Somewhere steady to work things through.
A warm, supportive space for women, mothers and young people to slow down, make sense of what they're carrying, and find their way forward - with someone alongside them.
Holistic counselling and Reiki in Alexandria, Sydney, or online.
- WhereAlexandria, Sydney, and online
- WhenWeekdays 9am to 5pm, Saturdays 9am to 1pm
- PractitionerMaryam Keri, ACA registered counsellor
- First session60 minutes, $180
What I help with
No two people are the same. Below are the areas I work in most often. What our sessions look like is something we shape together.
Women's counselling
Relationships, work stress, burnout
For the stretch where you are holding everything together and quietly running out of room. We look at what is draining you, where the pressure is really coming from, and what boundaries would actually hold. Drawn from cognitive behavioural therapy and solution-focused work, at a pace that suits you.
Postnatal and new-mum support
The first years of motherhood
Becoming a mother changes more than just the schedule. This is space to talk honestly about the identity shift, the loneliness, the guilt, and the relationship changes, without performing that you are fine. Practical strategies for the days that feel unmanageable.
Therapy for children and teens
Ages 9 to 15
Big feelings are easier to talk about sideways. Through games, drawing, and conversation, children build language for what is happening in their bodies and a small set of tools they can actually use at school. Parents get a summary after each session and a plan for home.
Reiki
On its own or alongside counselling
A quiet place to pause. Many people find Reiki deeply relaxing and use it to settle the nervous system between counselling sessions. Reiki is a complementary practice rather than a medical or psychological treatment, and it is never offered as a substitute for care from your doctor.
The Align Within Method
Sometimes life becomes so full of other people's needs, expectations and demands that it is hard to hear your own thoughts clearly. Our sessions give you somewhere to quieten that noise.
Pause
We start with what is present. Not a neatly explained problem, just whatever has been sitting heavily with you.
Explore
A closer look at what is happening, the thoughts you are having about it, and the patterns you may be caught in.
Return
The conversation turns back towards you. Not what would keep everyone else happy, but what you want and need.
Choose
One thing that is possible from where you are now. A conversation, a boundary, a small step. The choice stays yours.
A space to feel heard, understood and supported, while you reconnect with what matters to you.
- Australian Counselling Association, member number 82292
- Trained in cognitive behavioural therapy and solution-focused therapy
- Reiki Level 2
- Working With Children Check WWC2453590E, current
About Maryam
For many years, I built a career I was proud of. I enjoyed being busy, working with people, learning and taking on whatever came my way. Then I became a mum, and life began to change in ways I hadn't quite anticipated. My priorities shifted, my identity grew and changed, and I started to understand how easy it can be to become so busy caring for everyone else that you lose sight of yourself somewhere along the way.
That experience sparked something in me. I became more curious about what happens when we slow down and listen to ourselves, our thoughts, our feelings, our needs and the quieter voice within us that can sometimes get lost beneath everything else.
That curiosity led me to counselling and, eventually, to creating Align Within. I wanted to create a space where people could come as they are. You don't need to know exactly what's wrong, have the right words, or arrive with everything neatly worked out. We can simply start with what is present.
My approach is warm, gentle and practical. I draw on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and solution-focused therapy, while keeping our sessions responsive to you and what you need. I won't tell you what you should do or where you should be. Instead, I'll listen, ask questions, and help you make sense of what you're experiencing, so you can reconnect with what matters to you and find your own way forward.
I work with women, mothers, and young people who may be moving through change, feeling overwhelmed, questioning themselves, or simply knowing that something needs to shift. Whatever brings you here, you don't have to work it all out on your own.
Whether you are looking for clarity, support, or simply a space to breathe, I am here to help. I'm really glad you've found your way here.
Before you book
What the first session is like
- We start with a free 15 minute introduction, by video or phone, whichever you are more comfortable with. Book the introduction, choose a time that suits you, and you will get a confirmation straight away. It is a chance to hear my voice and ask anything before committing.
- The intake session runs 60 minutes. You talk, I listen, and I ask questions about what brought you here and what you want to be different.
- We agree on a rough plan together. Some people need four sessions, some need longer, and you are never locked into a package.
- Ongoing sessions are 60 minutes, usually fortnightly to begin with, in person or online.
You do not need a referral, and you do not need to arrive with the words already sorted out.
If you are booking for your child
A parent or guardian books the first appointment and attends the first 15 minutes with your child. After that, most of the session is one-to-one, and you receive a short summary of themes and a suggestion for home. I do not pass on the detail of what your child tells me, because the work depends on them trusting that.
There are two limits to that confidentiality, and I explain them to your child in the first session too: if I believe a child is at risk of harm, or if a court requires the records, I am obliged to act. As a counsellor working with children in New South Wales I am a mandatory reporter.
Fees and availability
Sessions are held during the day on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and on Saturday mornings, in person in Alexandria or online.
- Introductory call15 minutes, video or phoneFree
- Intake session60 minutes$180
- Ongoing counselling60 minutes$150
- Reiki60 minutes$90
Cancellations with more than 24 hours notice are free. Inside 24 hours, half the session fee is charged.
Start with a conversation.
If you are not sure whether this is the right fit, the 15-minute call costs nothing and there is no pressure at the end of it. Tell me a little about what is going on and we will work out where to go from there.
- Email
connect@alignwithin.com.au - In person
Alexandria NSW, address shared when your session is confirmed - Online
Video sessions, for anyone who cannot travel or prefers to talk from home - Hours
9am to 5pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday
9am to 1pm Saturday, by appointment