About Maria

If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.”

– Emily Dickinson

My commitment to my  personal growth and  relationship with others is the cornerstone of my life. I value  integrity and respect for myself and others. I strive to attain  love, balance, harmony, peace, joy and compassion in every moment of  my life and in every interaction I have with others.

I am very passionate about being in service to others and help them through their life journeys.  Being a witness to clients’ transformation  is a most fulfilling and rewarding experience. The more I work on myself the more I can teach and guide others on their life journey.  It is an honour to be called to do this work because learning about oneself and healing one’s pain is our highest priority.

Guiding Principles

• Safety—A sacred space created with uplifting thoughts, words, and right actions.
• Compassion—Maintain an open  heart and accept each individual as they are.
• Integrity—All my interactions aligned with my highest values.
• Support & Guidance—Freely given as the individual works towards transformation.
• Respect—Honour all that emerges moment to moment—feelings, thoughts, beliefs and actions.
• Resources—Build on the resources that already exist within the individual to foster confidence and resilience.
• Loving kindness—friendliness, sensitivity and warmth towards others.

Carl Jung once said that the longest journey most of us have to take is from the head to the heart…Maria’s the most empathic and wisest companion anyone could ever be so lucky to have on this transformational and liberating journey” – M.S.

On Becoming a Counsellor and Psychotherapist

A car accident over 25 years ago was the  catalyst that triggered my childhood trauma. I lost my father to cancer at the age of 7. In my personal therapy, I saw how false beliefs shaped my view of myself, others and the world. As I got to know myself and tried out new behaviours new beliefs replaced the false beliefs. I felt more authentic and true to myself. I could manifest my hopes and dreams that in the past had been very distant. Getting support and guidance for such a challenging journey was key to where I am today.

I continued to explore my inner world through self reflection, reading, workshops, seminars – anything that supported my growth. I became fascinated by the knowledge, new discoveries and transformation that was occurring within me. The more I learned about myself  the more I understood other people and the world. Many questions I had about the mystery of life began to unravel.

Looking back, I understand that the challenges I  faced have given me more courage and strength and most importantly I like who I have become and continue to become. I see each experience was an opportunity to learn and to  heal my wounded self to prepare me to guide and assist others in their transformational journey. My dreams and wishes have manifested far  beyond what I thought possible.

I see each challenge as an opportunity  to move us in a more fruitful direction or to teach us something we need to know for our  growth. In each moment we make a choice to stay the same or change and gain mastery over our lives. We all have the innate ability to heal and grow.

These days I live a healthy and balanced lifestyle through meditation, yoga classes, exercise, healthy eating, leisure, social and family. I add value to other peoples lives by investing on my growth and constantly learning new skills. My therapy work  keeps my mind stimulated and energised. I  keep up to date with the latest Psychological research  through professional development, articles, emails, magazines and connectinng with colleagues. I also  dedicate a lot of time  attending live Webinars to keep my knowledge current and participate in a community of experts from all over the world.

My First Encounter as a Helping Professional

My first experience as a helping professional began in 1996 when I became a Group Facilitator with Holyoake (Centacare). As I listened to other peoples stories I was deeply touched by their pain and hopelessness. I watched each client transform in their own way as they progressed  through the program.  They learned from others and from sharing their own stories and pain.

After years of not sure what I really wanted to do, I had finally found my passion and pursued a Post Grad in Counselling. After graduating I felt took a two year internship at Centacare and realised I particularly enjoyed working with the deeper issues of the personality. I wanted to accompany others on their own journey of  healing and growth and undertook a Post Graduate  in Emotionally Focused Therapy while I set up my private practice where I am today.

A sacred space where the heart is open and loving kindness flows