ABOUT
Hi, I'm Maria Esther Payne
Mother of 5, grandmother, wife, systemic therapist and mentor for those living far from their home country.
If you've tried to help everyone and forgotten about yourself, I got you.
Being in another country can feel like a new opportunity, and often it is.
But it also shows what remains unresolved: difficult relationships, seemingly endless responsibilities, or an echo of the past even thousands of miles from where it all began. I see you.
My listening begins there, at that point where you ask yourself: why do I still feel this way, even though I've done everything right?
My Journey
I came to England over 20 years ago, like so many women do: with courage, dreams and the hope of building a better life, for myself and for those I love.
I worked in factories, cleaning, and manual labor. Meanwhile, I tried to support my family, send money home, and maintain long-distance ties. But the more I gave of myself, the more tired, frustrated, and alone I felt.
What I didn't know at the time, and what I see clearly today, is that I was trying to support everything around me, without having learned how to support myself emotionally from within.
That's when I realized it. Instead of continuing to blame myself for not being able to handle everything, I decided to investigate why I was carrying so much. And that's when everything started to change around me.
It wasn't just about where I lived, but about what I carried.
The real turning point came when I decided to look at my history, at what was behind the repeating patterns. Family Constellation has shown me so much. I was living invisible loyalties, trying to save everyone but myself.
This inner movement allowed me to create new relationships, with more truth and less expectation. I began to realize that is possible to feel connected to my children, my partner, and even myself, and to be prosperous, without having to carry everything on my shoulders.
My Transformation
& Mission
Today I know the value of feeling whole.
After years of study and systemic practices, I've rediscovered my strength, clarity, and peace. I live with greater ease, allowing myself financial and emotional freedom, and a new relationship with giving and receiving.
Today, the way I work, and live, is based on this: Understanding what's behind the pain, releasing what weighs on me, and building a lighter life, with space for what really matters.
When you align within yourself, the world aligns with you.
Why all this is important?
Because I know what it’s like to carry the world on your shoulders and still feel you’re not doing enough.
I know what it’s like to smile for everyone else while crying quietly on your own.
And I also know there’s another way.
Nothing moves me more than seeing someone reconnect with their own strength, creating space for lightness, peace and belonging.
Even in another country, even in another language, even when life feels confusing.
What makes my approach different
I am a systemic therapist focusing on family constellations and specialized therapeutic processes for those living outside their country of origin.
My approach is direct, welcoming and without ready-made formulas.
I serve people from different backgrounds and contexts online, in Portuguese or English.
I offer depth and reconnection, not shortcuts or empty promises.
Who am I?
beyond the therapist
I always tried to please everyone, reacting to chaos and trying to adapt, always exhausted. Today, I choose to stop, breathe, and value what truly matters: sincere friendships, meaningful conversations, being close to nature and living with more authenticity, simplicity, and presence.
I used to be the person who thought that all that was needed was to "do a little more" for things to get better. Today, I know that what transforms me isn't doing more, it's feeling differently.
And that is possible.
Embracing your own story is the first step to living more truthfully.
I am here to walk with you through this process.
If something resonated with you, perhaps your journey has already begun.
