Maria Simonetta - Counsellor and Therapist

The process

I endeavour to be a deeply humanistic and compassionate Counsellor and Psychotherapist.  I adopt a holistic approach that includes all aspects of the client: spiritual, emotional, physical, mental, cultural and social. All these aspects will be considered in your relationship with yourself and with others and will be incorporated into the therapeutic counselling process. 

I pay attention to your whole experience: thoughts, behaviour, expectations, beliefs, emotions and meaning of your experience. This will help identify the core issues that underpin the difficulties being experienced. I draw on knowledge from a wealth of personal experience, theory, personal therapy and group work. This knowledge and experience allows me to assess your individual experience and history and tailor an individual treatment plan that encourages personal growth, change and self understanding to meet your desired goals.

By exploring your experiences, you can discover the effect they have on you and how you can make changes to enhance your life. At times I adopt creative interventions that assist to facilitate the expression of your emotional experience and access the underlying causes that may lie at the root of the problem. All interventions and practices are grounded in a framework that emphasizes safety, respect, honour, non-judgement and mindfulness.

My aim is to help you identify your strengths and work on areas you want to improve. I help facilitate the process to empower you, guide you and support you to find your own solution to your issues and to make wise choices for yourself.

My experience is anchored around working with relationship issues, trauma and abuse, process and substance addictions and chronic pain.  I specialise in working with clients from diverse cultures and backgrounds and have a special interest in childhood trauma and the impact it has on one's  present life. 

Healing past negative experiences  and learning new skills will help you restructure the areas in your life that are causing you pain and suffering move towards a more authentic and free self. 

I see clients for short term and long term work. Sessions are usually one hour, once a week or fortnightly. When you attend your first session, we will discuss your goals and expectations that will direct our work together. We will periodically review the progress of your therapy with reference to your goals.

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters
compared to what lies within us."

Ralph Waldo Emerson