Maria Palej, BACP, NCPS

Maria Palej is a counsellor based in the United Kingdom with six years of professional experience. She works with people who feel overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, depression or life changes. Maria also supports those facing relationship and intimacy issues, grief, addictions and challenges linked to trauma and abuse.

She draws on the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, BACP, and NCPS credentials listed in her profile. Maria combines different ways of working to match what each person needs rather than using a single fixed method. Sessions are offered in English and Polish to suit bilingual clients.

In sessions Maria aims to create a calm, non-judgmental space where clients can talk through what matters to them. She listens for patterns linked to attachment, abandonment or family of origin issues and helps people find practical steps to move forward. Work can include short-term goals or a deeper look at life patterns, depending on the person’s needs.

Her practice often addresses day-to-day problems such as sleep and eating difficulties, parenting strain, career stress, and compassion fatigue. Maria also supports people managing mood conditions such as bipolar disorder and depression, and those dealing with addiction and recovery issues.

Clients can expect clear, straightforward conversations about goals and next steps. The first session is an opportunity to share concerns, ask questions about the process, and decide together on a plan to continue.

How these approaches work online

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening without judgement and following the person's lead. It helps people clarify what matters to them and build confidence to make changes over time.

Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple awareness skills to reduce reactivity and calm the nervous system. It can be useful for anxiety, sleep problems and managing strong emotions.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Maria will collaborate with each person to decide whether to use client-centred listening, mindfulness practices or elements of psychodynamic thinking based on goals and preferences. That shared decision makes it easier to try methods and adjust them if needed.

Online sessions via video calls, phone, live chat or messaging offer practical flexibility. Video is useful for face-to-face conversation and reading non-verbal cues, phone sessions can fit a break at work or when bandwidth is limited, and chat or messaging work well for brief check-ins or people who prefer writing. These options help people build continuity of care and fit therapy around everyday life.