If antidepressants and talk therapy work so well, why do so many of us still feel depressed?
Because medication can only mask the pain, and therapy alone can't reach everything. Your mind, body and soul are all screaming to be heard.It’s time to heal the whole of you.
The Ditch the Black Dog Virtual Retreat opens on the 23rd September 2026.
Join the Waitlist today to find out more!
Hi, I'm Maria
The most important thing you need to know about me is that I'm not your typical mental wellness mentor.
I'm not here to diagnose depression or prescribe medication for it.
Only a licensed medical professional can do that.
What I do is create safe, inclusive spaces for wounded Souls to find support when traditional therapy and medication aren't available, don't work well enough or don't work at all. I'm here to guide you on your journey towards finding happiness again.
My approach to ditching the black dog of depression is a little different!
I became a certified coach, counselor, and nature therapist specializing in the holistic management of depression because of my own battles with the black dog.
Through my work I discovered the Gaian Path - a journey that helped me cope with depression and ushered me slowly back into a life I love. The path is pretty simple and includes neuroscience based tools and techniques, practical lifestyle changes and harnessing the power of community support. So far, so good, right? But then it gets a little weird! Stay with me, ok?
What makes my work different
is that I'm also an intuitive Soul Healer practicing Gaian Magick - therapeutic rituals and ceremonies rooted in ancient earth wisdom. Think full moon release ceremonies, tarot for self-discovery, and seasonal practices that help you process emotions and reconnect with your Soul, so you can feel empowered to create the life you desire and deserve.
The magick is real - and it works.
It's not just about casting spells, living well and finding connection - the Gaian Path is also about taking part in sacred activism to address some of the deeper issues that talk therapy and medication will never touch.
These two elements aren't just a nice 'extra', they're the secret sauce that helps you process what you can't put into words and reconnect with something bigger than the depression you feel.
This is how you rediscover yourself and create a life worth waking up for.
Let me show you how following the Gaian Path can help support you on your journey to feeling healthy, happy and whole again.
After the hell you’ve been through, isn’t it time you got to create the happy life you desire and deserve?
The Ditch the Black Dog Virtual Retreat opens September 23rd 2026. In the meantime, I’ll be running some taster sessions, plus you’ll have the chance to join at a very low founder member price.
Want in? Click the button to find out more and join the waitlist!
Here's How I Can Help You to Tame Your Black Dog
Introducing the Ditch the Black Dog Virtual Retreat
When you’re battling depression, finding effective support can feel impossible.
Maybe you've been waiting months for an appointment with a therapist, and you want to start helping yourself in the meantime.
Maybe you get an hour of therapy a week, with no additional support in between and you wish there was something you could do to help you get through to the next session.
If you've been lucky enough to access traditional therapy, maybe it hasn't worked the way you hoped. Or your allocated sessions ended just as you were starting to open up, leaving you feeling lost and alone.
Perhaps you clawed your way out of one dark episode of depression, only to find the black dog crept back in and the whole exhausting battle began all over again.
Or have you received treatment in hospital and although you're not depressed anymore, you're struggling to put the pieces of your life back together by yourself?
Enough already!
It's time to end the cycle of suffering.
I created the Ditch the Black Dog Virtual Retreat as a solution to the problems I encountered when I needed help with depression.
Inside, I'll introduce you to the Gaian Path and you can choose how you want to follow it back to happiness.
Join the Ditch the Black Dog of Depression Virtual Retreat
I've included all the things I needed when I felt like my life wasn't worth waking up for, including practical support with societal and cultural causes of depression.
The Ditch the Black Dog Virtual Retreat is always open for you. It's there for you at the times your therapist isn't.
There's something helpful, no matter what you might be struggling with - sleep, work, money, love or the hesrtbreak of broken dreams.
You'll find support, practical tools and therapeutic experiences, combined with a generous sprinkle of Gaian Magick, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week - even at 4am when everything feels darkest.
Take a look - it might be exactly what you need to support you on your journey to rediscovering what makes you happy.
What if you're not ready to join the Ditch the Black Dog Virtual Retreat?
That's ok! You can find out more and get a taste of what the retreat has to offer inside my FREE Black Dog Café community.
You don't have to battle the Black Dog of depression alone!
The Black Dog Café is a FREE, off-Facebook sanctuary for depressed souls who're done pretending they’re fine.
No pressure. No platitudes. Definitely no toxic positivity.
Just connection, compassion, and a generous serving of nature's magick to help you feel supported as you get back to feeling more you.
Don't bother getting out of your PJ's - just grab a coffee, tea or yummy hot chocolate and come on over. It's always open, even at 4 am when depression bites hardest.
You don’t have to battle the Black Dog alone. I'm saving a space for you! ☕
The café is a safe space where we gather to support each other so that the Black Dog no longer bothers us but just sits quietly whilst we focus on creating a life worth waking up again for.
Do you fancy ditching the black dog of depression here with me in Spain?
From the September Equinox to the Summer Solstice in June every year, I offer a variety of sacred circles, live events and retreats.
They take place in the great outdoors.
There’s nothing quite like
🌲 breathing in the rejuvenating fresh air in the forest,
⛰️ energy healing sessions in the mountains,
🐎 animal assisted therapy sessions with cats, dogs, birds and horses.
🌅 watching the sun set over the Mediterranean Sea
🌙 or watching the moon rise in sacred circle…
…to help you heal and thrive!
If you’re interested in finding out more about my retreats and live events, and how to book, please click the button!
What do people say about working with aria?
Here are some blog posts that explain a little bit more about my work and how it can help you.
I have comments turned off on my posts. If you’d like to talk about anything you read here, please come over to the Black Dog Café, a safe space for you to ask questions and join the conversation.
Prefer to listen? Subscribe to the Ditch the Black Dog Podcast
About aria aian
What do people say about working with aria?
This is typically the space where most peopIe ask you to sign up for their newsletter.
But I know that when you're depressed the last thing you need is loads of emails you'll never read clogging up your inbox.
Yes, you need tips, tools, and suggestions, but you also need to feel seen and heard by people who understand you.
This is my invitation to you to come join me in the Black Dog Café for a chat. All you have to do is bring yourself and your favourite drink!
The café is a little bit different than the typical online groups you might have seen before, and it's perfectly ok if you only want to lurk at first!
