Clinical Psychologist

With 18 years of experience a bit all over the world, both in private and public sectors, Sara offers effective evidence based therapies in online format, which scientific research shows to be as effective as face-to-face sessions.
Sara combines her scientific clinical skills with humanism and compassion for her clients, resulting in therapeutic processes centred in dedication, curiosity and solutions orientated.

What will you gain working with Sara?

1. Primarily focused on providing a safe therapeutic environment: this is basic for human connection. First, you need to be seen, heard and understood. Only then you can feel safe to start the pathway of reconnecting with your true self and be your best version.

2. Focus on you, because you are the expert of yourself: Sara does an individualized process based on your goals, your intentions, needs and what you want to take out of the sessions. It is a balanced collaborative therapeutic relationship.

3. Solution-orientated therapeutic process: It is about focusing on solutions instead of dwelling in the original problems.

4. Ongoing training, competence and expertise: Sara is continuously updating her skills and proficiency to make sure she provides her clients with the best service.

5. Merchant of hope: no one can transform or change without this variable. Sara makes sure this is central in sessions.

Over the years, Sara has gained expertise in a wide range of areas, symptoms, disorders such as:

• Life changes – struggles adjusting to new life phases (new job, parenting) or unexpected changes (sickness, grief, divorce)

• Burnout and Stress

• Impostor Syndrome – usually linked with generalized anxiety and mood symptoms

• Relations – social isolation, difficulties in the family dynamics, communication problems, couple’s difficulties.

• General mental health disorders – depression, anxiety, phobias, sleep difficulties, impulsive type disorders, trauma, eating disorders, etc.

• General feelings of unhappiness with life, feeling of hopelessness and emptiness

• Self-esteem and difficulties being ones true Self

• Emotional difficulties: irritability & mood swings

• Attention difficulties, low energy, procrastination, postponing decisions and low motivation

• Decrease with level of functioning: performance, sleep, appetite, libido, and usual habits

• Somatic complaints: difficulty getting pregnant, headaches, body pain, etc.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s Degree in Psychology, Counseling and Psychotherapy (ULHT, Portugal)

• Specialist in Clinical and Health Psychology from the College of Specialties of the Portuguese Psychologist Board (OPP, Portugal)

• Postgraduate studies in Psychotherapy and Neuropsychology (IPAF, Portugal)

• Postgraduate studies in projective methodology in psychological assessment (ULHT, Portugal)

• Clinical Supervisor in the Curricular Internship Specialization area of Clinical Psychology (ISPA, Portugal)

• Level 2 Certified Psychotherapist of Internal Family Systems (IFS) psychotherapy, by the IFS Institute.

• Level 1 certified Psychotherapist in EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) (EMDR Institute, Australia)

• Psychotherapist Certified in FBT Family-Based Psychotherapy (NZ Eating Disorders Clinic, New Zealand)

• Level 1 Certified Psychotherapist in EFT Emotion Focused Therapy (Robert Elliot, SoCal Institute of Emotion Focused Therapy, USA)

• Certified Psychotherapist in the Incredible Years Programme – IY (Jamila Reid, Incredible Years, USA)

• Level 1 Certified Psychotherapist in ACT Acceptance and Compassion Therapy (Russ Harris, Australia)

• Certified Psychotherapist in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy specific to Eating Disorders - CBT-E, (Christopher Fairbun, CREDO – University of Oxford