Maria Bulgakova – Visiting Diploma Tutor

Maria Bulgakova is a visiting tutor for the Diploma in Integrative Counselling. She is a BACP-registered psychotherapeutic counsellor and qualified PCE-CfD supervisor, with over a decade of experience supporting survivors of domestic and sexual violence and abuse. Her practice is rooted in trauma-informed, integrative approaches with a particular focus on recovery and healing. She has worked within the NHS framework, national and small charities, and in private practice.

Maria integrates psychodynamic, person-centred, transactional analysis, and Gestalt modalities in her work, with a developing interest in Jungian analysis. She also provides group therapy specialising in trauma and PTSD, drawing on her expertise in creating safe and reflective spaces for clients to process complex experiences.

Her pre-therapeutic background lies in journalism and human rights activism. Having lived in five different countries, she brings a broadened perspective on cultural diversity, isolation, and belonging, which continues to inform both her therapeutic and teaching practice.

Maria’s teaching style is interactive and reflective, actively engaging students in group discussions and grounding theoretical concepts in professional practice. She draws on her extensive experience as a therapist, supervisor, and clinical manager to illustrate theory in ways that help students connect academic learning with practical application.