APPROACH

I am passionate about working collaboratively with clients to explore how past experiences related to attachment styles, trauma and unmet needs interact to shape an individual’s coping styles and behaviours.  

My goal is to help build resilience, enhance self-efficacy, and achieve overall well-being through sustainable behavioural change.

I practice from an integrative approach to psychotherapy, drawing from the following treatment models, psychotherapy modalities and approaches:

Trauma-Informed Care

Trauma-informed is an approach to care that ensures that all interactions and therapies are conducted with an awareness of the potential impact of trauma. This approach aims to foster an environment of safety, trust, and empowerment, essential for clients dealing with anxiety, depressive disorders, and substance use issues. It emphasises physical, psychological, and emotional safety, helping clients to rebuild a sense of control and empowerment over their lives.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

CBT can be helpful in addressing anxiety, depression, and impulse control disorders. It helps clients identify and challenge distorted cognitions and change destructive patterns of behaviour. CBT's structured, goal-oriented approach is effective in treating a range of disorders by teaching practical skills that clients can use to manage their symptoms effectively.

Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy (CT-R)

CT-R can help enhance personal motivation and engagement in activities that are meaningful to the client, focusing on the client's strengths and aspirations to foster recovery.

Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT)

DBT is used to support clients in developing skills in mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. DBT helps clients learn to manage their emotions and behaviours in healthy ways, facilitating recovery by building coping skills and improving relationships.

Motivational Interviewing

This technique is integral to help resolve ambivalence about change, enhancing motivation and commitment to positive behavioural adjustments. It's collaborative, respecting client autonomy and facilitating intrinsic motivation for lasting change.

Schema Therapy

Schema Therapy is employed for clients with entrenched patterns of thinking and behaviour, often underlying chronic depression, anxiety and addictions. This approach can help identify and modify deep-seated life patterns or schemas, enabling clients to break free from repetitive, dysfunctional or maladaptive behaviours (coping mechanism).

Psychoeducation

Psychoeducation is a fundamental component of therapy. It involves educating clients about their health conditions, treatment options, and strategies to manage symptoms, which empowers them and supports adherence to treatment plans.

Clinical Application of Polyvagal Theory

The application of Polyvagal Theory helps clients understand their physiological responses to stress and trauma. This knowledge aims to foster greater self-regulation skills and co-regulate, which is particularly beneficial for clients struggling with the regulation of arousal levels.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness practices are helpful in managing stress and chronic pain and supporting emotional regulation. By fostering a non-judgmental awareness of the present moment, mindfulness helps clients decrease reactivity, manage distressing emotions, and improve overall mental clarity and concentration.

Self-Compassion

Promoting self-compassion is helpful in supporting clients struggling with self-criticism and harsh self-judgments that often accompany mental health issues. Self-compassion helps individuals accept themselves and their experiences, fostering resilience and a kinder self-relationship.

Harm Reduction

Harm reduction strategies respect clients' choices whilst aiming to minimise negative health outcomes associated with risky behaviours, providing a supportive, non-judgmental environment to explore change.

 I offer therapy in both English and Portuguese.

Feel welcome to get in touch with me if you have any questions.