Maria provides specialist, evidence-informed mental health support for children aged 5–16 from my Richmond office. She combines strength-based assessment, practical skill-building, and family collaboration to improve behaviour, emotional regulation, and social functioning. Her affordable counselling services also extend to addressing issues related to narcissistic abuse recovery and toxic relationships, ensuring a comprehensive approach to each child's needs.
Session length & structure (55 minutes)
Parent/caregiver welcome (first 10 minutes): a confidential check-in with parents/caregivers to hear concerns, explain the process, and agree on goals for the session. This often includes discussions about professional supervision for parents navigating challenging situations.
Child session (next 40 minutes): the child is welcomed into a calm, child-friendly room. I introduce myself in age-appropriate terms and deliver play-based or skills-focused activities tailored to the child’s needs. Parents may remain in the room or wait in a safe adjacent room with a clear, unlocked door so the child feels secure.
Reunion & summary (final 5 minutes): the parent rejoins for a brief summary of progress, recommended next steps, and an opportunity for the child to share their experience, reinforcing the support strategies discussed.
Assessment & planning
Initial intake includes developmental history, behavioural checklists, school/home reports, and risk screening. Collaborative goal-setting with parents and the child, where appropriate, is essential; progress is reviewed regularly, and plans are updated as needed, ensuring that the journey towards healing and support is tailored and effective.
Techniques & focus areas
Play‑based therapy, cognitive‑behavioural strategies, and emotion‑regulation skills are essential components of mental health support for adolescents. Additionally, social‑skills training, behavioural activation, and motivational approaches can be highly effective. A strengths‑based focus emphasizes building resilience, routines, self‑esteem, and practical skills for both home and school. Our affordable counselling services also extend to family, school & NDIS coordination.
Ongoing communication with parents is vital, and with consent, I liaise with schools and allied health providers to promote generalisation of skills. Under the NDIS plans, I can provide services; please confirm if you require assistance from a registered NDIS provider or prefer invoicing through a partnering registered provider.
Safeguarding & professionalism are paramount in my practice. I adhere to child‑safe practices, including working‑with‑children checks, police checks, mandatory reporting compliance, and clear safeguarding procedures. For those in need of crisis and referral pathways, I can connect clients with paediatricians, registered psychologists, and specialist services, particularly for clinical or high‑risk needs, including toxic relationship support and narcissistic abuse recovery.
Fees & booking
The fee for my services is $70 per 55‑minute session, which includes a parent welcome and debrief, ensuring professional supervision throughout the process.
Our affordable counselling services are designed to help you overcome fear, stress, and anxiety. Maria provides a supportive and non-judgmental environment where you can explore your thoughts and feelings, gain insights into your behaviour, and develop strategies for managing your mental health support needs, including anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, and the effects of narcissistic abuse recovery. Additionally, we offer toxic relationship support to help you navigate challenging situations, along with professional supervision to ensure a comprehensive approach to your personal growth.
Fees for individual counselling start from $90 per session, offering affordable counselling options for those seeking mental health support, especially in areas like narcissistic abuse recovery or toxic relationship support. Additionally, these sessions can include professional supervision to ensure the highest standard of care.
Why is professional supervision for counsellors important?
Maintaining a higher level of professional counselling supervision is crucial for providing effective mental health support. Supervision offers one-to-one guidance that enhances professional development, accountability, crisis management, and self-care, which are essential for those involved in affordable counselling and toxic relationship support.
Professional Development: Supervision helps counsellors expand their knowledge and skills, particularly when working with specific groups, such as children or trauma survivors. In cases like narcissistic abuse recovery, counsellors benefit from the expertise of their supervisors, who provide valuable insights for handling complex situations.
Accountability: Supervisors play a key role in ensuring that counsellors remain accountable for their actions and decisions. This accountability is vital for maintaining client trust, especially when providing support in challenging circumstances.
Crisis Management: During supervision, counsellors can discuss their concerns and receive advice on managing difficult situations. Supervisors also offer clear guidance on the steps to take during crises or emergencies, ensuring counsellors can respond effectively.
Self-Care: The nature of counselling can impact mental health, so supervision provides a safe space for counsellors to process their experiences and emotions. This support helps prevent burnout, ensuring they can continue to offer valuable mental health support.
Single session $100
5 individual sessions - $450.00 ($80 per session)
10 Individual sessions - $800 ($80 per session)
Why professional supervision for counsellors is important!
To further enhance your professional counselling skills, group supervision provides an opportunity for affordable counselling in a controlled group environment. Here, you can engage in vicarious learning through the experiences of other counsellors. Maria is trained to provide mental health support to counsellors who are registered with both ACA and PACFA, including those seeking toxic relationship support or guidance in narcissistic abuse recovery.
Max group size for PACFA counsellors - 6 participants
Max group size for ACA counsellors - 8 participants
1.5 hours of interactive group work.
10 sessions for $500.
Please click on the link below to receive information about how to book this affordable counselling service, which offers mental health support, narcissistic abuse recovery, professional supervision, and toxic relationship support.
Maria Sarina is a dedicated mental health advocate with extensive academic credentials, including a BA in Social Psychology/Social Research from the University of Western Sydney, Diplomas in Counselling and Community Services, and Advanced Diplomas in Biblical Studies. She is affiliated with both the ACA College of Supervisors and the ACA College of Christian Counsellors, where she engages in professional supervision to ensure high standards in mental health support.
Maria has served as the Coordinator of Counselling at the Australian Christian College, providing affordable counselling to Distance Education students. She is also the Director and Founder of Friendship Centre Counselling Services, an organisation offering free mental health support through a network of over 700 volunteer counsellors and 50 placement students from leading Australian universities.
With a deep passion for supporting underprivileged individuals and children, Maria has developed an innovative psycho-educational model that Corrective Services NSW has successfully implemented to address negative behaviour and support client rehabilitation, particularly in cases of narcissistic abuse recovery and toxic relationship support.
Outside of her professional life, Maria is a devoted mother to three sons and three bonus sons, a committed Christian, and enjoys spending time with her pets and tending to her garden.
Today on ‘Called To Teach’ Tania speaks with Counsellor Maria Sarina about the importance of having a Counsellor at school. They discuss how Maria is able to bring God’s word into her counselling sessions, what are some of the main reasons primary aged children come and see her, why counsellors are vital in a school environment, whether counselling in school is different to counselling outside of school, and have the rates of stress and anxiety increased at school.
Mental health is such a major issue in today’s society. This week, Counsellor Maria Sarina is on The Story Box to talk about what causes mental health?
Some strategies to cope or prevent mental health issues, plus loads more stories as well!Featured guest: Maria Sarina
