Counsellor profile
Dr. Andreia Santo, HCPC
Based in United Kingdom ยท 16 years of experience
Counsellor working with emotional and relational issues
Continue with AndreiaAt a glance
- Registration
- HCPC, United Kingdom (PYL28359)
- Qualifications
- HCPC
- Experience
- 16 years
- Languages
- English, Portuguese
- Based in
- United Kingdom
Details come from information Andreia supplied to BetterHelp.
- Stress and anxiety
- Trauma and grief
- CBT and ACT
About Andreia
HCPC. 16 years' experience. Dr Andreia Santo works with stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship and family concerns, depression, trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy issues, eating and sleeping problems, parenting, anger, self-esteem, career matters, bipolar difficulty, coping with life changes, compassion fatigue and ADHD. She also focuses on attachment and abandonment issues, autism and Asperger syndrome, avoidant personality, blended family issues, chronic pain and illness, codependency, communication problems, dissociation, domestic and substance-related problems. Andreia offers counselling in English and Portuguese and accepts international clients.
Andreia trained in Portugal, completing a degree in Psychology of Education and Rehabilitation in 2008 and further post-graduate training in Cognitive and Behavioural Therapy that is accredited by Portuguese and European associations. After moving to the United Kingdom in 2010 she completed a part-time diploma in Family and Systemic Theory at the Tavistock and Portman and worked in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services until June 2024. Her registration is with the Health and Care Professions Council, HCPC.
In sessions she describes her work using several recognised approaches including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centred Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy. That means she combines practical strategies with space to talk through relationship patterns, emotional reactions and day-to-day coping skills.
She has experience carrying out psychological assessments and delivering interventions across different services and age groups during her placements in Portugal and later work in UK services. More recently she has focused on independent research into themes she calls Unconditional Love Science and is developing her own clinical ideas.
Booking is arranged through the counselling platform. Sessions follow the platform process for matching and scheduling and use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.
How her therapeutic approaches work remotely
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on helping people notice difficult thoughts and feelings while choosing actions that align with their values; it is often used for anxiety, stress and coping with life changes. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at patterns formed in early relationships and how those patterns affect current bonds and emotional responses; it can be useful for intimacy, abandonment and relationship-related concerns. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) helps people identify unhelpful thinking and behaviour patterns and practise concrete skills to change them, which is commonly applied to depression, anxiety and sleep or eating difficulties.Finding the right approach is usually collaborative. The counsellor will talk with the client about their goals, preferences and what feels most helpful, and then try methods that match those aims. Adjustments are made over time based on what works best in practice.
The biography indicates she works remotely via the counselling platform, so check the platform for the exact session options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit counselling into a busy week, reduce travel time and allow for shorter check-ins when needed. Registered or accredited professionals offering remote counselling generally adapt exercises, homework and tracking to suit video or audio sessions, and decisions about format are made between the therapist and client when arranging appointments.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
16+ years
Listed in
United Kingdom
Languages
English, Portuguese
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she help with?
She works with a wide range of concerns including stress, anxiety, addictions, depression, trauma and relationship and family issues.
What therapeutic styles does she use?
She practises Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centred Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy.
How long has she worked in the field?
She has 16 years of professional experience since qualifying as a psychologist in 2008 and has worked in services in Portugal and the UK.
What registration or credential does she hold?
She is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council, HCPC.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English and Portuguese and she accepts international clients.
What session formats are available?
The original biography indicates she works remotely and via the counselling platform; confirm current session formats on the booking page before you schedule.
How much do sessions cost?
Cost varies with location and the service uses a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Use the See online counselling options button, complete the short matching questionnaire and then schedule a first session through the platform.
Checking a registration
Professional bodies keep public registers. If Andreia lists a membership, you can look it up on that body's own website:
Online counselling is not emergency or medical care. In immediate danger? Crisis numbers