Dr. Andreia Santo, HCPC

Dr. Andreia Santo is an HCPC-registered clinical and counselling psychologist with extensive international training and a broad clinical portfolio. She qualified as a psychologist in 2008 after completing a Licenciatura in Psychology of Education and Rehabilitation at the Faculty of Human and Social Sciences of Algarve University in Faro, Portugal. Her early professional training included a full-time placement at Projecto Integrado de Intervenção Precoçe in Coimbra, an early intervention service where she carried out psychological assessments and interventions with children and parents or carers and contributed to projects promoting social inclusion and emotional health awareness.

Additional professional placements in Portugal included nine months at the Health Centre of Faro within the National Health System and thirteen months at a council service, Junta de Freguesia da Se. She completed a one-year post-graduate programme in Cognitive and Behavioural Therapy accredited by the Portuguese Association of Behavioural Therapy and the European Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies. After moving to the United Kingdom in 2010, she undertook a two-year part-time post-graduate diploma in Family and Systemic Theory at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust and worked across Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in the NHS until June 2024.

Dr. Santo has 16 years of clinical experience working with a wide range of presenting concerns, including stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship and family difficulties, depression, LGBT issues, trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy-related problems, eating and sleeping difficulties, parenting, anger, self-esteem, career concerns, bipolar disorder, coping with life changes, compassion fatigue, and ADHD. Her additional focus areas include abandonment and attachment issues, autism and Asperger syndrome, codependency, domestic violence, drug and alcohol addiction, chronic pain and illness, and other complex presentations.

She works mostly remotely, offering private practice sessions and work through Better Help. Dr. Santo is currently focused on an independent research project on the subject of Unconditional Love Science and is developing an innovative clinical approach. She values life, psychology, science, nature, ancestral history, art, music, travel, and culinary pursuits, and she encourages clients to reconnect with a sense of inherent worth and wellbeing. This service is not for emergencies. As a professional who also needs regular rest, she normally does not respond on break days, usually Sunday and Monday, and may not reply immediately due to a busy schedule. Scheduling is generally limited to available times on her calendar, though enquiries are welcome. She looks forward to meeting prospective clients.

Therapeutic approaches and online care with Dr. Andreia Santo

Dr. Andreia Santo integrates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Attachment-Based Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy into her online practice. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on helping clients accept difficult thoughts and feelings while identifying personal values and taking committed action toward a meaningful life - it can be helpful for anxiety, stress, and difficulties with motivation. Attachment-Based Therapy explores patterns formed in early relationships and how they influence current connections and emotional responses - it is often useful for relationship problems, abandonment and attachment concerns, and family difficulties. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) works by identifying and adjusting unhelpful thinking and behaviour patterns, making it a practical option for depression, anxiety, and many day-to-day coping challenges.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Dr. Santo collaborates with each client to determine which methods best match their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting the plan as therapy progresses to ensure a good fit.

Online therapy with Dr. Santo is delivered by registered professionals through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, offering flexibility for clients in different time zones and life circumstances. These options make it easier to fit sessions around work, family, or travel, and they support ongoing engagement with therapy for both local and international clients.