“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change”
— Wayne Dyer
My name is Maite Berndes and I offer either long term or short term therapy online via Zoom to adults and young people.
I have been trained psycho-dynamically, which means that part of our work together would be looking back at your childhood to understand how these early experiences may be affecting your life in the here and now. This may include exploring early attachment patterns; any potential traumas; family dynamics, etc.
Prior to training as a counsellor, I worked in the commercial world in both recruitment and property management, this experience gave me firsthand knowledge of the different pressures that people may experience in the work environment.
Change becomes possible when we first acknowledge to ourselves that there is an issue and that we have the power to change our perception of that issue. A therapist can help you understand and clarify where you are in your life, what has brought you to that place and how you can navigate your way through.
Counselling is about reflecting on your life together with a counsellor, through this process greater insights, understanding and acceptance become possible. Counselling is not about giving advice or solutions, it is about empowering you to feel that you have the necessary tools with which to navigate life’s inevitable ups and downs.
I have been trained psycho-dynamically, however I draw on other modalities depending on your unique, individual needs. My aim is to give you a greater understanding of yourself and how you interact with the world to enable you to make better life choices going forward.
— CS Lewis, A Grief Observed
I have 13 years of experience working for a bereavement organisation with bereaved adults and young people who have experienced the loss of a partner, parent, sibling or child.
I have extensive experience of working with clients whose loved one has taken their own life and have helped them navigate their way through a complex grief process. In addition I have clients whose losses include: sudden unexpected losses and long and short term illness.
Although grief is a normal reaction to loss, sometimes we need some extra support to get through; on occasion a more recent loss can trigger previous unresolved issues that may be negatively impacting our life.
Grief and loss are not only experienced when a loved one dies, we can feel grief with other losses in life, for example, divorce, job loss, loss of status, etc.
In addition to the above, I have worked extensively with;
Loss of meaning in life
I work with adults and young people over the age of 18. I offer one to one, online weekly sessions. I am based in Barnet and see clients from Enfield, Potters Bar, North London and throughout the UK.
Each session lasts 50 minutes. Prior to commencing on-going therapy, we would have an initial assessment which lasts up to 75 minutes where we will explore if we are to continue working together.
If I feel that your interest would be best served elsewhere, I will always do my best to re-refer you or to signpost you on.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about how counselling works, or if you would like to arrange an initial assessment. This enables us to discuss the reasons you are thinking of coming to counselling and whether it could be helpful for you.
You can also call me on +44 7711 713501 if you would prefer to leave a message or speak to me first. All enquires are usually answered within 24 hours, and all contact is strictly confidential.