Dr Maya Flexer is a child and adolescent counsellor and a psychoanalytic psychotherapist, with fourteen years’ experience in child, adolescent and young people’s mental health and development. 

Maya completed a psychology BSc in Royal Holloway University of London, then an MSc in University College London. She then went on to complete a clinical doctorate (DPsych) in Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy in University College London. She is a member of the institute for Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy in Australia, and the Association of Child Psychotherapists in the UK. 

Prior to moving to Australia, Maya worked in the Anna Freud Centre in London, a world leading centre in child and adolescent mental health, development and research. She has also worked in a specialist Early Years team in the National Health Service (NHS) in London. Maya has worked in in a variety of settings, including schools, nurseries, inpatient units and charities.  

Maya works with children, young people and parents to help with:

• Low mood and depression 

• Anxiety and stress 

• Self-esteem 

• Identity and personal development 

• Grief and bereavement 

• Anger issues and violence 

• Divorce and family conflict  

• Friendships and relationships  

• Transitions  

• Difficulties in learning and distractibility 

• Neurodevelopmental difficulties, including autism 

• Trauma (acute, chronic, developmental or complex).  

• Developmental difficulties and early years - feeding, toileting and boundaries  

• Behavioural problems 

• Sleeping difficulties 

• Separation anxiety and attachment difficulties  

• OCD 

• Eating disorders 

• Phobias 

• Impulsivity and addiction 

• Suicidal ideation, self-harm 

• Parenting issues 

Maya utilises a psychoanalytic or psychodynamic approach, incorporating play and art. This approach is relational and particularly helpful when the difficulties originate as a result of trauma, events in the child’s early years, or when there is an emotional or attachment basis to the difficulties.

Maya’s approach is holistic and in-depth, where the intervention happens at the pace of the child or adolescent, and tailored to their level of development and unique needs. Clients are supported to reflect and understand themselves, and this alleviates internal pain, shifts behaviour and unhelpful patterns or symptoms. These changes support personal growth and development, and supports the child or adolescent to fulfil their potential. 

Maya is available for telehealth appointments on Mondays, and in person sessions on Thursdays at our Lindfield practice.