Maria Shapkina
Counselling Psychologist & Integrative Therapist
Verified by It's Complicated
Available for new clients
Sometimes it is too hard to cope alone — and that is okay. I provide professional support to people facing difficult life situations.
I specialize in:
At a glance
Last active
Experienced on It's Complicated6 months and 40+ sessions on It's Complicated
Offers free 30 minute introductory callThis provider offers a free introductory call
Note from MariaDo you have any questions before booking an intro call? You can message me anytime.
Usually responds within 2 hours
About me
I’m Maria Shapkina, a Russian-speaking psychologist with over 8 years of professional experience.
Since adolescence, I have been deeply interested in psychology, guided by a lasting curiosity about human nature, inner life, and meaning. Over time, this became my professional path.
I support adults living abroad who feel emotionally overwhelmed — facing anxiety, inner pressure, self-criticism, relationship stress, parenting challenges, or difficulties with emotional regulation.
I also help people who experience difficulties around food, their relationship with their body, and self-worth — from emotional eating and guilt around food to eating disorders such as bulimia and binge eating.
A significant part of my work is with adults with ADHD and adults on the autism spectrum. You may experience difficulties with executive functioning, sensory overload, emotional intensity, burnout, or an exhausting cycle of trying hard, becoming overwhelmed, and then blaming yourself.
Born in Latvia, having lived in Denmark, and now living in Turkey, I have a personal understanding of how migration and life between cultures can affect emotional well-being and one’s sense of stability and support.
I also bring lived experience into my work. As a mother of two, a professional with lived experience of ADHD, and someone with personal experience of recovery from an eating disorder, I understand how complex and non-linear the healing process can be.
Outside of therapy, I restore through creativity and nature. I love different forms of handcraft — from candle-making and jewellery design to upcycling — as well as travel, animals, and time outdoors. These parts of my life keep me grounded and connected to beauty, care, and renewal.
My first degree in Economics and Management adds structure, clarity, and a practical mindset to my therapeutic work.
✦ Over 2,000 hours of professional training
✦ Regular professional supervision and 7+ years of personal therapy
Since adolescence, I have been deeply interested in psychology, guided by a lasting curiosity about human nature, inner life, and meaning. Over time, this became my professional path.
I support adults living abroad who feel emotionally overwhelmed — facing anxiety, inner pressure, self-criticism, relationship stress, parenting challenges, or difficulties with emotional regulation.
I also help people who experience difficulties around food, their relationship with their body, and self-worth — from emotional eating and guilt around food to eating disorders such as bulimia and binge eating.
A significant part of my work is with adults with ADHD and adults on the autism spectrum. You may experience difficulties with executive functioning, sensory overload, emotional intensity, burnout, or an exhausting cycle of trying hard, becoming overwhelmed, and then blaming yourself.
Born in Latvia, having lived in Denmark, and now living in Turkey, I have a personal understanding of how migration and life between cultures can affect emotional well-being and one’s sense of stability and support.
I also bring lived experience into my work. As a mother of two, a professional with lived experience of ADHD, and someone with personal experience of recovery from an eating disorder, I understand how complex and non-linear the healing process can be.
Outside of therapy, I restore through creativity and nature. I love different forms of handcraft — from candle-making and jewellery design to upcycling — as well as travel, animals, and time outdoors. These parts of my life keep me grounded and connected to beauty, care, and renewal.
My first degree in Economics and Management adds structure, clarity, and a practical mindset to my therapeutic work.
✦ Over 2,000 hours of professional training
✦ Regular professional supervision and 7+ years of personal therapy
I speak:
RussianEnglish
Location:
Antalya, Turkey
Media Gallery
Approach
Treatment Approaches
ACT: Acceptance and Commitment TherapyRecommended for those who want to stop fighting negative thoughts and learn how to live with more acceptance and focus on what really matters in life.
DBT: Dialectical Behavior Therapy Recommended for those who want to learn skills to manage intense emotions and improve their relationships, especially if they feel easily overwhelmed.
EMDRRecommended for those dealing with trauma who want to process painful memories in a structured way to reduce their emotional impact.
My therapeutic approach is warm, structured, and collaborative. I see therapy as a space where we can slow down enough to understand what is happening internally while also moving toward practical and sustainable change in everyday life.
I work both in short-term, goal-focused counselling and in longer-term therapeutic processes.
Short-term work focuses on stabilization, emotional regulation, and clear strategies for current challenges. Longer-term work allows deeper exploration of patterns, emotional history, and lasting change, which many clients find supportive for building a more stable relationship with themselves and others.
Depending on your needs, sessions may include structured reflection, skill-building, and gentle between-session practices that help integrate insights into daily life. We regularly adjust the pace and goals to your real capacity.
I pay particular attention to the foundations that support psychological well-being — sleep, rest, nervous system recovery, and predictable daily rhythms — as these strongly influence emotional stability and therapeutic progress.
You don’t need to be in crisis to begin therapy. Some people come with long-standing difficulties, while others simply notice that something feels heavier or more confusing than it used to. Both are equally welcome.
I offer a free 30-minute introductory call where you can briefly share what brings you to therapy, and we can see if working together feels like a good fit.
I work both in short-term, goal-focused counselling and in longer-term therapeutic processes.
