individual client's needs, personality, and what therapeutic approach they respond the best to. I also integrate psycho-education into my practice - I talk to my clients about the various theories I apply in our work together and help them gain a better understanding of their inner psychological processes.

I enjoy working with people from all backgrounds, of all ages, and different life experiences. I decided to become a counsellor because I understand how difficult life can get and how tangled our thoughts can be, and I know the difference having some support and guidance along the way can make. If you think we would work well together, please get in touch.

I work in an integrative way, which means the therapeutic relationship is at the very core of the work we do together, as I believe that without a strong counselling relationship it is very difficult for positive personality change to take place. My work is centred around the core conditions of empathy, unconditional positive regard and congruence - which means I will never judge my clients and do my best for them to feel heard and understood. 

Below are the different sessions I offer:

Introductory Therapeutic Consultations

This is a free, optional 15-minute session where we meet, have a chat about what brings you to counselling, what your expectations are and I tell you a bit more about my way of working. 

Individual Therapy Sessions

Regular Rate £60, Duration 50 minutes

Concession Rate £50, Duration 50 minutes - for students, people facing financial difficulties (who receive universal credit or other state benefits), and people who live outside of the UK (in the EU)

One-to-one 50-minute sessions focusing on what has brought you to counselling and what you would like to change or improve in your life, with the purpose of achieving personal growth and emotional well-being. 

Couples Session

Rate £80, Duration 60 minutes 

Sessions focusing on the difficulties and issues that a couple is facing, with the purpose of improving communication, relationship strength and happiness - both in the relationship and on an individual level.

Follow-Up Therapeutic Sessions

Rate £70, Duration 60 minutes

After our first counselling cycle ends, you can opt to have one-off follow-up sessions 1 month, 3 months, 6 months or yearly after we have finished our work together. The purpose of these sessions is just to check in, go over the progress you have made since we have last seen each other and discuss any realisations or issues that might have arisen in that time. These come without any expectation or need to resume weekly counselling sessions.

In the first session my aim is to get to know my clients a bit better, understand what brought them to therapy, what their experience with therapy is and what their expectations are of our work together. I want to know who you are, so I can understand how to best support you on your journey to  accept yourself, so that you can positively change yourself and your life - self-acceptance is the first step towards change.