Maria "Ri" Punt, BACP

Maria "Ri" Punt offers support for people facing LGBT issues, relationship difficulties, family stress, trauma and abuse, and major life changes. She is based in the United Kingdom and brings 19 years of experience to her counselling work. Ri aims to create a calm, welcoming space where people can talk about what matters to them and feel genuinely heard.

Her style is warm and relaxed. She works in an integrative way, drawing on a range of evidence-based therapeutic techniques to suit each person. Sessions focus on helping people make sense of their experiences, build resilience, and find practical ways to cope day to day.

Ri also works with a wide range of related concerns including sexuality, polyamory and non-monogamous relationships, BDSM and kink culture, caregiver stress, chronic illness and pain, and issues linked to prejudice or discrimination. She offers support around post-traumatic stress, domestic violence, HIV and AIDS, and matters connected to veteran and first responder experiences.

Her approach places emphasis on trust and safety in the counselling relationship. People are encouraged to reconnect with their own strengths and inner resources while exploring difficult emotions like guilt, shame, grief or anger.

To begin, clients use the Start Therapy button and complete a short matching questionnaire. Sessions are arranged according to therapist availability and use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.

How evidence-based methods shape online support

Ri practises in an integrative way, combining evidence-based therapeutic techniques to match a person’s needs. Two common approaches she draws on are trauma-informed work, which helps people process distressing events and reduce reactivity, and strengths-based methods, which focus on identifying practical skills and resilience to cope with everyday challenges.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss goals and preferences and tailor methods as therapy develops. This shared planning helps ensure sessions focus on what matters most to the person seeking help.

For practicalities, confirm the session options before booking since formats were not specified in the biography. Online therapy can make it easier to fit counselling into a busy life, for example by avoiding travel time or allowing shorter check-ins during a break. It can also reduce the need to arrange childcare or take long periods away from work, so people can access support with less disruption to their daily routine.