Maria Mars , HCPC

Maria Mars is a Chartered Clinical Psychologist based in the United Kingdom with 27 years of experience supporting children, young people, and adults across public, voluntary, and private mental health settings. She is registered with the HCPC - the Health and Care Professions Council - which is the UK regulator for health and care professionals.

Her practice focuses on a wide range of difficulties including stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, parenting challenges, low self-esteem, identity concerns, relationship issues, grief, sleep problems, anger, bipolar disorder, and coping with life changes. Maria also works with issues related to adoption and foster care, attachment concerns, autism and Asperger syndrome, caregiver stress, domestic violence, immigration matters, and mood disorders among others.

Maria integrates evidence-based techniques from several therapeutic models such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Attachment-Based approaches, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Client-Centered Therapy. She draws on these methods flexibly to tailor work to each person’s needs while maintaining a collaborative stance.

Recognising that reaching out can be difficult, she aims to build a warm, trusting working relationship, help people make sense of their experiences, set achievable therapeutic goals, and support practical steps toward improved psychological functioning. Maria welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with individuals seeking help and accepts new clients including those outside the UK.

Therapeutic approaches and online care

Maria often draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a practical approach that helps people clarify their values and take committed action even when difficult thoughts and feelings are present. ACT can be useful for stress, anxiety, low mood, and life transitions.

Attachment-Based Therapy is used to explore how early relationships influence current patterns of relating and emotion regulation. This approach is helpful for parenting concerns, relationship difficulties, attachment issues, and some trauma-related problems.

Maria also uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to identify and change unhelpful thinking and behaviour patterns. CBT is commonly applied to anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and many day-to-day coping challenges.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Maria works collaboratively with each person to identify which methods fit their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting the plan as therapy progresses so clients feel involved and supported.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions can take place by video call, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging - which can make it easier to fit therapy into busy lives and to work with licensed professionals across different locations. These options support continued access to consistent care for individuals, families, and international clients who prefer remote sessions.