Psychology services in Malta.
Professional psychological support for teenagers and adults. At Prijorità, our Psychology service provides a safe, confidential and supportive space for individuals experiencing emotional, behavioural or psychological difficulties.
How psychology can help
People seek psychological support for many different reasons. You do not necessarily need to have a formal diagnosis or know exactly what is wrong before speaking with a psychologist.
Sometimes you may simply recognise that something does not feel right, that certain thoughts or behaviours are becoming difficult to manage, or that your emotional wellbeing is beginning to affect your relationships, work, studies or everyday life. Psychological support can provide an opportunity to better understand these experiences and develop healthier ways of responding to them.
Our psychology service is based at Prijorità Healthcare in Mosta, Malta, and forms part of a wider multidisciplinary team, so psychological therapy can be coordinated with psychiatric and medical care where that is clinically appropriate.
Areas of support
Maria works with teenagers and adults across Malta experiencing a broad range of psychological and emotional difficulties. These may include:
- Anxiety and excessive worry
- Anxiety disorders
- Panic and fear
- Addictive behaviours
- Difficulties related to substance use
- Behavioural addictions
- Stress and feeling overwhelmed
- Low mood
- Emotional difficulties
- Difficulties regulating emotions
- Low self-esteem
- Relationship difficulties
- Family difficulties
- Life transitions and significant changes
- Difficulties at school, university or work
- Social difficulties
- Coping with challenging circumstances
- Unhelpful patterns of thinking or behaviour
- General psychological wellbeing
Every person's circumstances are different. The focus of psychological support is therefore determined according to the individual's needs rather than following a one-size-fits-all approach.
Anxiety & anxiety disorders
Anxiety can present differently from one person to another. For some people, it may involve persistent worrying or overthinking. For others, anxiety may present through physical sensations, panic, avoidance, fear, difficulty sleeping or feeling constantly on edge.
Psychological support can help individuals understand their anxiety, recognise triggers and patterns and develop strategies for managing difficult thoughts, emotions and behaviours. The aim is not simply to tell someone to "stop worrying", but to understand what is driving the anxiety and how it is affecting their life.
Anxiety may begin to affect:
- Work or studies
- Relationships
- Social situations
- Sleep
- Concentration
- Decision-making
- Confidence
- Everyday routines
- Overall quality of life
Addiction & addictive behaviours
Addiction can affect individuals and families in many different ways. People may struggle with substance use or with behaviours that have gradually become difficult to control and are beginning to interfere with their health, relationships, responsibilities or emotional wellbeing.
Seeking psychological support does not require someone to have everything figured out or even to feel completely ready for change. Understanding the behaviour and what function it serves can itself be an important first step. Where additional medical or psychiatric input is required, Prijorità's multidisciplinary team can help coordinate appropriate care.
Psychological support provides a confidential space to explore:
- Patterns of addictive behaviour
- Triggers
- Cravings and urges
- Emotional factors connected to the behaviour
- Stress and coping mechanisms
- Consequences of the behaviour
- Motivation for change
- Relationships and family dynamics
- Relapse patterns
- Healthier coping strategies
Psychological support for teenagers
Adolescence can be an emotionally demanding period. Young people are navigating changes in identity, relationships, education, independence, family dynamics and expectations, often while still developing the skills needed to understand and regulate difficult emotions.
Teenagers may not always find it easy to explain what they are experiencing. Changes may instead appear through withdrawal, irritability, anxiety, changes in behaviour, difficulties at school, conflict at home or changes in friendships and everyday routines.
Maria works particularly well with teenagers and focuses on creating a safe, respectful and approachable therapeutic relationship where young people can feel comfortable speaking openly. Where appropriate, parents or caregivers may form part of the wider support process while respecting the young person's therapeutic relationship, privacy and applicable professional confidentiality requirements.
Support may be helpful for teenagers experiencing:
- Anxiety
- Excessive worry
- School or academic pressure
- Social difficulties
- Low confidence
- Emotional regulation difficulties
- Family or relationship difficulties
- Changes in behaviour
- Addictive or concerning behaviours
- Stress
- Difficult life events
- Difficulty coping with change
Psychological support for adults
Adults may seek psychological support at very different stages of life. Sometimes there is a specific difficulty that has prompted someone to seek help. At other times, a person may have been struggling for months or years before deciding that they would benefit from professional support.
Sessions can provide space to explore emotional difficulties, behaviours, relationships, life circumstances and recurring patterns in greater depth. The goal is to help individuals develop greater understanding of themselves while working towards practical and meaningful changes in their everyday lives.
Your psychology journey
Your first session
Your first appointment gives you the opportunity to meet Maria and begin discussing what has brought you to psychological support. There is no expectation that you arrive knowing exactly how to describe everything you are experiencing.
The first session may explore:
- What has brought you to therapy
- Your current concerns
- How long difficulties have been present
- How they are affecting everyday life
- Relevant personal history
- Relationships and support networks
- Previous psychological or mental health support
- What you would like to achieve through therapy
The first appointment also provides an opportunity to determine whether ongoing psychological support may be helpful and what the focus of future sessions could be.
Understanding your needs
As sessions progress, Maria works collaboratively with you to develop a clearer understanding of the difficulties you are experiencing. This may include recognising patterns, triggers, thoughts, emotions and behaviours that are contributing to or maintaining current difficulties. Therapy is individualised according to the person rather than applying the same approach to every client.
Ongoing psychological support
Where ongoing therapy is appropriate, sessions provide an opportunity to continue working towards agreed therapeutic goals. Progress can be reviewed over time and the focus of therapy may evolve as circumstances change or new issues emerge. The frequency and duration of psychological support will depend on individual needs and will be discussed with the client.
