“Just because no one else can heal or do your inner work for you doesn’t mean you can, should, or need to do it alone.” — Lisa Olivera
Hello and a very warm welcome to Marta Bannister Counselling. I’m Marta (she / her), a neurodivergent counsellor and a mum, working with adult clients online across the UK and face-to-face in Croydon (CR2).
I can support you with difficulties relating to various events in your life, with main focus on perinatal mental health (pregnancy & loss, birth / birth trauma, postpartum period), grief & loss and traumatic experiences.
About Me
My passion for counselling began with experiencing therapy myself at a time when I really needed it. I was offered a safe and confidential space where I was able to be myself and explore my past experiences, connect with feelings and feel validated and heard.
This led me to starting my journey towards qualification and becoming a Therapeutic Integrative Counsellor in 2023.
As a mum, I have experienced a variety of challenges relating to pregnancy, pregnancy loss, navigating the medical system, birth trauma and postnatal depression. Having a lived experience of it enables me to empathise with birthing people and their parents and understand the complexities that come hand in hand with becoming pregnant. This is a reason why I chose to work with clients on all aspects of perinatal mental health.
Very recently I discovered that I am autistic and ADHD, although I am awaiting a formal diagnosis. This journey made me realise the struggles neurodivergent people go through, especially with late diagnosis and the consequences of that. This was one of my reasons to choose this area as a focus for my practice.
My third main area of focus is grief and loss. This is something each of us experience at some stage in our lives and, regardless of the type of loss experienced, having a safe space to process it, understand it and grow with it can be really healing.
My Qualifications
I qualified in 2023 as Integrative Therapeutic Counsellor following 4 years of training:
- Level 4 CPCAB Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling
- Level 3 CPCAB Diploma in Counselling Studies
- Level 2 CPCAB Diploma in Counselling Skills
In 2024 I completed training in “Trauma Informed Practice” and in 2025 I completed training on “Working with Shame”.
I continue to enhance my knowledge through regular Continued Professional Development (CPD) – a minimum of 30 hours of learning each year.
Registrations
I am an accredited registrant with the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (NCPS) and follow its ethical guidelines in all my work. You can read more about it on the NCPS website.
I am fully insured and, to ensure that I store and process data in accordance with the UK Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), I am registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
How I work
As an Integrative Counsellor, I tailor my approach to you and your individual needs. The way I work is based on the following beliefs:
- Creating a safe, trusting, and non-judgemental space in therapy, where clients feel they can really be themselves, is of great importance and value.
- Our experiences from the past are often an unconscious driver of our actions in the presence.
- Understanding the past brings on greater awareness, but change happens in the present.
My focus in the sessions is on you and what you want to gain from therapy. We will explore your issues together and work towards your desired outcomes. This might be done in a time-limited way or over a longer period of time, depending on your individual needs.
What you can expect
Our First Session
Starting therapy can be really daunting, regardless of whether or not you had counselling in the past. In our first session my aim will be to understand your reasons for seeking therapy and what your priorities or desired outcome might be. We will discuss how we can best work together and what your needs, expectations and preferences are. There is no right or wrong answer here and my focus will be on creating a safe space where you can feel comfortable to work through your difficulties.
Confidentiality
Confidentiality and its limitations in therapy are extremely important and something we will discuss in our first session. In order for therapy to have the potential to be beneficial, it is important that you feel safe and that you can trust me to hold the information you share. During our first session we will discuss the confidentiality in counselling and where the limitations are, to ensure that you feel comfortable with the boundaries of this therapeutic space.
What I can help you with
My main focus areas are:
Pregnancy & loss
Birth & birth trauma
Postnatal period
Bereavement & Loss
Trauma
I can also support you with:
Anxiety
Depression
Feeling overwhelmed or stuck
Loneliness
Family & relationship difficulties
Self-esteem
Stress & burnout
Location
I offer sessions online, over the phone and face to face; we can discuss your needs and depending on where you are based, we can agree on the best way.
Face to face sessions are offered on Saturdays and are available in South Croydon.
Online and telephone session are available across England, including the following locations: Croydon, Wallington, Cambridge, London, Leicester, Lincoln, Kent and Sussex.
Availability
I have a number of online & telephone appointments available in the evenings on:
- Tuesdays
- Wednesdays
- Fridays
- Sundays
On Saturdays I am available in the mornings for either a face-to-face appointment in South Croydon or online.
Fees
I offer a number of options, depending on your individual needs and circumstances. We can discuss these during our initial call:
Free - 15 minutes introduction call prior to the first session
Face to Face sessions (Croydon):
£60 - per one 50 minutes session
Online / telephone sessions (across England):
£50 - per one 50 minutes session
I also offer concession rates* for:
- individuals on low income
- key workers
- students
- clients referred through charities
*These sessions are available online only
Let's Talk About It
I can arrange a free 15 minutes call to answer any questions you might have and to understand better how I can support you. You can contact me by completing the below form or you can give me a call on 07534 433507 and leave a voice message.
My voicemail and inbox are monitored regularly and I will aim to respond to you within 48 hours.
© Marta Bannister
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