MARIA
ADHD COUNSELLLOR
COUPLES COUNSELLOR
DRUG & ALCOHOL COUNSELLOR
FAMILY THERAPIST
BEREAVEMENT THERAPIST
CRIMINAL JUSTICE EXPERIENCE
DIAGNOSED COMBINED ADHD
TEENAGE SON ADHD
LOCATION ~ RM12
Maria is the Mum of a teenage boy diagnosed with combined ADHD and ASD. She received her own combined ADHD diagnosis as an adult having struggled with symptoms throughout childhood but not knowing why. She was also diagnosed with ASD during 2024.
Maria faced ‘educational challenges’ but these didn’t emerge until secondary school. Reports referred to Maria as bright and capable but a ‘chatterbox’ and ‘easily distracted’. School proved to be a difficult time because of the lack of understanding of ADHD and neurodivergence which meant Maria internalised her ‘feeling different’ and ‘lack of self-acceptance’.
Maria didn’t finish school, but she found an unexpected love for learning at 18 and attended numerous college courses proving her teachers wrong. She actually DID love learning.
Maria had to find for herself coping strategies for life, relationships and education mainly through lived experience and her professional studies.
As a parent, Maria faced numerous difficulties with school and CAMHS, who were unsupportive of an ADHD assessment for her son. This was particularly difficult because she could see her own frustrating experiences being repeated.
Maria refused to accept the lack of interest in her child’s condition and difficult symptoms and fought for a diagnosis so he could receive the support he needed. Maria understands only too well parents’ frustrations as it took several years to get her son’s diagnosis.
During this time Maria attended several ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder courses to understand the difficulties with an aim of supporting her own family and clients. At this time, Maria became aware of her own symptoms of ADHD and sought her own diagnosis.
Maria has spent 21 years working in the criminal justice system and comprehensively understands police and court processes. In addition, she has several years of experience in working alongside child and adult social care and has practical knowledge of child and adult at-risk protection and safeguarding.
Maria began her training as a counsellor in 2013 and has worked as a therapist at a children and young people’s service, Relate, as a couple’s counsellor for four years and also in private practice.
Currently, Maria is continuing training as a Counselling Psychologist and Psychotherapist and is working with the NHS as a trainee counselling psychologist.
Maria is passionate about providing a therapeutic process which works individually for each client, in a solution-focused way. She enjoys supporting them to understand and manage their ADHD symptoms, using her professional and own lived experience.
Maria recognises the importance of supporting children, parents and adults to live with ADHD and is passionate about preventing people from having to be a ‘square peg in a round hole’ like both her and her son.
Maria offers online, telephone and in-person one-to-one, couples and family therapy.
Qualifications
- Level 8 Doctorate, Counselling, Psychology and Psychotherapy – in training, year 3 of 4
- Level 7 Masters. MSc Psychology 2019
- Level 6 Batchelor. BSc Hons, Criminology 2015
- Level 5 CPCAB Relational Diploma (Relate) 2018
- Level 4 CPCAB Therapeutic Counselling Diploma 2016
- Level 3 CPCAB Therapeutic Counselling Certificate 2014
- Level 2 CPCAB Counselling Skills 2013
- Level 2 OFQUAL ADHD for Families 2020
- Neurovision Train the Trainers (NVT), (Neurodivergence) 2023
Professional Memberships
- British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
- Accredited by BACP
- UKCP – UK Council for Psychotherapists
- British Psychological Society Graduate Membership
MARIA
ADHD COUNSELLLOR
COUPLES COUNSELLOR
DRUG & ALCOHOL COUNSELLOR
FAMILY THERAPIST
BEREAVEMENT THERAPIST
CRIMINAL JUSTICE EXPERIENCE
DIAGNOSED COMBINED ADHD
TEENAGE SON ADHD
LOCATION ~ RM12
Maria is the Mum of a teenage boy diagnosed with combined ADHD and ASD. She received her own combined ADHD diagnosis as an adult having struggled with symptoms throughout childhood but not knowing why. She was also diagnosed with ASD during 2024.
Maria faced ‘educational challenges’ but these didn’t emerge until secondary school. Reports referred to Maria as bright and capable but a ‘chatterbox’ and ‘easily distracted’. School proved to be a difficult time because of the lack of understanding of ADHD and neurodivergence which meant Maria internalised her ‘feeling different’ and ‘lack of self-acceptance’.
Maria didn’t finish school, but she found an unexpected love for learning at 18 and attended numerous college courses proving her teachers wrong. She actually DID love learning.
Maria had to find for herself coping strategies for life, relationships and education mainly through lived experience and her professional studies.
As a parent, Maria faced numerous difficulties with school and CAMHS, who were unsupportive of an ADHD assessment for her son. This was particularly difficult because she could see her own frustrating experiences being repeated.
Maria refused to accept the lack of interest in her child’s condition and difficult symptoms and fought for a diagnosis so he could receive the support he needed. Maria understands only too well parents’ frustrations as it took several years to get her son’s diagnosis.
During this time Maria attended several ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder courses to understand the difficulties with an aim of supporting her own family and clients. At this time, Maria became aware of her own symptoms of ADHD and sought her own diagnosis.
Maria has spent 21 years working in the criminal justice system and comprehensively understands police and court processes. In addition, she has several years of experience in working alongside child and adult social care and has practical knowledge of child and adult at-risk protection and safeguarding.
Maria began her training as a counsellor in 2013 and has worked as a therapist at a children and young people’s service, Relate, as a couple’s counsellor for four years and also in private practice.
Currently, Maria is continuing training as a Counselling Psychologist and Psychotherapist and is working with the NHS as a trainee counselling psychologist.
Maria is passionate about providing a therapeutic process which works individually for each client, in a solution-focused way. She enjoys supporting them to understand and manage their ADHD symptoms, using her professional and own lived experience.
Maria recognises the importance of supporting children, parents and adults to live with ADHD and is passionate about preventing people from having to be a ‘square peg in a round hole’ like both her and her son.
Maria offers online, telephone and in-person one-to-one, couples and family therapy.
Qualifications
- Level 8 Doctorate, Counselling, Psychology and Psychotherapy – in training, year 3 of 4
- Level 7 Masters. MSc Psychology 2019
- Level 6 Batchelor. BSc Hons, Criminology 2015
- Level 5 CPCAB Relational Diploma (Relate) 2018
- Level 4 CPCAB Therapeutic Counselling Diploma 2016
- Level 3 CPCAB Therapeutic Counselling Certificate 2014
- Level 2 CPCAB Counselling Skills 2013
- Level 2 OFQUAL ADHD for Families 2020
- Neurovision Train the Trainers (NVT), (Neurodivergence) 2023
Professional Memberships
- British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
- Accredited by BACP
- UKCP – UK Council for Psychotherapists
- British Psychological Society Graduate Membership