Short-term work focuses on stabilization, emotional regulation, and clear strategies for current challenges. Longer-term work allows deeper exploration of patterns, emotional history, and lasting change, which many clients find supportive for building a more stable relationship with themselves and others.
Depending on your needs, sessions may include structured reflection, skill-building, and gentle between-session practices that help integrate insights into daily life. We regularly adjust the pace and goals to your real capacity.
I pay particular attention to the foundations that support psychological well-being — sleep, rest, nervous system recovery, and predictable daily rhythms — as these strongly influence emotional stability and therapeutic progress.
You don’t need to be in crisis to begin therapy. Some people come with long-standing difficulties, while others simply notice that something feels heavier or more confusing than it used to. Both are equally welcome.
I offer a free 30-minute introductory call where you can briefly share what brings you to therapy, and we can see if working together feels like a good fit.
Experience
8 years in practice40+ sessions on It's Complicated6 months at It's Complicated
I began my work in psychology in 2017 as a volunteer at the women’s training center Gravitatsiya, facilitating online therapeutic programs for women and supporting them with issues related to childhood trauma and attachment.
Since 2018, I have been in private practice, supporting clients individually, including expats facing relationship difficulties, emotional challenges, adaptation-related stress, and eating-related difficulties such as emotional eating. I also facilitated group trainings for mothers on emotional self-regulation.
From 2022 to 2024, I worked at the online centre “It’s Possible to Eat” as a psychologist specialising in normalising eating behaviour and supporting weight management. I worked with clients experiencing eating disorders, including binge eating and bulimia, as well as eating-related difficulties such as emotional eating and restrictive patterns. A particular focus of my work was supporting neurodivergent clients, including those with ADHD and autism spectrum conditions, whose eating difficulties often involve additional sensory, emotional, and self-regulation-related factors.
Since 2024, I have been fully dedicated to online private practice, supporting clients with anxiety, emotional overload, parenting-related stress, eating-related difficulties, and challenges related to neurodivergence.
Since 2018, I have been in private practice, supporting clients individually, including expats facing relationship difficulties, emotional challenges, adaptation-related stress, and eating-related difficulties such as emotional eating. I also facilitated group trainings for mothers on emotional self-regulation.
From 2022 to 2024, I worked at the online centre “It’s Possible to Eat” as a psychologist specialising in normalising eating behaviour and supporting weight management. I worked with clients experiencing eating disorders, including binge eating and bulimia, as well as eating-related difficulties such as emotional eating and restrictive patterns. A particular focus of my work was supporting neurodivergent clients, including those with ADHD and autism spectrum conditions, whose eating difficulties often involve additional sensory, emotional, and self-regulation-related factors.
Since 2024, I have been fully dedicated to online private practice, supporting clients with anxiety, emotional overload, parenting-related stress, eating-related difficulties, and challenges related to neurodivergence.
Education
My training combines clinical psychology, evidence-based therapy, and specialized work with trauma, neurodivergence, mood difficulties, and eating-related concerns.
Clinical assessment and counselling:
Clinical psychological assessment, psychotherapy, and psychological counseling; (Moscow Institute of Psychoanalysis, International Higher School of Practical Psychology, Riga)
Trauma and emotional regulation:
EMDR Training (Level 1 & 2); DBT Skills training with Marsha Linehan; ACT training;
I am also IFS and Scheme Therapy informed.
Neurodivergence:
Professional training in supporting neurodivergent individuals, including ADHD, autism spectrum, and sensory differences (PsyDocMed)
Eating disorders and eating behaviour:
Training in the treatment of eating disorders with Marcia Herrin, Fellow Academy of Eating Disorders,
Weight management, eating behavior psychology, and nutrition science (Moscow Institute of Psychoanalysis)
Additional methods:
Therapeutic art life coaching
(Transformation Academy)
Coaching training
(ICM Advanced School of Coaching)
Clinical assessment and counselling:
Clinical psychological assessment, psychotherapy, and psychological counseling; (Moscow Institute of Psychoanalysis, International Higher School of Practical Psychology, Riga)
Trauma and emotional regulation:
EMDR Training (Level 1 & 2); DBT Skills training with Marsha Linehan; ACT training;
I am also IFS and Scheme Therapy informed.
Neurodivergence:
Professional training in supporting neurodivergent individuals, including ADHD, autism spectrum, and sensory differences (PsyDocMed)
Eating disorders and eating behaviour:
Training in the treatment of eating disorders with Marcia Herrin, Fellow Academy of Eating Disorders,
Weight management, eating behavior psychology, and nutrition science (Moscow Institute of Psychoanalysis)
Additional methods:
Therapeutic art life coaching
(Transformation Academy)
Coaching training
(ICM Advanced School of Coaching)
Services
Intro Call
Free • 30 min • Online
Individual Session
€80 • 1 hr • Online
Fee for a single 60-minute session (pay-as-you-go): €80 per hour.Individual Session
Sliding scale
€75 • 1 hr • Online
Package of 5 sessions: €75 per hour (€375 total).Individual Session
Sliding scale
€70 • 1 hr • Online
Package of 10 sessions: €70 per hour (€700 total).Insurances
Private PayPublic Insurance
At a glance
Last active
Experienced on It's Complicated6 months and 40+ sessions on It's Complicated
Offers free 30 minute introductory callThis provider offers a free introductory call
Note from MariaDo you have any questions before booking an intro call? You can message me anytime.
Usually responds within 2 hours
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