Maria Stride

Maria Stride is a person-centred counsellor who helps people navigate stress, anxiety, loss, relationship strain, body image worries and other eating and food-related issues. She offers a calm, down-to-earth presence so people can talk about what matters to them at their own pace. Maria works in a warm, compassionate way and aims to make sessions feel straightforward and manageable.

With six years of experience, Maria focuses on what each person needs rather than following a strict formula. She listens closely and reflects back what she hears, helping people notice patterns in their thinking and behaviour. This can make it easier to tackle things like depression, low self-esteem, addictive patterns, or trouble sleeping.

Sessions can also include gentle mindfulness practices to help reduce worry and bring attention back to the present. Maria uses solution-focused conversations to set small, achievable goals between sessions. She sometimes brings in creative tools such as simple art or play-based techniques when words are hard to find.

Maria holds BACP and NCPS credentials, and works with people across a wide range of life challenges including trauma, grief, intimacy-related concerns, ADHD and compassion fatigue. She accepts clients from the United Kingdom and internationally and conducts her work in English.

People usually start by completing a short matching questionnaire and then arrange sessions according to availability. Maria uses a subscription model for sessions that can be cancelled at any time, with costs that vary by location and availability.

How Maria’s approaches work online

Maria uses client-centred work that focuses on what matters to the person, offering listening and reflection so clients can make sense of their experience. This approach helps with issues like low self-esteem, relationship worries and feelings linked to eating and body image.

She also uses mindfulness techniques to bring attention back to the present and reduce overwhelming thoughts. Mindfulness is useful for anxiety, stress and sleep difficulties. Solution-focused conversations help set small, practical steps and measurable goals between sessions, which can be motivating when coping with life changes or addictive patterns.

Finding the right method is a collaborative process. Maria will work with the client to decide which approaches feel most helpful, and may combine listening, mindfulness and solution-focused tasks according to needs and preferences.

The biography does not list specific session formats, so please confirm session options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit counselling around daily life, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. Registered or accredited professionals can help tailor sessions so they fit with work, family routines and practical commitments.