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Maria Pencheva, BACP

Credentials
BACP
Experience
4 years
Practising in
United Kingdom
Languages
English, Bulgarian
Sessions
Online only
Client ages
Adults, 18 and over

Works with Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesTrauma and abuseSelf esteemDepression

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Maria Pencheva offers calm, practical support for people feeling overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, low mood or relationship worries. She uses straightforward conversation to help clients build confidence, manage strong emotions and find a clearer sense of purpose. Maria works in English and Bulgarian and is based in the United Kingdom.

With a Bachelor-level accreditation from the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), she brings four years of professional experience.

Background and approach

Maria believes clients are the experts in their own lives and focuses on their strengths while helping them face difficult moments. Sessions aim to be warm, responsive and goal-focused so progress is tangible. Her work addresses issues such as trauma and abuse, panic and post-traumatic stress, social anxiety, and problems with self-esteem and body image.

She also supports people through control issues, communication problems, divorce and separation, guilt and shame, loneliness and questions about life purpose. Maria draws on person-centred ways of working and evidence-based strategies to help change unhelpful thoughts and patterns. She blends attachment-based thinking and emotionally-focused ideas to improve relationships and emotional regulation.

The emphasis is practical: notice what is keeping you stuck, try small changes, and build on what works. Outside sessions she values learning, communication and advocacy work, which inform a down-to-earth approach in therapy. Her aim is to help clients feel heard and capable of making changes that fit their life and goals.

How her approaches translate to online therapy

Attachment-based work focuses on patterns of relating and emotional safety. Online sessions can help uncover how past relationships shape current reactions and support new ways of connecting with others and the self. Client-centred therapy puts the person at the heart of the process. In this approach the counsellor listens without judgement and helps people make sense of their experience, build confidence and choose their next steps. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings and actions. It uses practical exercises and small experiments to reduce anxiety, manage panic attacks and change unhelpful routines. Choosing the right mix of these approaches is part of the work together. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, preferences and practical needs, then try methods that feel right. This is a collaborative process and adjustments are made as the work unfolds. Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging, which widen options for fitting therapy into daily life. Video calls are useful for face-to-face conversation, phone sessions can suit lower bandwidth or a shorter check-in, and text or chat can work for people who prefer written reflection or brief ongoing support. These options make it easier to keep continuity of care and to fit sessions around work and family commitments.
What concerns does she help with?
Maria supports people with stress, anxiety, depression and relationship worries, plus trauma and abuse. She also focuses on body image, panic, social anxiety and self-esteem.
What is her therapeutic style?
Her style is warm and person-centred, combined with practical cognitive and emotionally-focused techniques. Sessions aim to be collaborative and solution-oriented.
How much experience does she have?
She has four years of professional experience working in counselling and related roles. That experience includes supporting people through emotional regulation and relationship issues.
What credentials and where is she based?
She holds accreditation with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and works from the United Kingdom.
Which languages are offered for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English and Bulgarian to accommodate speakers of both languages.
What session formats are available?
Maria offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging to suit different preferences and schedules.
How does payment and cost work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability and sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I get started?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire and then schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.

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Experience
4 years
Registered with
BACP
Languages
English, Bulgarian

Contacting Maria

Maria takes enquiries through BetterHelp. You answer a few questions about what you are looking for, then arrange sessions if it seems like a fit. Browsing costs nothing and you are not committing to anything by reading this page.

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