Maria Manifava

I currently offer online sessions in the evenings and at weekends. Availability may vary, so you’re welcome to get in touch to discuss a time that works for you.

I am a qualified person-centred counsellor and a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (MBACP).

I am particularly interested in the experience of feeling caught between different demands, responsibilities and expectations. Many of the people I work with are used to coping, supporting others, and carrying on. They often arrive in counselling not because they have stopped functioning, but because they have become tired of carrying everything alone.

I work with anxiety, self-doubt, loss, caring responsibilities and the experience of not quite feeling at home in yourself, in your relationships, or in the life you are living.

As somebody who has lived between cultures and languages for much of my adult life, I am also interested in questions of identity, belonging and the stories we tell ourselves about who we are.

Alongside my counselling practice, I work in higher education, supporting people through periods of uncertainty, challenge and change. Much of my professional life has involved listening to people who are trying to make sense of difficult situations, competing demands and important decisions.

You are welcome to get in touch if you would like to arrange an initial conversation.

I offer person-centred counselling online.

There is no set agenda and no expectation that you arrive knowing exactly what to say. Some people come with a clear issue they would like to explore. Others arrive with a feeling that something is not working but struggle to put it into words.

My role is not to provide advice or tell you what decisions to make. Instead, I aim to listen carefully and work alongside you as we explore what is happening in your life.

Many of the people I work with are used to managing on their own. They may be supporting others, balancing multiple responsibilities, or carrying concerns that are difficult to discuss elsewhere.

Sessions are confidential, professional and guided by what feels important to you.

The first session is an opportunity for us to meet and begin to get a sense of how it feels to work together.

There is no expectation to arrive with a clear plan or to explain everything at once. We begin where you are, at a pace that feels manageable.

I offer an initial 20-minute consultation free of charge, which can be a chance to ask any questions and get a sense of how it might feel to work together.