"Nobody made a greater mistake than s/he/they who did nothing because s/he/they could only do a little." Edmund Burke
MY TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE
I’m a Certified Clinical Psychologist and Cognitive-Behavioural Psychotherapist (member of the Ordem dos Psicólogos Portugueses number 12094) and hold a BA degree in Psychology - with pre-specialization in Cognitive, cognitive-behavioural and systemic interventions by the Psychology College of Lisbon University. I hold a Post-graduate degree as a Cognitive-Behavioural and Integrative Psychotherapist, by the Portuguese Association for Cognitive and Behavioural Psychotherapies - APTCC (associate number 515) and a Post-graduate training in Couples Therapy and Sexology, by INSPSIC. I am certified by the Ordem dos Psicólogos Portugueses in the following flields:
General Specialization in Clinical and Health Psychology
Advanced Specialization in Psychotherapy
Advanced Specialization in Sexology
Advanced Specialization in Community Psychology
General Specialization in Social and Organizational Psychology
I offer individual therapy for adults as well as couples therapy. I started working with children and families, before focusing my training and practice in adults and couples, which I believe gives me a life span perspective based on experience that I use to best help the people I work with. It is also the foundation for the parental coaching and counselling that I offer, in spite of no longer working directly with the children. My professional path has also included several organizational experiences where I’ve come to learn a great deal about the challenges of NGO's, the corporate world and other highly challenging and competitive environments. This is another level of experience I also try to use in the service to my clients. I believe in approaching mental and emotional health taking into account and integrating the several aspects of our life and self: physical, psychological, emotional, socio-cultural and the relational well-being, as well as personal, family and professional fulfilment. Within this frame I include the importance of how we relate to a life partner or any significant other, how we deal with one’s own body, identity, intimacy, sexuality - in all its diverse expressions - and that naturally led to extending my training and intervention to clinical sexology and couples therapy. We do not lead perfect lives under perfect circumstances, but we can get to know ourselves better, we can learn new skills and abilities. We can learn to face problems with a different perspective and a clearer sense of how much is old patterns, unavoidable circumstances or choice. We can learn to perceive and relate to ourselves and others differently. Sometimes we can change the circumstances that create distress for us, others choose to accept that distress in a wider frame, where we trade one discomfort for one benefit. But first we need to look at what is and understand it...
There are many roads to feel better and overcome difficulties, whatever that means to each one of us, under whatever circumstances. I offer help to clarify your challenges and strengths with you, working together to ease your emotional and psychological suffering and to create change and achieve whatever goals we set for our work together. If you have any questions or would like more information please reach out and ask. I will be happy to answer! :)
