Dr. Andreia Santo , HCPC

Dr. Andreia Santo is an experienced clinical and counselling psychologist with a broad international background and 16 years of professional practice. She qualified in 2008 with a Portugese Licenciatura in Psychology of Education and Rehabilitation from the Faculty of Human and Social Sciences at Algarve University in Faro, a training program noted in her original record as academically equivalent to a British clinical psychology doctorate. Early in her career she completed a year placement at Projecto Integrado de Intervenção Precoçe in Coimbra, delivering psychological assessments and interventions for children and parents and contributing to projects that promoted social inclusion and emotional health awareness.

Her training included placements at the Health Centre of Faro within the National Health System for nine months and at the local council service Junta de Freguesia da Se for thirteen months. She also 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 relocating 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 in London and worked in various Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) within the NHS until June 2024.

Dr. Santo holds HCPC registration - the Health and Care Professions Council registration used in the UK for certain health professions - and now focuses on independent research into what she terms Unconditional Love Science while working primarily via remote appointments and in private practice. She brings a wide clinical focus that includes stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship and family difficulties, trauma, grief, eating and sleeping issues, parenting concerns, ADHD and many related areas. She is fluent in English and Portuguese and accepts international clients. This service is not for emergencies. She also observes regular break days, typically Sunday and Monday, and may not be able to reply to messages during those times; response times can vary due to a busy schedule and available appointment slots may be limited. Dr. Santo continues to develop her clinical approach and remains committed to helping clients reconnect with a sense of self-worth and wellbeing. Dr. Andreia Santo

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Care

Dr. Santo uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help clients clarify their values and build psychological flexibility - a practical way to address anxiety, stress, and life transitions by learning to make space for difficult feelings while taking committed action. Attachment-Based Therapy is also central to her work and focuses on exploring relationship patterns and early attachment experiences to improve intimacy, communication, and emotional security in adult and family relationships. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is employed to identify and shift unhelpful thinking and behaviour patterns, offering structured tools for depression, anxiety, stress, and many day-to-day difficulties.

Choosing the right approach is part of therapy itself. Dr. Santo collaborates with each person to assess needs, goals, and preferences, and she tailors methods so that the work fits the client rather than forcing a single model. This collaborative stance helps people feel more engaged and understood.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions can take place by video call or phone, and shorter exchanges are possible via live chat or text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules, to access support across time zones, and to continue work between sessions, while retaining the professional guidance of a licensed therapist.