Alexandra- Maria Iurian
Therapist
Introduction
You look like you have it all together. On the outside, you're managing: the job, the new city, the constant adapting. But inside, something feels heavier than it should.
Your mind won't switch off. You second-guess decisions, replay conversations, wonder why the same relationship patterns keep showing up no matter who you're with. And being far from home has made all of it feel a little more confusing, a little more alone.
I'm Alexandra-Maria Iurian, a psychologist accredited by the Netherlands Institute of Psychologists (NIP), working with expats and internationals both online and in Maastricht, in English and Romanian.
My work starts where most people actually are: overwhelmed, overthinking, and tired of trying to figure it all out alone.
With anxiety and overthinking, we begin by calming the nervous system, because no amount of insight helps when your body is stuck in overdrive. Once there's more space to breathe, we go deeper: understanding the patterns underneath, especially in relationships, where Schema Therapy helps us trace what's really driving the same dynamics on repeat.
I combine CBT, Schema Therapy, ACT, DBT, Clinical Hypnosis, and nervous system regulation, not as a checklist, but as tools chosen to fit you specifically. I offer both individual and couples therapy, because patterns don't only live inside one person; they live between people too.
If you're ready to stop coping and start shifting something real, let's talk. Book a free 15-minute call: calendly.com/iurianalexandramaria/15min
Online therapy
Starting online therapy is simple.
What to expect
Sessions take place online via Google Meet, a secure and convenient platform. I conduct every session from a private room where I am alone, ensuring that our conversations remain confidential and cannot be overheard by anyone else.
Each session lasts 50 minutes and is tailored to your individual needs, goals, and circumstances. Together, we create a safe and supportive space where you can explore what you are going through, understand your patterns, and work towards meaningful change.
Is online therapy effective?
Research has consistently shown that online psychological therapy can be as effective as face-to-face therapy for many psychological concerns, making it a valuable alternative to traditional in-person sessions.
Beyond the research, I have also seen meaningful changes in my own work with clients through online therapy, including changes that can develop relatively quickly and, importantly, be maintained over time.
Online therapy does not mean that the therapeutic relationship or the depth of the work has to be compromised.
All sessions take place in a confidential, safe, and supportive environment, following professional ethical guidelines and psychological standards.
You don't need to be in the same room to do meaningful therapeutic work. What matters is having a space where you feel safe enough to be open, understood, and supported.
Qualifications and registrations
Qualifications & Registrations
M.Sc. in Clinical Psychology, Psychological Counseling & Psychotherapy
B.A. in Psychology
Licensed Psychologist & Psychotherapist – Romania
Registered with the Netherlands Institute of Psychologists (NIP)
Certified Associate – Romanian Association for Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy (APCCR)
Specialized Training
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) · Schema Therapy · Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) · Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) · Clinical Hypnosis · Nervous System Regulation · Mindfulness · Couples Therapy
Specialisations
- 1. Anxiety & Emotional Overwhelm
- 2. Overthinking & Mental Fatigue
- 3. Stress & Burnout
- 4. Relationship Patterns
- 5. Loneliness
- 6. Sleep Difficulties
- 7. Difficulties Managing Emotions
- 8. Low Self-Esteem
- 9. Relationship Conflicts
- 10. Trauma
Specialisations and Expertises
Specialisation
I specialise in working with expats and internationals who appear to be managing life well on the outside, but internally struggle with anxiety, overthinking, emotional overwhelm, or a sense of disconnection made heavier by living far from home.
Most treated issues:
- Expat anxiety and adjustment difficulties
- Overthinking and mental fatigue
- Stress and burnout
- Emotional overwhelm and emotional regulation difficulties
- Sleep difficulties
- Low self-esteem
- Relationship patterns and relationship difficulties (including couples work)
- Life transitions (relocation, career change, identity shifts)
- Loneliness and social disconnection
Therapeutic approach:
I work integratively, drawing on Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Schema Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Clinical Hypnosis, and Nervous System Regulation techniques, tailoring the combination to each client's needs. This allows us to work both on understanding underlying patterns and on creating practical, lasting change in daily life.
Expected number of sessions:
The length of therapy varies depending on the issue and its complexity. As a general guide:
- Short-term, focused concerns (e.g. a specific stressor, sleep difficulty, or decision-related anxiety): typically 10-20 sessions
- Moderate, pattern-based issues (e.g. overthinking, burnout, emotional regulation, low self-esteem): typically 20-30 sessions
- Deeper or long-standing patterns (e.g. relationship patterns, identity-level life transitions, complex emotional overwhelm): often 20+ sessions, sometimes worked in open-ended, ongoing therapy
An initial free 15-minute call, or the first 1–2 sessions, are typically used to clarify the specific goals and give a more personalised estimate.
De meest behandelde klachten in mijn praktijk:
1. Anxiety
Many clients come to me feeling anxious without a clear cause, or overwhelmed by everyday decisions and unfamiliar situations, especially as expats navigating a new culture. I start by working on nervous system regulation, helping you calm the physiological activation behind the anxiety (the racing thoughts, tension, restlessness) before we go deeper into the underlying patterns and beliefs driving it.
2. Overthinking & Mental Fatigue
For clients stuck in loops of overanalysing decisions, conversations, or choices, the same principle applies: we first work on regulating the nervous system so the mind has room to slow down, and only then move into exploring the deeper cognitive and emotional patterns keeping the overthinking alive.
3. Relationship Patterns
This is where I lean heavily on Schema Therapy. Many clients repeat the same relational dynamics: difficulty trusting, fear of abandonment, over-giving, conflict avoidance, or attracting the same type of unavailable or difficult partner. Schema Therapy helps identify the early patterns ("schemas") behind these dynamics and work through them at the root, rather than just managing the symptoms session to session.
4. Stress & Burnout
For clients who feel constantly "on," exhausted, or unable to switch off, often after prolonged periods of coping alone, we work on identifying the sources of chronic overload and building sustainable regulation and boundary-setting habits.
5. Low Self-Esteem & Emotional Regulation Difficulties
Clients who struggle with self-doubt, harsh self-criticism, or feeling emotionally "numb" or easily overwhelmed benefit from a combination of emotional regulation tools and deeper pattern work, so they can respond to difficult emotions rather than being controlled by them.
Issues I can help with
- Anger management
- Anxiety
- Being a perfectionist
- Being assertive
- Burnout
- Communication
- Depression
- Eating disorders
- Expat issues
- Fear
- Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
- Homesickness
- Insecurity
- Intercultural relationship problems
- Jealousy
- Life-meaning questions
- Loneliness
- Loss of meaning
- Low self esteem
- Performance anxiety
- Relationship fights
- Relationship issues
- Self confidence
- Setting boundaries
- Sleep problems
- Stress
- Study problems
- Trauma
- Work-related issues
- Workplace stress
- Worrying too much
Fees
Standard session (60 min): €90
Bundle Packages (Standard sessions)
10 sessions (60 min each): €850 – Save €50
20 sessions (60 min each): €1,650 – Save €150
Student / Unemployed session (60 min): €60
Bundle Packages (Student / Unemployed sessions)
10 sessions (60 min each): €550 – Save €50
20 sessions (60 min each): €1,100 – Save €100
Couples Therapy (75 min): €110
Availability (Opening hours)
| monday | 08:00–20:00 |
| tuesday | 08:00–20:00 |
| wednesday | 08:00–20:00 |
| thursday | 08:00–20:00 |
| friday | 08:00–20:00 |
| saturday | 08:00–20:00 |
| sunday | - |