The story behind MKM Psychology
MKM Psychology is an independent, founder-led business psychology and coaching consultancy helping people understand themselves more deeply, navigate complexity and create meaningful, sustainable change in their work and wider lives.
Based in Edinburgh and working with clients across the UK and internationally, MKM Psychology supports organisations seeking to develop their leaders and teams, as well as individuals looking for greater clarity, confidence and direction.
At the heart of the practice is a belief that meaningful change begins with understanding. By combining psychological insight, curiosity and practical action, MKM Psychology helps clients see what is happening beneath the surface, explore new possibilities and move forward in ways that feel purposeful, realistic and sustainable.
Meet Maria Moneva
Maria is an experienced Business Psychologist and Accredited Coach who helps people create greater clarity, confidence and meaningful change.
She works with organisations, leaders, teams and private coaching clients, supporting them with challenges that may be professional, personal or closely connected to both. Her work recognises that people do not experience their careers, relationships, confidence, wellbeing and sense of identity as entirely separate parts of life.
Maria’s style is warm, thoughtful and psychologically informed. Clients often describe her approach as high support and high challenge. She creates an environment in which people feel safe enough to be honest with themeselves while also being encouraged to question familiar assumptions, recognise unhelpful patterns and consider different possibilities.
Her role as a business psychologist and coach is not to tell people how they should live, lead or make decisions. Instead, she helps them hear their own thinking more clearly, reconnect with their strengths and values, and translate insight into practical action.
In her own words
“I feel very fortunate to do work that brings me genuine meaning and reflects not only my professional interests, but who I am and what matters to me.
Growing up in a family of doctors and nurses, I was surrounded by compassion and examples of the difference that thoughtful support can make to someone’s life. I knew that I wanted to help people too, but through the lens of psychology.
I created MKM Psychology because I wanted to offer work that combines psychological rigour with warmth and humanity. Psychology can sometimes be presented as abstract research or as something soft and disconnected from evidence. For me, its real value lies in bringing scientific understanding together with the complexity of human experience.
I take time to listen and understand the person or organisation in front of me so that the support feels genuinely relevant to them. I want clients to feel understood, appropriately challenged and able to leave with clearer thinking and practical ways forward. Trust, integrity and strong partnerships are central to how I work.”
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Maria's career background
Before establishing MKM Psychology, Maria spent nearly six years working within a specialist business psychology consultancy, progressing from Assistant Business Psychologist to Principal Business Psychologist and Head of Assessment.
During this time, she developed and led complex work across leadership development, team development, coaching, facilitation, psychometric assessment and organisational evaluation. She has supported senior leaders, managers, professionals and executive teams across the NHS, wider public sector, private businesses and third-sector organisations.
Maria’s earlier experience in Human Resources within social care and in recruitment also continues to shape her work. It gave her a grounded understanding of organisational life, career decisions, people-management pressures and the difference between an idea that sounds persuasive in theory and one that can genuinely be used in practice.
Her experience now enables her to support the complete consulting journey, from listening and diagnosis through to design, facilitation, coaching, assessment and evaluation, while never losing sight of the person at the centre of the work.
Professional credentials and expertise
Maria's professional journey is grounded in evidence-based psychology, professional ethics and a commitment to continued learning.
Qualifications and practitioner training
MSc Organisational Psychology
Alliance Manchester Business School
BSc (Hons) Psychology
University of Glasgow
Personal and Business Coaching
Barefoot Coaching Ltd
Strengthscope Practitioner
Strengthscope
Mental Health First Aider
MHFA England
Accreditations and memberships
Associate Certified Coach (ACC)
International Coaching Federation (ICF)
Full Member
British Psychological Society (BPS)
Member
BPS Division of Occupational Psychology
Assessment expertise
Maria is a BPS Registered Test User in Occupational Personality and Ability.
She has experience using psychometric assessments within coaching, selection, leadership and talent development, including Strengthscope, OPQ, SJT and Finding Potential.
Assessment tools are used as one source of evidence, not as labels or substitutes for professional judgement.
Location and delivery
Based in Edinburgh, Maria works with clients across the UK and internationally, online and in person.
She provides a professional, supportive and psychologically safe environment for individual coaching, group development and organisational consultancy.
Values
Meaningful change requires psychological insight, human understanding and practical action. Five values guide every coaching conversation, workshop, assessment and consultancy engagement at MKM Psychology.
01
Rigour
The work is grounded in psychological and behavioural science and shaped around each client’s context rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. Rigour also means being honest about what the evidence can and cannot tell us.
02
Support and challenge
Development needs both: enough trust and psychological safety for honest reflection, and enough challenge to explore assumptions, address difficult questions and try something different.
03
Compassion
Understanding comes before judgement. People and organisations behave as they do for reasons that deserve curiosity, respect and careful exploration.
04
Practicality
Insight matters when it can be used. The work connects reflection with clear, realistic actions that clients can apply in their work or wider lives.
05
Integrity
Trust is built through honesty, transparency and consistency. Work is done with clients’ best interests at heart and within the sphere of expertise. We refer clients on where another specialist is better placed.
Start with a conversation
Choosing a coach or consultant is personal. Expertise matters, but so does feeling that the person’s approach and way of working are right for you. Whether you are considering coaching for yourself or support for your organisation, the first step is a straightforward conversation about what you are navigating, what would be helpful and whether MKM Psychology is the right fit.