Maria Van Vreden, BACP

Maria Van Vreden is a counsellor with ten years of professional experience in the United Kingdom. She supports people dealing with stress, anxiety, low mood and issues around self-esteem and confidence. Maria also helps clients facing trauma and abuse and those navigating midlife questions and life purpose concerns.

She creates a calm, non-judgemental space where clients can talk through difficult thoughts and feelings. Sessions focus on practical steps and clearer thinking rather than jargon. Maria aims to help people feel steadier and more able to make choices that suit their lives.

Her background includes a decade of work in mental health settings and community services. That experience has exposed her to a wide range of emotional concerns such as panic, mood disorders and post-traumatic stress. She draws on evidence-based therapeutic techniques to guide conversations and plan progress.

Maria speaks English and Spanish, which can help bilingual clients explain themselves more comfortably. She is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, BACP.

If someone is thinking about therapy, Maria encourages taking small first steps. She supports clients as they set realistic goals and try practical techniques between sessions. The focus is on steady change, not instant fixes.

How evidence-based methods translate to online support

Maria works with evidence-based therapeutic techniques to help people manage anxiety, low mood and responses to trauma. One commonly used approach is structured talking therapy that helps identify unhelpful thinking patterns and practise alternative ways of responding. This can reduce repeated worry and improve everyday coping skills.

An additional approach focuses on grounding and stabilisation strategies for people affected by past trauma. These are practical tools to reduce intense reactions, manage panic symptoms and build a sense of control over emotional responses.

Choosing the right method is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences and what feels most useful, then try techniques together and adapt them over time. Clients are invited to give feedback so sessions match real needs rather than fixed plans.

The original biography does not list which session formats are offered, so please confirm current options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins when needed. It also makes working with a Spanish-speaking or UK-based BACP-registered counsellor more practical for people who live far away or have limited local options.