Maria Zakrzewska
Psychologist & Systemic Therapist
Helping you move from anxiety and survival mode toward a calmer, more authentic self, reconnect and build healthier relationships.
About
I'm Maria.As a Clinical Psychologist with additional training in systemic and narrative approaches, family mediation and psychological consulting, I support individuals, couples and families through anxiety, nervous system dysregulation, burnout, emotional overwhelm, relationship difficulties, ADHD/ AuDHD, health-related challenges and major life transitions.Alongside my professional experience, I bring the perspective of someone who has lived abroad for more than half of my life, built a life across cultures and languages, and navigated many of the challenges that come with health, relationships, parenthood and change. I am also a wife and a mother of three, experiences that continue to deepen my understanding of family dynamics, resilience and connection.I also welcome LGBTQ+ clients, co-parents and people in diverse relationship structures, including ENM and polyamory, kink and BDSM community.Through Reconnected Space, I provide educational resources, workshops, and self-guided materials as well as specialised programmes focused on anxiety, emotional wellbeing, nervous system regulation, relationships, neurodiversity, and personal growth.
Anxiety ProgrammeA structured 10-step personalised programme for people who feel stuck in anxiety, overwhelm, overthinking or recurring fear-based patterns. Many people come to therapy wanting to "get rid of anxiety". In my experience, lasting change happens not when we fight anxiety, but when we begin to understand it.This programme combines psychological knowledge, systemic and narrative approaches, practical tools and personalised consultations to help you better understand your anxiety and develop a healthier relationship with yourself.Together we explore:• How anxiety works and what maintains it• The connection between thoughts, emotions, body sensations and behaviour• Avoidance, reassurance seeking, perfectionism and control• Nervous system responses and regulation• Family, relationship and life patterns that may contribute to anxiety• Practical strategies for managing anxiety in everyday lifeThis is not a one-size-fits-all programme. Each person's experience of anxiety is different, and our work is adapted to your individual situation, goals and pace.The programme is designed for people experiencing anxiety, chronic stress, health anxiety, social anxiety, overthinking, emotional overwhelm or anxiety related to life transitions and relationships.Format:
Structured consultations with personalised exercises, reflections and resources between sessions. The programme can be experienced as a focused piece of work on anxiety, or as the first stage of a broader journey toward greater self-understanding, emotional wellbeing and healthier relationships.Goal:
Moving from fear, confusion and survival mode toward understanding, confidence and greater emotional freedom.
Perhaps your mind rarely feels truly at rest.You find yourself overthinking conversations, preparing for problems before they happen, worrying about things you cannot control, or questioning whether you are doing enough, being enough, or making the right decisions.You may appear calm, capable and high-functioning to others whilst feeling exhausted, tense or overwhelmed on the inside.Anxiety does not always look like panic. Sometimes it shows up as perfectionism, people-pleasing, difficulty switching off, trouble making decisions, irritability, a constant sense of responsibility, or the feeling that you should somehow be coping better than you are.If any of this feels familiar, there is nothing wrong with you.Anxiety is often an understandable response to stress, uncertainty, difficult life experiences, relationship challenges, health concerns, or a nervous system that has been carrying too much for too long.The purpose of this programme is not simply to help you manage symptoms. Together, we work towards understanding what may be contributing to your anxiety, what keeps it going, and what helps create a greater sense of safety, confidence and emotional wellbeing.My approach combines psychological knowledge, systemic and narrative ways of working, practical tools and personalised support. Rather than focusing solely on anxiety itself, we also explore the wider context of your life, relationships, habits, beliefs and experiences.This is a structured programme, but not a rigid one. Some people come with a specific goal and find that a shorter piece of work is enough. Others discover that anxiety is connected to deeper patterns involving self-worth, boundaries, emotional regulation, relationships or significant life transitions and choose to continue their journey beyond the programme itself.There is no expectation to move at a particular pace, no pressure to share more than feels comfortable, and no assumption that there is a single solution that works for everyone.The aim is not to eliminate every anxious thought or feeling.The aim is to help you better understand yourself, feel less overwhelmed by anxiety, and develop greater confidence in your ability to navigate life, even when things feel uncertain.
