See our Therapies
Marianna provides individual therapy for a range of emotional and psychological issues, including anxiety, low self-esteem, low mood and difficulties with emotional regulation.
Therapy is mostly delivered within a cognitive behavioural framework, with suitable adaptations for autism spectrum presentations. Cognitive-behavioural therapy is an evidence-based approach, with a core principle of enabling individuals to discover and modify aspects of thinking and behavioural patterns to improve emotional well-being.
Involving parents and caregivers as co-therapists can often be very helpful, if not essential, in supporting children and young people to transfer therapeutic gains into their daily lives. Cognitive-behavioural therapy can be also effectively applied via parents, especially when children are younger.
We provide the following group interventions:
- Workshops for teenage girls with a diagnosis of ASC
- PEGASUS – Post-diagnostic groups for children and young people with ASC and their family/
- Social skills groups for young people with ASC (PEERS)
Group therapy and group work in general can be a particularly effective form of intervention with children and young people. In addition to the psycho-educational knowledge that group members gain, young people can benefit greatly from realisation that they are not alone with the way they perceive world. This in itself can have a strong therapeutic effect as it helps to break down isolation and normalise any struggles. One of the most powerful aspects of group interventions is the opportunity to create a therapeutic space, which is non-judgmental and where young people can receive empathy, encouragement and positive feedback from peers.
Group setting can be more fun and enjoyable for some young people, and provides opportunities for games, and different ways of practicing skills, such as through role plays. Other benefits of a group approach include raised self-esteem and improved self-concept through assisting others.
Supporting children in education is one of our main missions. Our greatest ambition is to raise awareness of ASC and empower schools to implement good autism practice strategies and embrace neuro-diversity in all its contexts.
We provide the following services:
- School consultations and training on autism awareness and autism friendly environmental adaptations and strategies.
- Comprehensive cognitive assessments and recommendations for reasonable adjustments to support children and young people to thrive academically.
- Support for school professionals with managing difficulties frequently associated with ASC, such as ADHD, executive function skills, anxiety or difficulties with emotional regulation.
- Support with transitions to primary and secondary school or college/university.
