Dr. Andreia Santo, HCPC

Dr. Andreia Santo welcomes people who are facing stress, health changes, relationship strain or struggles with mood and behaviour. She uses straightforward conversation to help people find manageable steps forward. Sessions are offered in English and Portuguese and she works with people living in the United Kingdom as well as international clients.

She trained in psychology in Portugal and has practised clinically since 2008, bringing 16 years of professional experience. Her background includes placements in early intervention services, health centres and council services, and many years working within child and adolescent mental health teams in the NHS until June 2024.

Her work draws on a mix of well-known approaches such as cognitive behavioural techniques, acceptance and commitment ideas, attachment-focused work and client-centred listening. In practical terms she helps people notice patterns, try small experiments and build clearer values and goals.

Dr Santo also has postgraduate study in family and systemic theory from the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust. She has completed further training in cognitive and behavioural methods accredited by relevant European associations and practices with professional registration HCPC.

Currently she is developing an independent research project and offers remote work alongside private practice. She asks people to check session times before booking and notes that she usually does not reply to messages on her break days, which are normally Sunday and Monday.

Her style favours compassionate listening, practical steps and collaborative planning to help people cope better with health challenges, grief, addiction, anxiety and relationship concerns.

Therapeutic approaches online and how they help

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on clarifying what matters to a person and using small, concrete actions to move towards those values; it is often helpful for anxiety, stress and coping with long-term health issues. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationship patterns affect current bonds and communication, and it can be useful for intimacy concerns, abandonment worries and attachment issues. Client-Centred Therapy gives people space to be heard and supported while they make sense of their experience and decide what changes to try.

Finding the best approach is part of the work. The therapist will listen to a person’s goals and preferences and suggest ways forward together. This is a collaborative process and methods can be mixed to match what a person needs at different times.

Dr Santo’s biographical information indicates she works remotely, so please confirm the exact session options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins when needed. It also makes it simpler to continue care when managing chronic illness, fluctuating energy or changes in location, while decisions about session length and timing are chosen together with the therapist.