Binge Eating ProgrammeA structured 10-step personalised pathway for people struggling with binge eating, emotional eating and difficult relationships with food.Many people blame themselves for binge eating or feel stuck in a cycle of guilt, shame and self-criticism. In my experience, binge eating is rarely about food alone. It often develops as a way of coping with stress, anxiety, overwhelm, difficult emotions, unmet needs or long-standing patterns that once helped us survive.This programme combines psychological knowledge, systemic and narrative approaches, practical tools and personalised consultations to help you better understand the role food plays in your life and create sustainable change.Together we may explore:• The binge eating cycle and what maintains it• Emotional triggers and coping strategies• Shame, perfectionism and self-criticism• Emotions, needs and boundaries• Self-worth and body image• Family, cultural and life experiences that may shape your relationship with food• Alternative ways of responding to difficult emotions and situationsThe programme provides a clear framework while remaining flexible enough to adapt to your individual needs, goals and pace. Some clients come looking for support specifically around binge eating, while others discover deeper patterns connected to anxiety, relationships, self-worth, emotional regulation or life transitions.Rather than focusing on restriction, diets or willpower, we work toward understanding, self-compassion and building a healthier relationship with food and yourself.This programme can be experienced as a focused piece of work on binge eating, or as part of a broader journey toward greater emotional wellbeing, self-understanding and lasting change.Format:
Personalised consultations supported by practical exercises, reflections and psychoeducational resources between sessions.Goal:
Moving from shame, guilt and recurring binge eating patterns toward self-understanding, emotional resilience and a more peaceful relationship with food and yourself.
Perhaps you find yourself turning to food when life feels overwhelming.You may eat when you are stressed, anxious, lonely, exhausted, bored or emotionally drained. You may promise yourself that tomorrow will be different, only to find yourself caught in the same cycle again.Perhaps food has become one of the few ways you know how to switch off, soothe yourself, cope with difficult emotions or create a sense of comfort at the end of a demanding day.You may feel frustrated with yourself, ashamed of your eating habits, or confused about why you keep returning to patterns you genuinely want to change.If any of this feels familiar, there is nothing wrong with you.Binge eating is rarely about a lack of willpower, motivation or self-discipline. More often, it develops as a way of coping with stress, emotional overwhelm, unmet needs, difficult experiences or a nervous system that has learnt to seek relief through food.The purpose of this programme is not to focus on diets, restriction or food rules. Instead, we work towards understanding the role food plays in your life, the situations and emotions that trigger eating, and the patterns that may be keeping the cycle going.My approach combines psychological knowledge, systemic and narrative ways of working, practical tools and personalised support. Together, we explore not only your relationship with food, but also the wider context of your life, including stress, emotions, self-worth, relationships, boundaries and everyday coping strategies.This is a structured programme, but not a rigid one. Some people come with a clear goal related to binge eating and emotional eating. Others discover that their relationship with food is closely connected to anxiety, perfectionism, people-pleasing, emotional regulation, life transitions or longstanding beliefs about themselves.There is no judgement, no expectation of perfection and no pressure to change overnight.The aim is not to become more controlled around food.The aim is to better understand yourself, develop healthier ways of meeting your emotional and physical needs, and build a more peaceful, compassionate and sustainable relationship with food and with yourself.
Support is available through individual consultations, structured programmes and educational resources, group support and workshops allowing you to choose the level of support that best fits your needs.Together, we can explore key areas of your wellbeing, move toward calm, understanding and connection and create a long-asting change.
Let's Find the Right Support for You
Whether you're interested in 1:1 support, couples or family consultations, or one of my programmes, please complete the short form below and I'll be in touch with the next steps.
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