My Approach

My approach to psychotherapy is a relational and integrative one. This means that I put the therapeutic relationship at the centre of the work and that I draw on a range of therapeutic approaches to think about my work with clients, using them creatively and flexibly to tailor the intervention to the clients’ specific wishes and needs. I pride myself in providing a warm and holding space where I support clients gain a better insight and understanding about themselves, as well as the issues and themes they bring to therapy.

I hold an MSc Psychotherapy and Counselling from the University of Warwick and I'm registered with UKCP. This means that I am an accredited psychotherapist and that I abide by UKCP's ethics and code of practice.

I also hold a 5 year degree (Licenciatura) in Psychology from the University of Évora (Portugal), and Post-graduate diplomas in Psychological Assessment and Intervention with Children and Young People, and Social Work.

I am committed to continuing ongoing professional development and have embarked on different kinds of training for over 20 years (for example: trauma, domestic abuse, Internal Family Systems, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Systemic Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Pluralistic Therapy, Existential Therapy, Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy, dissociation, attachment, self-harm, autism and ADHD, self-care, etc.).

About Me

Welcome to my profile!

My name is Jo and I’m passionate about supporting people with their mental health. That was what led me into psychology training over 20 years ago, where my journey as a therapist began. I became a qualified psychologist in 2006 and have been working therapeutically with children, young people and adults since then, initially in different settings back in Portugal where I’m originally from, and then in the NHS (CAMHS and a psychiatric hospital).

Throughout my career in mental health I have worked with people experiencing a variety of difficulties, many of them as a result of trauma. I have worked with people who have survived different kinds of abuse, frontline workers who work tirelessly to make everyone healthy, people who are neurodivergent living in a world often not understanding of their needs, people going through particularly challenging moments in their lives, amongst others. I also have lived experience of domestic abuse (as a child/teenager), dealing with emotionally immature family members, surviving narcissistic abuse, bullying (in both academic and work settings), perimenopause, working in the corporate world, betrayal, being ghosted, amongst others.

I have fulfilled the dream of starting my own private practice, which I named Namastherapy. The name naturally came to me a couple of years ago, it’s a combination of the words namaste and therapy. Whereas namaste can have slightly different meanings, for me it represents my respect, appreciation and gratitude towards the person in front of me. Therapy is simply an abbreviation for psychotherapy.

If you have any questions or would like a free 15-minute consultation, please feel free to reach out. The aim is to give you and I an opportunity to check if we are a good fit. Choosing to work therapeutically is quite an important step to take, so it’s imperative that you feel you are doing it with the right therapist.

I work with

• Individuals

Special Interests

Like all UKCP registered psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors I can work with a wide range of issues, but here are some areas in which I have a special interest or additional experience.

Types of Therapies Offered

• Integrative Psychotherapist