Psychology as part of your wider care
Some individuals benefit from psychological support alone. Others may have needs that require input from different healthcare professionals. As part of Prijorità's multidisciplinary model, Maria can work within a wider care pathway where clinically appropriate.
For example, an individual experiencing significant anxiety may benefit from psychological therapy while also requiring psychiatric assessment. Similarly, someone living with persistent pain may be supported by both psychological therapy and our pain management clinic. Where additional support appears appropriate, this can be discussed with the client and referrals can be considered accordingly.
This may include coordinated input from:
- Psychiatrists
- Psychologists
- Mental health nurses
- Medical doctors
- Other healthcare professionals where required
A confidential & non-judgemental space
Feeling comfortable with your psychologist is an important part of therapy. Psychological sessions at Prijorità are designed to provide a professional environment where individuals can discuss difficult thoughts, feelings and experiences without judgement.
Information shared during psychological sessions is treated confidentially in accordance with professional, ethical and legal requirements. Your psychologist will explain confidentiality and any relevant limits to confidentiality as part of the therapeutic process.
You do not need to wait until things become overwhelming before asking for support — our aim is to understand what you are experiencing and work collaboratively towards meaningful, sustainable change.
Your psychologist
Maria Aquilina
Health Psychology Practitioner, Mosta, Malta
Maria Aquilina is a Health Psychology Practitioner with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a Master's degree in Health Psychology from the University of Malta. She has over five years of experience working within the mental health field, including experience at Malta's Mental Health Hospital and within rehabilitation hospital services.
Maria takes a person-centred and individualised approach to her work, recognising that every individual's experiences and needs are unique. She aims to provide a safe, supportive and non-judgemental space where individuals can feel comfortable exploring their difficulties, developing a better understanding of their experiences and working towards meaningful change.
She works with teenagers and adults experiencing a range of emotional and psychological difficulties, with a particular interest in supporting individuals experiencing addiction and anxiety disorders, while also working with clients facing other psychological, emotional, behavioural and life challenges.
For teenagers in particular, establishing trust is essential. Sessions provide young people with an opportunity to express what they are experiencing at their own pace, while appropriate family involvement can be considered depending on the young person's age, circumstances, clinical needs, consent and applicable confidentiality requirements.
A note about our pricing
At Prijorità, people and their wellbeing always come first.
We choose to openly display our services and prices because we believe that every person seeking care deserves clarity, transparency and peace of mind. We want our clients and their families to understand the services available to them and to be aware of the associated costs before making any decisions about their care.
Displaying our prices is not about putting a monetary value on care. It is about being open and respectful towards the people who place their trust in us.
We understand that seeking support — particularly for mental health, wellbeing or ongoing medical needs — can sometimes feel overwhelming. The last thing we want is for anyone to feel uncertain or surprised by costs along the way.
Our aim is to provide compassionate, ethical and transparent care, where every person feels listened to, respected and supported.
At Prijorità, care comes first. Transparency is simply part of how we care.
See our full price listFrequently asked questions
- Where can I see a psychologist in Malta?
- Prijorità Healthcare's psychology service runs from our clinic at Triq Il-Pont, Mosta MST 2150, Malta. Sessions are held in person with Maria Aquilina, who works with teenagers and adults.
- How do I book a psychology appointment in Malta?
- You can request a psychology appointment through the booking form on this page, by calling reception on 7900 1888 or 2713 7778, or by emailing info@prijorita.com. Reception will be in touch to arrange a suitable time.
- How much does a session with Maria Aquilina cost?
- A one-hour psychology session is €60.
- Does Maria work with teenagers?
- Yes. Maria works with teenagers as well as adults and has a strong ability to build rapport with younger clients.
- Does Maria specialise in anxiety?
- Maria has a particular focus on anxiety and anxiety disorders, while also supporting individuals experiencing a wider range of psychological difficulties.
- Does Maria work with addiction?
- Yes. Addiction and addictive behaviours are a particular area of focus within Maria's psychological work. Depending on the nature and severity of the addiction, additional medical or psychiatric assessment may also be recommended as part of a multidisciplinary approach.
- Do I need to have a diagnosed mental health condition to see a psychologist?
- No. People seek psychological support for many reasons, and you do not need to have a formal diagnosis. If something is affecting your emotional wellbeing, relationships, behaviour, studies, work or everyday life, a psychological consultation may be an appropriate place to start.
- How many sessions will I need?
- There is no fixed number of sessions that is appropriate for everyone. This depends on the difficulties you are experiencing, your goals and how your needs develop during therapy. Maria can discuss the recommended frequency and ongoing plan with you.
- Can parents attend a teenager's appointment?
- The appropriate involvement of parents or caregivers depends on the young person's age, circumstances and clinical needs. This can be discussed when arranging or beginning therapy. Appropriate confidentiality and safeguarding requirements will always be considered.
- Can Maria refer me to a psychiatrist if necessary?
- Yes. One of the advantages of receiving psychological support within Prijorità is access to a wider multidisciplinary mental health team. If concerns arise that may benefit from psychiatric or medical assessment, this can be discussed with you and an appropriate referral or next step can be considered.
- Is therapy confidential?
- Yes. Psychological sessions are confidential, subject to applicable professional, ethical, safeguarding and legal obligations. Maria will explain confidentiality and its limits where appropriate.
Psychological services are provided according to individual needs and professional clinical judgement. The information on this page is for general informational purposes and does not replace individual psychological, psychiatric or medical assessment.
If you or someone else is experiencing an immediate mental health or medical emergency, please contact the appropriate emergency services rather than using the routine booking service.