Maria is a counsellor and experienced international-school educator who has spent much of the past decade working closely with adolescents. Her background in psychology, counselling and education gives her a grounded understanding of the challenges young people encounter, both inside and beyond the classroom.

Having taught and supported students in international schools across Singapore and China, Maria has worked with young people from a wide range of cultural, family and educational backgrounds. As a Humanities and Psychology teacher and homeroom tutor, she came to understand how much of adolescent life unfolds beneath the surface of everyday school experiences — from the pressure to achieve and the complexity of friendships to questions of identity, belonging and finding one's place.

Her experience teaching psychology brings another dimension to her counselling work. Years spent helping adolescents explore human behaviour, emotions and relationships have given her an appreciation of how young people make sense of themselves and others, and how differently they may experience the same challenges. Combined with her formal training in counselling, this background informs her approach to understanding each young person's experiences within their broader developmental and social context.

Maria is also familiar with the particular experiences of internationally educated young people, for whom moving between countries, cultures and school communities can bring both opportunities and difficulties. She recognises that transitions can involve more than adapting to a new environment — they can also raise questions about friendships, identity, expectations and where one belongs.

At The Interval, Maria works with adolescents and emerging adults navigating anxiety, academic pressures, relationships, identity and belonging, cultural adjustment and significant life transitions. She brings an understanding of the different perspectives that young people, parents and schools may hold, while keeping the young person's own experience at the centre of the counselling process.