Maria Stannard

Maria Stannard is a person-centred counsellor who helps people facing stress, anxiety, depression and relationship strains. Maria is non-binary and practices in the United Kingdom. They offer a calm, respectful space to talk through difficult moments and to work toward clearer next steps.

Maria uses a person-centred way of working that puts the client's experience first. Sessions focus on listening deeply, naming feelings and spotting strengths people already have. This simple focus can suit worries about grief, eating concerns, low self-esteem and identity questions, including LGBT and gender dysphoria matters.

With five years of experience and membership of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy - BACP - Maria has supported people after trauma and abuse. They also have personal experience of autism and work with autistic perspectives in mind. That can shape how conversations are paced and how goals are set.

Maria also draws on existential ideas to help people make sense of life choices and purpose. When trauma is a factor, trauma-focused approaches are used to address what feels raw and overwhelming. The emphasis is on practical steps and staying grounded rather than labels.

People who prefer a collaborative, accepting style tend to find this approach helpful. To start, a short questionnaire helps match needs to the counselling process and then sessions are scheduled to suit each person.

How Maria's approaches translate to online therapy

Maria uses person-centred counselling to place the client's experience at the heart of sessions. This approach means the counsellor listens closely, follows the client's pace and works from what matters to the person. It helps with mood issues, identity questions and problems with self-esteem.

Existential therapy is used to help people consider life choices, meaning and purpose. Conversations focus on what is important to the person and on making practical steps that reflect their values. Trauma-focused work addresses painful memories and reactions in a way that aims to reduce their impact on daily life.

Finding the right way to work is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk through different approaches and help decide which methods fit the client's needs, goals and preferences. That decision can change over time, and methods can be blended as progress is made.

Session formats are not specified in the biography, so confirm the current online options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit counselling around daily life, reduce travel and allow for shorter check-ins when schedules are tight. It can also make it easier to meet with a therapist who understands neurodivergence and women's issues, even if they are not local.