About Maria
Counselling for Grief, Pregnancy Loss & Life Transitions
I work with adults, couples, and young people navigating bereavement, anxiety, trauma, and relationship difficulties, with a specialist focus on child and baby loss, including twins and multiple pregnancies.
In-person in Barnet | Online UK-wide
I am a qualified integrative counsellor and a Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (MBACP).
I offer a calm, confidential and compassionate space where you can explore your thoughts and feelings safely and without judgement.
My work is grounded in the belief that being deeply heard and understood can be transformative. I work relationally, meaning the therapeutic relationship between us is central. I draw from different therapeutic approaches and tailor our sessions to your individual needs.
I specialise in working with grief, particularly child and baby loss, as well as anxiety, trauma and relationship difficulties following bereavement.
I understand that reaching out for support can feel vulnerable. My aim is to create a space where you feel emotionally safe, respected and gently supported at your own pace.
Why This Work Matters to Me
There are certain life experiences that change us profoundly. Grief especially the loss of a child reshapes identity, relationships and one’s sense of the world.
I feel deeply honoured to support individuals and couples during some of the most painful chapters of their lives. My approach is steady, compassionate and non-intrusive. I do not rush grief or try to “fix” what cannot be fixed. Instead, I walk alongside you as you begin to find meaning, stability and a way to carry your loss.
MY WORK
I am here to help you create positive change in your life.
I offer a calm, confidential and thoughtfully held space where you can bring the parts of yourself that feel heavy, conflicted or overwhelmed.
There are times in life when coping alone becomes exhausting. You may be carrying grief that feels unbearable, anxiety that will not settle, or experiences that have altered your sense of who you are. Perhaps you appear to be functioning on the outside, yet internally feel disconnected, lost or deeply unsettled.
I have particular experience supporting individuals and couples navigating bereavement, especially the profound and complex grief that follows the loss of a baby or child. This kind of loss reshapes identity, relationships and one’s sense of the world. It can bring intense yearning, guilt, anger and isolation, alongside a continuing bond with the child who has died. Such grief requires sensitivity, steadiness and specialist understanding.
Therapy provides the opportunity to pause and turn towards what has been difficult to face.
I work relationally and integratively, which means our work together is tailored to you. With empathy and care, I support you in exploring the roots of your distress, not simply managing symptoms, but seeking to understand them. Often, what feels confusing or overwhelming begins to make sense when it is met with compassion rather than judgement.
I do not believe in rushing pain or offering quick solutions to complex emotional experiences. Instead, we work at your pace, allowing insight and resilience to develop gradually and sustainably.
My aim is to help you deepen your understanding of yourself, strengthen your relationships and move forward with greater steadiness and self-trust.
You do not need to have all the answers or carry this alone. You only need the courage to take the first step. Here, your feelings will be heard, your grief and experiences respected, and your journey met with care. Together, we can explore a way forward, at your pace, with understanding and steadiness,so that life can feel a little lighter, one step at a time.
BEREAVEMENT COUNSELLING
I am a bereavement counsellor specialising in child and baby loss, supporting parents and couples navigating the devastating impact of miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal loss and traumatic birth experiences.
Grief is a natural and universal response to loss, but it can feel overwhelming, confusing, and isolating. It affects not only how we feel emotionally, but also how we think, behave, and connect with others. There is no “right” way to grieve, and each person’s experience is unique. Sometimes grief comes in waves, sometimes it feels constant, and it can surface unexpectedly, touching every part of life, relationships, work, and sense of self.
The loss of a baby or child, including the loss of twins or a multiple pregnancy, is one of the most devastating experiences a parent can endure. It can shatter assumptions about the future, alter your sense of identity, and leave you carrying emotions that feel overwhelming and impossible to put into words.
Grief following pregnancy and baby loss is complex. It may include intense sadness, guilt, anger, shock, or a deep longing for what should have been. It can affect relationships, challenge past attachments, and create a profound sense of isolation, particularly when others struggle to understand the depth of your loss.
Healing does not mean forgetting, letting go, or “moving on.” Instead, it can involve learning how to live alongside your grief, adjusting to a world that feels changed, while continuing to hold love and connection for your baby or babies.
I have a special interest in supporting individuals and couples who have experienced:
- Miscarriage (including recurrent loss)
- Stillbirth
- Premature birth
- Termination for medical reasons (TFMR)
- Loss of twins or multiple pregnancies
- Pregnancy anxiety and subsequent pregnancies after loss
- Infertility and anxieties around conceiving again
- Parents with babies in neonatal intensive care (NICU)
These experiences can be traumatic and deeply isolating. You deserve a space where your pain is acknowledged and your baby or babies are recognised.
A parent’s grief does not end. It continues throughout life’s journey. My role is to walk alongside you with steadiness, compassion, and respect, offering a safe space where your emotions can be expressed and gently explored.
Training, Qualifications & Experience
I hold an Advanced Diploma in Humanistic Integrative Counselling (BACP-accredited) from CPPD Counselling School and am a registered member of the British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists (MBACP). I practice in accordance with their ethical framework and continue to develop my skills through ongoing professional development, courses, seminars, and reading relevant to my field.
Experience
I have experience working with:
- - Adults, children, couples, and families with issues including anxiety, depression, trauma, low self-worth, relationships, divorce, ADHD, and life transitions
- - Parents and couples after the loss of stillborn or premature babies, single and multiple pregnancy loss, multiple miscarriages, TFMR
- - Supporting clients with pregnancy-related anxieties, including infertility, conceiving again after loss, subsequent pregnancies after loss, and NICU challenges
- - Working with young people as part of Place2Be, providing a safe space and emotional support in secondary schools
- - Supporting clients in GP settings with a variety of mental health and emotional wellbeing issues
I have worked:
- - As a befriender at Twins Trust
- - As a Reflective Practice Facilitator for Footprints Baby Loss
- - With Petals -Baby Loss Counselling Charity
- - With City Pregnancy Counselling and Psychotherapy
- - In a secondary school with Place2Be, supporting young peope
- - In a GP setting, working with a wide range of presenting issues
Counselling Qualifications
- Advanced Diploma in Humanistic Integrative Counselling
- Diploma in Humanistic Integrative Counselling
- Certificate in Humanistic Integrative Counselling
- Place2Be Training – Working with Young People
- The Foundation for Infant Loss – Accredited Member
Petals Training
I adhere to the BACP Code of Ethics (viewable here) and continue to expand my expertise through continuous professional development.
Areas of Expertise
I am trained and experienced in supporting clients with:
- Anxiety & Depression
- Bereavement, Grief, and Loss
- ADHD & Low Self-Worth
- Trauma & Anger
- Relationships, Divorce & Infidelity
- Pregnancy, Prenatal & Postpartum Issues
- Infertility & Pregnancy Loss (miscarriage, stillbirth, multiple pregnancy loss, TFMR)
- Parents with babies in NICU
Working with Young People - Life Transitions
- Physical, Emotional & Sexual Abuse
I offer in-person counselling in Barnet and online across the UK. Sessions are available in English and Greek.
CONTACT US
Get in touch
maria@mariakontoscounselling.com
Barnet
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