Mati Ma, BACP

Mati Ma is a counsellor and psychotherapist who helps people facing relationship worries, low self-esteem, work stress, anxiety and depression. He also supports those dealing with trauma, compassion fatigue, intimacy concerns, sleep problems and life changes. Mati speaks English, Mandarin and Cantonese and works with people from diverse backgrounds.

Mati uses a client-centred approach, listening closely and shaping each session around what the person brings. Sessions are straightforward and conversational, aimed at making space to understand feelings and choices. He draws on long-term experience from roles in schools and youth work across different countries to inform his practical style.

Before moving into independent practice he worked in behavioural intervention and as a youth worker in Canada, then as a school counsellor in Scotland. He now works in the United Kingdom and combines that background with his personal experience as an immigrant between Hong Kong, Canada and the UK. This gives him a perspective on cultural and life-transition issues.

In sessions Mati focuses on clear, usable steps people can try between meetings. He helps people talk through communication difficulties, attachment and abandonment worries, codependency, and stress linked to caregiving or career pressures. He also supports people with questions around kink and alternative sex culture in a non-judgemental way.

People can expect concise, empathic conversations that aim to make complex problems easier to manage. He draws on three years of professional experience as a practising counsellor and psychotherapist while building on decades of previous youth-facing roles.

How client-centred work translates to online therapy

Mati works using client-centred therapy, which means he focuses on hearing the person first. This approach offers a space to talk without pressure and helps people clarify what matters to them. It can be useful for relationship issues, self-esteem struggles, anxiety and depression.

His background in youth work and school counselling informs a practical, down-to-earth way of working. That means sessions aim to be collaborative, with the therapist and client deciding together which ways of working feel right. Finding the best approach is part of the process and will be reviewed as goals or circumstances change.

If you are considering online work, please confirm the exact session formats offered before booking. Many people find online sessions make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins when needed. Online meetings can also make it simpler to keep continuity of care if you move or travel, and they can help match language needs by allowing access to a therapist who speaks your language even if they are based elsewhere.

Registered or accredited professionals can discuss how to structure sessions to suit your routine, goals and preferred pace. This collaborative planning helps make sure sessions are practical and relevant to everyday life.