About Me

Maia is a registered Solution-Focused Psychotherapist and Hypnotherapist. She was encouraged to train in this field after she benefitted personally from hypnotherapy treatment over a decade ago..

She has more than seven years’ experience teaching cooking and art as therapy – working with young people and adults with complex needs, mental health issues and from disadvantaged backgrounds. She has also worked for over 17 years with cancer charities to improve the quality of life of cancer patients – writing research papers, questionnaires and patient information.

She is passionate about helping people to live their lives to the fullest, and gain the skills and confidence to overcome difficulties. She has a particular focus on helping with eating issues, phobias, anxiety and instilling life-enhancing habits. She loves cooking and painting, and spending time with her daughters.

Qualifications

Diploma in Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy from Clifton Practice Hypnotherapy Training (CPHT). Registered member of the National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH). CPHT Certificate in Calm Pregnancy & Hypnobirthing. CPD training in Weight Loss, Insomnia and Parts Therapy. BA (Oxon) – History & Spanish. Enhanced DBS check. First Aid and Suicide First Aid trained. Advanced Safeguarding Level 3. Currently studying for an NTEC in Nutrition and Culinary Skills.

My Associates

Modern life can be challenging for some of our children; problems at school or with friends, exam pressures, social media, worries and fears about the future can all contribute to stress, anxiety and loss of self-esteem or confidence. Even very young children may be confused about their feelings of anxiety, anger or sadness.

At The Therapy Box we combine some of the very best psychotherapeutic techniques available to help children and teens overcome stress and emotional problems. We work with your child in a safe, confidential environment.

Oxford Menopause is a specialist women’s health and menopause clinic. We offer women individualised, holistic care, advice and treatment during the transition through perimenopause and menopause. We also offer advice and guidance for pre-menopausal women who wish to discuss hormonal issues, contraception and other aspects of women’s health. The service was launched by Dr Katie Barber in October 2020 and offers women access to evidence-based options with open, friendly staff and a focus on personalised care.

All our specialists have received accreditation as Menopause Specialists from the British Menopause Society. Our appointments are tailored around you and your medical history, to provide you with regulated treatments and advice that is evidence based.

We also offer The Carriage House Clinic to provide high quality private GP care for your whole family. Situated within the beautiful village of Ardington in southern Oxfordshire, we offer exceptional care from our leading general practitioners. Our private GP service offers expert care and advice, assessment of your condition, diagnosis, treatment and referrals.

Orchard House Clinic is a wellness hub in Wantage, conveniently located next to the Beacon car park. Both Maia Sissons Therapy and The Therapy Box practice out of this beautiful clinic.

Testimonials

“The whole thing was a real life enhancer! I learnt some very useful strategies for managing my emotions/reactions and also dealing with my family. I didn’t feel judged but I did feel as if I were talking to someone with excellent judgement and a practical approach so that I could do something in terms of changing thinking and behaviour not just ruminate.”

“I came to Maia to try to tackle my habit of drinking wine most nights. I haven’t had a glass of wine since New Years Eve and actually literally 3 alcoholic drinks in the last 3 ½ months!

But I have also benefited in so many other ways. I was a little sceptical when I came along but willing to give it a go as an experiment thinking, wrongly, that this probably wasn’t for me. I actually thoroughly enjoyed my sessions and learnt the benefits of hypnotherapy and how to properly relax and appreciate day to day and myself more. I feel it definitely improved my sleep and therefore my general wellbeing.”

“The hypnotherapy sessions helped to reduce my habit of worrying/ruminating over an emotionally upsetting inter-personal family issue and to focus instead on positive thoughts and actions. It helped me to understand that my negative thinking (propensity to worry/ruminate), was based in the primitive part of my brain (the amygdala), and that there is actually a bias for negative thinking. This understanding was useful, since it helped me to stop self-blaming for my negative thought patterns.

But more importantly, learning that I had the power to control my negative thinking, by engaging the pre frontal cortex of my brain, equipped me to more easily tap into positive thoughts and feelings. This is turn, helped me to engage more positively with the inter-personal family issues that I was facing.

The hypnotherapy sessions also, importantly, helped me to understand that I could let go of the past, and not let past wrongs or upsets dictate my feelings and actions in the present.”

“Since starting my sessions with Maia, a huge amount has happened. I feel more confident in handling situations of conflict. I am able to recognise the trigger points for my eating behaviour and can control it. I now have a greater awareness of my overall trigger factors, an ability to reassess my actions, reactions and try to be proactive in my behaviour. As a result of the hypnotherapy track I am sleeping far better than I have in years, and the ability after having a good night’s sleep to think more rationally, but conversely also being aware of my intuitive side and trusting in my own emotional instincts is greatly improved. As a result of working with Maia I have also been able to break down actions at home into small blocks of tasks and working through those methodically. I found the whole process initially intriguing, and learnt a huge amount about myself. I found the process calming, helpful and removed any negative feelings about myself.”

“With your help I was able to take control of the amount of alcohol I was drinking. I now feel I control it rather than it controlling me, and what was really a bad habit has been changed. I was a bit sceptical at first as to how it could work over zoom , but it obviously does. Through the therapy I’ve been able to re-programme and change my habits. This has also helped me look at other parts of my life – I’ve noticed that I’m more positive in getting on with things that I’ve been in the habit of putting off for another day. I don’t think anything could have been handled better – I felt in safe hands and always felt confident that I would benefit from the therapy.”

“Just to let you know that I had an MRI today. The appointment came through shortly after our last session. The work we did helped a lot. I wasn’t at all anxious running up to the scan today and while there was some anxiety during the scan itself I was able to manage it much better and to treat it as an opportunity to learn about my anxiety. And you have given me something of lasting value which goes beyond the immediate issue of the phobia that we set out to work on. Plus I learnt that I can use guided meditation to good effect, which I didn’t really believe before. And that I can have in mind a safe place, which I didn’t have before and for which I am very grateful.”

S, treated for phobia